Best

These evening, I took Atlas to a park and played with him as he traversed through a sprawling playground before exploring the wildlife around a small pond. As we walked around the pond, I noticed the surrounding area; taking inventory of how beautiful it was. An enormous playground, tennis/pickleball courts and multiple dog parks were contained in the large public park.

I couldn’t help but think ‘not all parks are like this’. In fact, most parks aren’t like the one we experience on a regular basis – and are blessed enough to live within biking distance of…

As we walked to our car, I saw a young lady run out of the dog park and to one of the sidewalks leading to the pond. Walking toward the parking lot was a large turtle, and she stopped to pick it up. Atlas excitedly ran over to see the turtle and she held it while he pet its shell. The three of us walked to the edge of the pond where she picked a spot to release it back to the water.

Before setting the turtle down, she asked Atlas: “What’s your name?”

“Atlas.” he responded.

“Well then, Atlas – I’m going to name this turtle ‘Atlas’, that way he has a name when he goes home.”

She gently lowered the turtle to the ground and it quickly made its way to the water. Home safe.

The three of us walked back to the dog park, where we met her mother and chatted for a few minutes. Pointing at her daughters shoes (crocs), I mentioned that Atlas has his own shoe business, and showed them the website. They loved all of the designs, as well as the ‘teacher resources’ I recently created. I gave her the rundown on how to create her own materials for her daughter, who was autistic.

We parted ways, all happier having met and knowing a turtle was safely back in its habitat.

Atlas and I made our way back to the car and I stole another glance at our surroundings. It was a beautiful night, moment and environment for both of us.

As we drove home with the windows down, winding through the 30mph roads in the ‘Highland Shores’ community, I was again awestruck at how beautiful our neighborhood is; stopping just short of being a gated community, we truly live in a beautiful sanctuary.

As we walked inside of our home, I again stopped to notice how beautiful of a home we live in. It’s filled with instruments, pets, unique furniture, artwork and a plethora of items that make it feel like a home ought to; peaceful, joyful, rich and warm. The fridge is full, pantry stocked and there’s an abundance of everything needed to maintain the home – down to the bird and squirrel food we go through in bulk.

This morning, I read Proverbs 10, which included:

“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.”

I couldn’t help but look at my own life through the lens of this verse, with reminders all day that helped me see my own life – and the life I’ve provided to Atlas – as truly being rich and without painful toil. While we were out on one of our adventures, two clients sent in requests for me to resolve.

Without skipping a beat, I opened up Claude ‘Dispatch’ and tasked it with the items. In less than 15 minutes, both tasks were done and I happily informed each of the clients, while spending more time to write the email than it took me to prompt Claude to complete the work.

It’s rare to be given the time to reflect on your own life and realize how beautiful it is. In many cases, it’s even more rare to have a life that you can truly appreciate and know in your head – and your heart – that you have a wonderufl one. Yet, every day I am reminded just how blessed the two of us are; from the community we live in, to the way I’m able to work and provide financially for it all while being fully present with Atlas along the way.

Before Atlas went to his Mom’s for his Summer posession time, which spanned a week, I promised him two things; I would get our back yard fence stained and I would complete his Atlas Kicks website. In the week that followed, both of those two things were finished…and so much more.

Atlas didn’t just get a website or a stained fence, he came back to a home that was put together, a library of custom educational materials and and interactive library on his website where he can complete his worksheets, coloring books and read comic books (with his likeness) with an iPad.

When I put the finishing touches on everything, again I stopped to reflect at the small miracle it was that I was able to get it all done…in a week.

“Dad, do you have any surprises for me?’ he asked when I picked him up.

“Oh, Atlas…you’re about to find out.”

When I picked him up, he got more than a Dad that took the week ‘off’ to relax, party or vacation – giving him ‘what’s left’ as many single parents do. Rather, he dove into the fruits of the labor, a week worth of long hours at my desk and a Dad that could truly look him in the eye and say:

“I did my best.”

Dayenu.