A sound decision

So I was with a client yesterday at the DDOT kiosk at DCRA in downtown DC helping her fill out some permit applications, chatting about work. She mentioned to me that her staff is dwindling, as people are finding different paths to their lives and moving on. I casually mentioned "I've made a personal decision that will greatly relieve some accumulated stress in the upcoming months." She shot me this look of guarded apprehension, not knowing what would come next. Leaving my job? Getting separated? Skipping off to the Canadian Rockies? I could tell her wheels were turning because she works for a Boston based non profit that is known for high turnover, is completely intense, and is coming off a divorce.

"I won't be coaching my daughter's soccer team in the fall or spring." She looked at me with just a little bit of derision, probably figuring that this is a minor blip compared to work, relationships, and life; so minor that it doesn't warrant much consideration. Don't blame her one bit--it really doesn't seem like much.

Until you do it, and ladle it on top of work, relationships, and life. Having coached kids soccer for over 4 years, it's really not difficult at all. What's hard is managing the time, between games and mid-week practices and communicating with all the parents, including those that don't have the greatest command of English (glad I know Spanish), or somehow insist on following the schedule of another team and calling me repeatedly wondering why the team isn't at the field.

So the fall suddenly feels a bit more open. We'll still go to the games, cheer them on, enjoy the other families and the moments too. It's a bit of found time that will keep on reappearing every week.