Day 11: Such Important Work

I've had time to think about my first day at work and here's what I've come up with: Home is really where the work happens. By lunchtime, I had called twice to check in, partially wanting things to be great and partially wanting them not to be. I wanted the family's first day without me to be easy--kids listening to Mommy, kids laughing with Mommy, not a problem. On the other hand, I also wanted the family's first day without me to be hard--kids asking for Daddy, kids lost without Daddy, something missing. But by my second call, which was halfway through the day, there was not a word about Daddy. They had forgotten me.

Asia is used to me going to work, but not Rex. All Rex has known is me being at home all day. I was sure he'd wake up and say, "Daddy, Daddy?" And all of a sudden he'd pull out a sentence in perfect English, the one he was holding back for a very desperate and important moment, and he'd say, "I would like to go wherever my Daddy is and stay with him until the day is out, if you please." But he didn't say that. Nothing close, not even a simple "Daddy." I was sure when I returned home and walked into the house, Rex would wail uncontrollably because this strange man just broke into his home, and we'd have to redo our first meeting, be introduced, do everything over again.

But when Rex saw me, he yelled a great big, "Daddy!" and threw his arms up for me to hold him and I snatched him up and hugged him. Asia was less enthusiastic about our reunion, but I guess she always knew I was coming back. It was great to be back at home, where the real work happens. At my job I think of ways to market software, and not just any software, energy saving software. We help organizations save money, we provide jobs to thirty people, and we give some of our profits to charities. It's good work. But while I'm doing that, Colette is at home with our kids, teaching them, building character, providing belonging. That's really where the work is. It's hard to be gone from such important work, but I know it's the Design, at least for now.