Highway 20 Ride

A part of you might hate me
But son, please don’t mistake me
For a man that didn’t care at all
- Zac Brown

How do we measure the cost of what we do? And whether it's worth the price? There was an editorial piece in the paper today, written by a mother serving in the military, and how she feels when people thank her for her service, and she wonders if she's paid too great a price for our Freedom. Not because she served in Iraq, but because she wasn't there for her son when he needed her, and he committed suicide. And it made me think about my daughter lashing out at me, angry that she has to compete with 300 children for my attention. And how everyone at my school has to believe in the higher principle of what we are doing at this school...to make it worth jumping ship, giving up tenure, working longer hours for less pay. In the end, will it matter more that I started a school to provide parents with educational choice or that I was there for my family? Is that being selfish? Or serving a greater good? And how do you know?

And I count the days
And the miles back home to you

And when my daughter goes to study abroad, is it worth it because it furthers her education and career goals? Or too high a cost in the emotional toll it takes on the rest of the family because we worry about her and miss her so very much?

And my whole world
It begins and ends with you

I believe in service. And making the world a better place. I know my daughters do too. Right now, I am striving for balance. It's a late life lesson. Because I know that without family, there is very little else. So I am striving to find that balance. It's elusive because I believe so strongly in that service and the higher purpose of my school. But the world does begin and end with my daughters. So the best I can do is to keep the communication open and hope that I am doing a good job keeping tuned in to seeing the world through their eyes.