January 23

This was a challenging day. Things aren't moving fast enough for me, and I need to be patient. I need to learn to let things unfold. Sometimes I focus more on the end result and less on the journey. Jim provides such good balance for me in times like this. I'm a list maker, very task oriented and love a schedule. He's laid back and very spontaneous.

This experience reminds me of one of my favorite times as a new forester. It was January, and a more seasoned forester and I were out cruising timber in Upton, Maine. Using a map and compass, we were walking in a grid pattern over remote, rugged terrain on snowshoes. The day was physically draining due to the cold and amount of distance we had to cover. Hours went by and we trudged on. I loved the outdoors, true, but I was ready for this day to be over.
My cruising partner suddenly took a turn that I knew was not on the compass bearing and motioned me to follow. Of course, it was uphill! I thought he was crazy. Now we'd have to take even more time to retrace our steps to get back on our original line.
But I followed him to the crest of the hill. He had a big grin as he looked on.
Down below, in the cedar swamp,still 500 yards away was a beautiful site. Dozens of whitetail deer bedded down for the winter. I stood awestruck. "Not many people get to see this," he said to me.
The rest of the day seemed to fly. Instead of focusing on being tired and cold, I kept the vision of the deer in my thoughts.
If I had been running the compass line, I never would have veered off course to see what was over the top of the ridge, and I would have missed a spectacular moment.

My challenge for this weekend and coming week is to let things unfold, and realize things may go off course from what was planned. But, as long as I keep the vision of what My PowerMall can do for the schools and Mike in my mind, it doesn't matter.