A Giving Nature

A Giving Nature

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

Sir Edmund Hillary

Early on in our marriage, my wife, Liz, and I took a trip to Carmel, California, one of the most romantic places ever. There is something in the air, or water, or trees in Carmel that just makes me feel good to be there, that all things are possible.

On our trip, we drove along the magnificent Seventeen Mile Drive, among some of the greatest golf courses and vistas in the world. The salty air and ocean view, peppered with dozens of deer and the relentless barking of sea lions, is restorative to life lived in the big city.

At the end of the day, Liz and I stopped at The Lodge at Pebble Beach and meandered around the shops in their beautiful common area. We enjoyed a drink in The Lodge, overlooking the eighteenth green and the surf beyond, a truly idyllic view to a golfer if ever there was one.

We talked about our plans and dreams for our life together. Liz briefly stepped away and came back with a gift-wrapped box. Surprised, I opened it and found a small, elegant mantle clock, with a black frame and brass trimmings and face.

I didn’t know quite what to make of it, until she said, “There wasn’t room on the front, so I had them engrave it on the back.” I turned the clock over and saw the two-word engraving of our inside joke, “Hankster International.”

Now, I realize that might not mean much to you, but it meant a lot to me. Liz believed in me and in my dreams of what I could do. And that has made all the difference to me in my life.

It’s funny how such a little thing can mean so much, knowing that someone believes in you. I try to pass that gift along, of believing in others and in their dreams, and I know that gift is significant to the people I share it with too.

That little clock keeps me company at my desk, as I work towards achieving my dreams.

Thank you, Honey, for the gift of believing in me.

-Hank