Less than five months before Shelly passed away…
There She was… sitting on the hotel room floor with tears in her eyes.
“WE’VE GOT TO DO MORE.” She wept.
It was a long-time coming. It was our 30th anniversary and we’d made arrangements to go on a second honeymoon. Just Shelly and I (no kids) and the beautiful beaches of Destin, Florida.
It had been F O R E V E R since we’d had any time together… with just the two of us. And it was incredible.
We SO enjoyed being together and being able to focus on JUST each other. It WAS a second honeymoon.
One morning Shelly asked me to run to the grocery store to grab some snacks for the day and when I returned there She was.
Sitting on the hotel room floor with tears in her eyes.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” I enquired as I knelt down next to her.
“WE’VE GOT TO DO MORE.” She wept.
“More what?” I was confused.
“I’m okay. I’m not crying because of anything about us. I’m crying because SHE is struggling.”
She pointed to the laptop on the carpet next to her.
Typically, Shelly steared clear of social media. She didn’t spend a lot of time online.
Typically, I’m the one that handles emails and requests from families who may be struggling as they raise their kids.
However, THIS time – SHE had read an email from a Mom that was really struggling.
“I could feel her pain. I’ve been there. We’ve been there. We’ve got to help her. We’ve got to do MORE! You’ve got to do more.” She said to me through tears.
“We know how to help her. She doesn’t have to struggle like this. If we can give her the tools and training we’ve developed she and her kids can get what we have. A wonderfully happy family. It’s why we’re here now. We have to do more.”
But what could I do? I’d already… written a book, spoke at events, created audio programs and created a Facebook page with more than 15,000 followers that I published to daily.
“I don’t care what you do. Just try harder to help.”
Because I loved my wife and would do anything for her, I agreed. So, after thinking about it, I started offering up options. “What if I did this?” Nope, too complicated. “What if I tried that?”
Too tricky. Everything I suggested was met with a “not good enough” answer.
Then she said something that perplexed me a bit. She said, “Imagine you could give them whatever it takes to be successful. What would you give them?”
Out of frustration, I said, jokingly… “Well, I CAN’T train every family one-on-one.”
“Why not?” She replied. “I’m only one person.” I replied.
But the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that I would have to figure it out. For Shelly. At her request. I’d do anything for her.
Less than five months later Shelly passed away suddenly. And my attention was diverted away from her wishes.
Until…
Just recently when I had a conversation with a very close friend and the subject (and a new idea) was reintroduced.
After some conversation and before I could even ask him if he’d help me, he almost screamed, “I’M IN!”
So… Shelly’s request, “We’ve got to do more” has been reignited and it seems to have given me a purpose again. Something I’d struggled to really find since her passing.
I can’t wait to share what we’re creating. To continue Shelly’s legacy.
Stay tuned.
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