Friday Donuts

Friends, Ever get impatient for Spring? All the signs are there. Milder weather gently appears while green blades of grass sneak-up on us. Still, one wonders whether trees will ever grow back leaves. Then, one day out of nowhere, once barren sticks are suddenly flush with white or pink -a flowery explosion of life. The air loses its harsh bite, inviting us to the great outdoors. It’s is a wonderful thing! Sure, old man winter still has a couple of parting spats to give us, but the threshold has been crossed. We’ve passed the tipping point. Spring has asserted itself!  Time to dust-off the shorts and T-shirts, grab a donut and plan that first camping trip. Happy Friday!

Friends, Ever wish you could save some moments in a bottle so you can pour them out at a later date? Times you could just eat-up the whole sky. Instants when the light is just so, the temperature like yay, the mood so right. One wishes to capture these fleeting feelings and preserve them forever. It’s times like these you whip-out your smartphone and take a pale snapshot that doesn’t come close to doing reality justice. So, you pause, take a deep breath and take-in as much as you can. Fortunately, if you’re attentive, these moments are more commonplace than you’d think. I think it comes down to having the right attitude. An openness to receiving each moment as a gift. A gratefulness for life. Having a donut can help put you in the right state of mind. So sit back, relax and enjoy. Happy Good Friday!

Friends, “I have plowed in the sea and sown in the wind”. These are the words a disillusioned Simon Bolívar allegedly used to describe his legacy. If the man who liberated five South American nations; the George Washington of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Bolivia could feel this way, I suppose we mere mortals can be forgiven for occasionally indulging in such thoughts. We come into work, power through innumerable meetings, work on accomplishing our goals, push the company forward and when we take stock of our progress, wonder whether there has been any. Are our efforts truly appreciated, fully valued and properly rewarded? When these thoughts come, I find it helpful to take a step back and put things in perspective. While weekly progress may seem glacial, these small contributions add-up over time. Looking at a quarter –or a year—can open our eyes to the magnitude of our achievements. Our work makes a difference. Our teams and stakeholders rely on the small contributions

Friends, When thunderstorms darken the sky, the torrents released ravage the earth. Streams engorge roaring rivers --the rocks they carry churning as they roll. Nature's wrath grinds relentless, reminding us of our frailty. Abruptly, the rain subsides, revealing the rainbow's royal colors. Red and orange, green and purple. Like frosting on a sugary treat. Which reminds me... have a cruller or perhaps a marble-frosted raspberry bizmark. Whatever you do, remember to rejoice this ravishing day. Happy Friday! P.S. This donut e-mail was brought to you by the letter R  Torrential Rain Roaring River Regal Rainbow