In the middle...

We had a few storms move through Middle TN last night, nothing serious, but storms nonetheless. As has become the custom its seems, Kendall made her way downstairs to Frank and Tammy's room, and promptly climbed under the sheets and comforter between her two parents. She was "in the middle," her safe place.

Over coffee this morning, Frank was remembering how Allison, up until just a few years ago, would do the same thing. If a storm were to roll through during the night, if she was frightened by a dream or a "bump in the night," Frank and Tammy could pretty much count on Allison finding her way to "the middle" by daybreak.

Allison doesn't find her way to Frank and Tammy's bedroom on such occasions anymore, being more content to sleep in her own room, in her own bed. On occasion, when the storms are especially bad, Frank will have her get in bed with Tammy and Kendall while he sleeps on the couch watching the weather channel, but that is more for the peace of mind of Frank than for Allison's comfort.

Frank was trying to remember whether he, as a child, would go to his parents' room when he was frightened. He doesn't remember doing so, some 40 years ago, but he does remember knowing that should he be frightened, he knew he was safe with his parents. Frank grins imagining himself now, all 6'4" 240 lbs, climbing in bed with his parents in their home in Clarksville...what a visual!

But isn't that exactly what we do in our everyday lives, to some degree or the other? We like existing and functioning and living and working in those environments that we feel comfortable and safe in. How many times have you said, or heard others say, they didn't sleep well while staying in a hotel? Even though the hotel may have offered the most luxurious accomodations available, the comfort level was not there.

>How many times have we not taken that risk that could've yielded rewards, because it didn't fit in our comfort zone? Frank can remember some four years ago when he stepped out of the comfort of working for a local government and opened the office. He remembers being very apprehensive about the move...would he be able to meet the financial obligations, would he be able to keep up the pace, would he succeed?

He remembers spending countless hours developing a very conservative budget, taking into account every possible scenario, counting every penny. Finally, he reached that comfortable place, "in the middle" so to speak, and he announced his resignation from his position. Tammy and Allison were there to support his decision, friends and family wished him well and told him he would do fine, but he had to reach that place in his own mind and heart.

He had to believe it.

The point of this is not to emphasize Frank's ability to take risk. Far from it. There is no doubt that Frank was scared to death the night he made his announcement to the county commission. Even though he had done all his homework, he had analyzed every angle, he had taken into account every possibility, the butterflies in his stomach not only fluttered about, they felt like vultures gnawing away at him!

The point of this is to make others think about the options that are face, the knock of opportunities that go unanswered, the paths not taken because it is outside of that safe place that we know and cherish.

Just as a side note, less than eight months after opening the office, Frank and Tammy learned they were having Kendall...a possibility that was never considered!

PSS...Oh, by the way, today is my "little sister's" birthday! Happy Birthday, Sis...hope you have a good one! Just as a point of trivia, some forty-something years ago...it snowed 6 inches in Clarskville, TN! Sis always did like to make an entrance in a big way!