A Family Dinner
What This Picture Is
This is a picture of a family enjoying each other’s company.
My mom is on the right, looking at the photographer. Next to her is Kathleen, my aunt. Next to Kathleen are Mary Ellen and Wally, my grandparents. In front of them, we can see part of my Aunt Rita’s head on the left—she’s Kathleen’s sister. On the right in the front is part of my dad’s head, their brother.
They are sitting in a booth at a restaurant in the Rhine River Valley in Germany. On the windowsill is a statue of a fawn. They are drinking Rhine wine. Above them is a sign in German that translates to:
If you ring these bells, you have to buy the regulars a round of drinks.
Why My Mom Saved This Picture
My mom shared this picture with me and told me she saved it because it makes her feel good.
My parents lived in Wiesbaden, Germany for a few years after they were first married. My dad was in the U.S. Air Force. She had encouraged him to select an assignment there, thinking it would fun. My brother, Kevin, and I were born there.
After my parents arrived in Germany, my dad sent word to his sister, Rita—an elementary school teacher—that teachers were needed on the American military bases. He encouraged her to join him and my mom in Germany. She did.
Not too long afterward, my grandparents and my Aunt Kathleen made their first trip across the Atlantic Ocean to experience Germany and explore other parts of Europe.
Share Your Adventure
New adventures push you to grow. Seek them out. Encourage others to join you. Show them the way. Help them across any oceans of uncertainty. Then soak up the togetherness, ring the bell and buy the regulars a round of drinks.
In the workplace, be purposeful about pushing yourself to grow. Seek out and accept challenges—and inspire your team members to do the same. Let them know where their expertise is needed. Encourage them to go where they’ve never been before.
Key Points
- Great leaders don’t just grow themselves—they help others cross oceans of uncertainty with them.
- Encouraging someone to say yes to an adventure can change their career, their confidence, and their sense of belonging.