First of all, I want to wish you all a happy new year! It is my hope that we’re all leaving 2021 and entering 2022 a little wiser. With that in mind, here are the lessons I learned last year:

1.     How I see and perceive myself is directly related to how I see and perceive God and others. Thus, it is important that I have a true and accurate understanding of myself. Last year, I read a lot of the work of Richard Rohr, who is a Franciscan friar and ecumenical teacher. He points out that we were made with original goodness. Creation in Genesis 1 precedes the original sin in Genesis 2. Our original goodness precedes our original sin. So, as flawed as I am, I was originally made really well. And, that is where my maker and Creator wants us to return to.

2.     Sometimes you just have to be like Mary and Joseph and suck it up. This is a phrase that my wife Cindy used on me many years ago as we approached Christmas as it was time to plan for the holiday. Honestly, I really do not enjoy Christmas. I don’t like shopping, decorating, entertaining, being entertained, preparing side dishes, and any sort of food presentation. And to me, that is what Christmas has become. So, Cindy reminded me that at the original Christmas, Mary and Joseph had to do a whole bunch of stuff they didn’t want to do nor signed up for. But they did it anyway. So, as I reflect on this past year, there is a lot of stuff that we just had to suck it up and do it anyway. But in the end, it is worth it. This is the way we have to approach our work sometimes, too. It’s easy to get bogged down by little details, but we have to keep our eyes on the big picture and the reason why we do what we do. Our purpose is, quite simply, to serve. When we keep that top of mind, everything will work out.  

3.     Accept hardship as a pathway to peace. I prayed the Serenity Prayer a lot last year. The popularized version of the prayer is the shorter version, but in the original, longer version there is a line about “accepting hardship as a pathway to peace.” That is my favorite part of the prayer. We have all had a lot of hardship this past year—in our country, in our community, in our work and in our homes. Some of it, we cannot change. Accepting it has brought me peace.

4.     Work smarter, not harder. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Auburn Creed “I believe in work. Hard work.” But Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Even the toughest lumberjack is going to have to swing really hard to chop down a tree with a dull axe. And dull axes aren’t just ineffective, they can also be dangerous to you and everyone around you. They can bounce off of their target and be difficult to manage. Don’t swing harder. Pause and sharpen the axe head. Running around out of control to feed the addiction to anxiety or excitement will not be sustainable nor productive.

5.     Our people are our greatest asset and our top priority. If the past year has taught me anything, it’s that our success depends on the tremendous talents and traits of our team. As Dow Smith Company begins its 30-year anniversary, I’m so grateful for the employees who’ve been with us for decades and I’m excited about the possibilities that the new hires bring with them. We are stronger than ever, and it’s because our people show up eager to work and grow and learn. As author Adam Grant says, “The most important people in your life are the people who see your potential and help you reach it.” This is what our folks do every day. I can’t thank them enough for this.