A little surreal

This morning I helped write the official retirement announcement for my father.  It was a little surreal.  On one hand, it is always good to remind me of all of the things he has accomplished in his business career.  On the other hand, it serves as a warning, “don’t screw this up!”

I couldn’t help but think of an obituary as I helped edit the announcement that he wrote.  I don’t want it to sound like one, and I hope that he wasn’t thinking about one as he wrote it.  I don’t want to write that for a long long time.

This business is all we have known our whole lives.  I can remember going to business conventions as our vacations, learning to drive on the job sites, and climbing scaffolding when I was way too young to be OSHA approved.

There is no doubt that my father knows more masonry than I will ever.  He has taught me almost everything I know about business.  The most important lesson, at least I feel right now, is to follow your instincts.  My instincts are telling me that the business will be fine, that it won’t fall on my watch.  They are also telling me, don’t screw this up.