You are not alone

Last week I attended the Tree Care Industry Expo. Expo is an annual pilgrimage taken by approximately 3000 plus tree people from around the globe. We typically converge on an east coast city from Charlotte to Hartford. This year landed us in Pittsburgh, PA. This gathering allows us to keep up on education as well as all of the latest gear and heavy equipment. Above all, however, it is a chance to connect with friends, new and old alike. 

I have attended over twenty of these conferences and this year was the first time I was a presenter. After 35 years in the tree industry and 27 in my own business, I wanted to share some things I have picked up along the way. The nature of the talk was about managing our time based on what we value most as well as being present and intentional in the current moment. I have spent my career to this point being the husband of a night nurse and the father of three children. Balancing the goals and growth of a business with  family, ministry , and activities has always been a challenge. My hope and prayer was to speak something of value into the lives of my tree brothers and sisters concerning that struggle. It seems whenever I struggle and things are most dark, I can reach out to an industry friend or mentor and get some help. Sometimes its just knowing we are not alone in our struggles. I am grateful to TCIA for providing a forum over all of these years that has allowed me to forge incredible relationships with people. These are the friends on whom I often call for encouragement and wisdom. I was honored and humbled by the opportunity to share to a group of so many talented and passionate people who continue to make me a better  version of myself. Please remember when things get gray, reach out to a friend and share your burden. You are not alone.