Morgan steps into the hot tub at the Montclair Swim Club, goggles on.

“You’re not messing around, you’re goggled up already!”

“They’re prescription, so I can see you.”

“What’s happening?”

“I’m losing my job Friday- it was outsourced to India…”

There’s my window of opportunity. I engage; what does he do, what does he want to do…I tell him a bullet point story of my 2010, and how I found a whole bunch of professional happiness doing now what I love. He listens intently.

“Morgan, you have been given a gift, the gift of some time. Do the best you can with it.”

He smiled broadly. “I see…”

I will preach this gospel to anyone who is willing to hear it. You can do better. You have it within you.

Sometimes we all need a little fire lit under our butts.

This work feels very gratifying.