Foundational Fridays -- Real Riches

Yesterday, a friend from high school posted this quote on her Facebook feed. Really resonated with and strongly struck me. Many here know me well and know the significant sacrifices my family and I made across my 30-year Active-Duty Air Force career.

During my retirement ceremony three months ago today, I shared that my wife and I spent nine years apart. I also spent seven years away from my daughter, and six years away from my son. My wife and I were dating long before I left for the Air Force. Which, of course, means, we spent nearly 30 percent of my military career apart.

Those separation periods include deployments, a one-year remote assignment to another country (where my wife and one-year old daughter could not join me), and the better part of 300 temporary duty (or business) trips all across the USA, and to a couple dozen countries. Those trips were as short as one day, as long as 10-weeks, and everything in between. Similar circumstances for our now young adult kiddos who spent their whole lives a part of an often on the move military family.

Please understand, these were shared choices we mutually supported, not a "badge of honor" or an "oh whoa is me" statement. We've lived many marvelous moments, had engaging experiences, and made fantastic friends that different career and life choices would not have otherwise offered the four of us. There is very little I would change (but some things for certain!).

The primary reason Ziglar's quote resonates is because I know I have real riches. An intact family whom I love. Great young adult children. An amazing wife, mother, and partner who loves me despite my (many) faults! In sum, my family is priceless. I have enjoyed more "golden" time with them over the past three months than I've enjoyed in years, and we are all healthy.

Today, I know a Foundational Friday truth is family, time, and health are real riches that cannot be purchased or procured, yet they require important investment that yield wonderful wealth.