Posted on by Tim Coats

Summer Sabbatical

Like a movie, life has specific scenes that stick in our minds. 

Like this one:

It was Springtime 1973. I was driving north on Geyer Road in my hometown of Kirkwood, Missouri. A high school friend was riding shotgun. We were Seniors. Soon, friends would disperse like dandelion seeds.

As we approached Kirkwood Park, my friend turned to me and asked, “Do you think you will accomplish anything great in your life?” I wasn’t sure what she was getting at. Did she see something in me, or was it a rhetorical question? 

I didn’t answer immediately.  Finally, I replied, “Yes, I honestly think I am destined to accomplish something meaningful!”

Ah, the hubris of youth.

Fast-forward fifty-one years. I graduated from college, landed a good job, married, helped raise a family, served on volunteer boards, and published a book! 

Perhaps you’ve noticed I’m avoiding the question. 

The answer is no. I haven’t accomplished anything I consider great in my life. That’s a sobering admission. 

Thinking about legacy accomplishments is strange. They can turn out differently than we expect. Recently, a friend who earned a PH.D and became a Chief U.S. Trade negotiator and an Undersecretary of Agriculture passed away. People I spoke with didn’t mention any of that. Instead, they reflected on how he helped them in their careers. Maybe that’s a clue?

If asked today whether I will accomplish something great, I would like to answer yes, but the real answer is I don’t know. Perhaps writing something meaningful could be a legacy accomplishment. I have an idea for a book with that potential. 

The book would address the challenge of finding happiness and peace amidst personal difficulties. That could be helpful, especially now. People have lost their sense of optimism; depression and anxiety are epidemics.

Hemmingway reminds us of a hopeful truth in A Farewell To Arms:

“The world breaks everyone

And afterward,

Many are strong in the broken places.”

Watching our son struggle with his disability is hard. He’s endured countless surgeries and suffered the frustration of not being able to do things other people take for granted. And now, his health is in decline. Some traumas occur suddenly, like a car accident, a heart attack, a cancer diagnosis, or the death of a loved one. Daniel’s trauma remains fresh and continues to impact his life and ours.

Life can be a bitch! 

Everyone carries a burden. Often, it’s hard to accept what fate casts our way. How, then, do we find strength in our broken places? That will be the theme of my book, The Secret Within. I like to think it might positively impact someone’s life. 

The Secret Within has been on my mind for many years. I have an outline but haven’t made any progress beyond that. Organizing thoughts over the expanse of a hundred pages is more challenging than making sense of five hundred words. I like writing blog posts, and I don’t want to give that up, but I want to take a crack at this book. So, I’ve decided to take a summer sabbatical from weekly blog posts to work on it. If I get anywhere I might break it down into installments for future posts.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Have a wonderful summer!

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If you enjoy my posts, please share them with a friend. Previous posts can be found here by subject category and here chronologically. You can subscribe to my latest posts by filling in your email address at the bottom of this page.  

Towards A Life Well-Lived is now a book.  

To purchase a copy, please click this link.

Proceeds are donated to support individuals suffering from anxiety and/or depression.

10 Replies to “Summer Sabbatical”

  1. best of luck on the new book.  I have been thinking about that very topic…. the secret within us.   A month ago I passed out for the first time inmy life and fell to the floor from my daughter’s kitchen table.chair. My six year old granddaughter ran to the front door and began yelling ‘help, my Baba (grandkids name for me) is on the floor and I think she’s sick’. A neighbor heard.  He took me to the ER where my son-in-law waited. After six hours, the answer was I had hidden pnuemonia with fever spikes that caused me to go out.  Prescriptions in hand we headed back to my daughter and son-in law’s house.  I had walked out of the ER so I got out of the car but could only take backward steps.   I fell, hit my head on the sidewalk.  The result was two skull fractures, two brain bleeds and a severe concussion.  Six days in the hospital nuero icu unit and then I went home to be monitored 24/7. The cast of neurologists taking care of me all said the same things.  More than 50 percent of people that have this happen don’t survive.  Another percentage have permanent brain damage.  It seems at 70 that you aren’t done.  You woke up in the hospital after being out 8 hours and spoke, having complete conversations with neurologists and hospital staff.  Your brain bleeds have stopped on their own, by-passing the need for surgery.  Your brain itself appears to have not had much of the classic shrinkage from age occurring.  What do you attribute these things to?  It’s caused me to think about this,,,, well, I can’t drive yet, nor babysit my grandkids, nor read or watch tv very much so That have lots of time to think! I don’t have the answer yet, and there is probably more than one, but I am starting a list.  But I wonder what makes some older people lose their will to live and others to stay young until the very end?  Still pondering and I can’t wait to see your next book.  Best, Jill

    Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

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    2. Sorry you couldn’t see my response Jill. I sent it to the email you used to comment. Maybe those don’t go through, which is good learning because it’s how I have always responded…..Anyway, so sorry to hear of all this serious trauma in your life. I am relieved to hear it wasn’t as bad as it might have been, and yet clearly bad enough. You will be in my thoughts. Pls email me personally with an update (my email is listed on the blog). You have always been one of the strongest people I know, so it’s no surprise that you have beat the Doctor’s fears. Your Grandchildren are lucky to have such a great Grandparent!

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  3. God Bless You Tim !!!

    MY OPINION—— You have already done so MANY GREAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE !!!

    I have seen you make a difference in so many people’s lives—- I know you have made a huge positive difference in my life—- Years and years of friendship and respect, so much help with all kinds of business and market decisions, your weekly blogs and book that are so well thought through and well written and have positively influenced the way I think about and go about my life’s work are just a few examples.

    I know you have had a similar influence on so many others——THESE ARE THE GREAT THINGS IN LIFE THAT REALLY COUNT !! Helping another human being think about their lives and personally striving to be a better person—-imagine the World if everyone cared about helping their friend or another person be a better person instead of all the fractionating and splintering that is happening throughout the World today.

    Obviously, I will miss your Blogs the balance of this summer, but I will look forward to your new book. I so admire your ability to share your thoughts and ideas about what is truly important to each and everyone one of us as we trudge along our own personal trail through life.

    AND— I just read Jill Murray’s comments to you above and that is another person that you have helped in her time of need and thought…..You have accomplished GREAT THINGS my friend !!

    And Jill I reach out to you too and wish you the very, very best and speedy recovery. You are obviously a wonderful Grandmother and making a difference in your Granddaughter’s life. I am 77 years old with 6 grandkids and had double hernia surgery last week– and recovering well for my sake and theirs—– as has been said before “OLD AGE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART “

    Lots to be thankful for and lots more to experience and learn—–

    Warren Malkerson.

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  4. Tim – Please keep me on your active email list when you return to this blog. Meanwhile, I await the news about your next book and will re-read your always inspiring posts and my copy of A Life Well-Lived.

    And don’t sell yourself short: You HAVE accomplished many great things in your life. A few that come to mind: You took a personal risk to share your amazing writing talent, life experiences and lessons learned with those you know and those you don’t. Your blog and book are touching, thought-provoking and help in ways you may never realize. As for me, you often strike a chord I had been pondering, or provide a new perspective to consider and most importantly have filled a meditative void I was seeking after leaving my church. (BTW: I love that your blog comes out on Sunday!) You are brave. You serve others without any expectations. You clearly are a loving father. These are all great accomplishments of an equally great person. So, to answer your friend’s inquiry, “do you think you will accomplish anything great in your life?” the answer is YES and then some!

    Enjoy your sabbatical. Will be awaiting your book or blog return.

    A grateful fan, Connie

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