Jared Akers

Short List

by Jared Akers

I work on the 7th floor of an office building located on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. Upon reaching my floor this morning at 6:47 a.m., I noticed a beautiful sunrise just appearing. I sat down on a filing cabinet and watched it rise, making note of the time 6:56 a.m., as a mental note to watch for them more regularly. I got engaged this weekend and so maybe I’m more full of gratitude and love than usual, I don’t know… I’m generally full of quite a bit of both. I’m grateful to be alive, I’m grateful to be sharing my life with someone I love, and I’m grateful I can be present to God’s beautiful paintings such as the wonderful sunrise he made for us this morning.

While scanning my daily blog reading list, I came across this article “How To Find That Elusive Balance Between Work and Life” by Leo over at Zen Habits. He suggests that one of the first things we should do when striving for work life balance, is discovering the things that we love ( making a short list ).

Here’s my short list (in no particular order):

Recovery – Growing in my own recovery and helping others
Music – Listening to, writing, creating
Reading – Spiritual, fiction, non-fiction, self-help, technical
Travel – Any place warm with a beach and good SCUBA diving
Spending time with loved ones
Writing

The first thing I wrote was music, then I realized that I must be in love with my recovery and it must be first or nothing else matters. I believe that. Then, of course, I started thinking… “gosh, what order should I put these in… what does this say about me if I make one more important than the other..” – But hey, it’s just a list.

So I guess my goal would be, How do I organize my life so I can do more of these things? Do I like my job? Sure, it’s ok, it provides me with the funds I need to do the things I really love. But if I had a choice to do anything in the world, it would be getting paid to create music and help others. So someday I hope to incorporate a way of life that involves music, writing, and recovery in a way that allows me to be free from a 9-5 desk job. BUT, I don’t “have” to go to work today, I GET to. And for that I’m grateful.

She Said Yes

by Jared Akers

A few weeks ago I purchased an engagement ring for my girlfriend Emily. The weekend prior I asked her father for permission to propose to his daughter. His response was “welcome to the family!” My plan had been to propose while in Kauai on November 30th while looking out over an amazing sunset or sunrise. I had the whole thing planned, I’d record my voice over the top of “our song” and play it for her through my mp3 player. Emily’s father said something to me when I shared this with him, “why wait to share good news? When you have something good to share, why wait?” I told myself, “because I want it to be perfect!” And so I would wait, an entire month before asking the women I loved to spend the rest of her life with me.

Skip ahead two weeks, it’s Saturday afternoon and I’m going for my daily run. I was listening to a Darius Rucker song “Learn To Live:”

you gotta live to learn
you gotta crash and burn
you gotta make some stances
and take some chances
you gotta live and love
and take all life has to give
you gotta live and learn
so you can learn to live

While listening and running, I was overcome with such joy and gratitude, I starting raising my arms and waving to every vehicle that passed by. Some waved back with smiles on their faces, others thought I was crazy. I actually broke down in tears and I realized we only live once, and I had something great I wanted to share and couldn’t wait any longer. So I went inside, put the headphones on my girlfriend, let her listen to how much she meant to me, and asked her to marry me. She said yes!

I'm right here

by Jared Akers

It was a Saturday and my girlfriend and I were on the way to her brothers funeral across town when my phone rang. We had just turned onto 135th street. “I’m pissed!” I hear the caller say, “and I want to get wasted! There’s a liquor stores two doors down from where I’m working and a drink really sounds good.” “Where are you?” I asked. “I’m working at 135th and Antioch.” As I look up out the front window of the car I notice the road sign pass overhead as we pull through the intersection, 135th and Antioch. “I’m right here,” I said, “Everything is going to be ok.”

Where I'm suppose to be

by Jared Akers

Ok, I had to share this with you. There are two specific people on my amends list whom God is putting me in contact with, we’ll say Bruce and Lois. Next week I’m going to be in the same building of a previous employer for some developer training. I’ve made arrangements to meet with two old colleagues there to say hi and possibly make an amends with my old boss. Lois was the HR lady of my previous employer who actually terminated me when I was let go in 05. Bruce was the GM of the restaurant I was fired from back in 97 when I was a manager. I was hoping to meet with Lois when out at “previous employers” office next week also, mainly to say thank you and apologize. I assumed she still worked there.

On my way to work this morning I heard a lady call in on the radio named Lois. She is putting on a fund raiser for a lady (Betty) who is ill with cancer. I recognized the lady who the fund raiser is for and thought, as my heart started to pound, “God, I wonder if that is the same lady I worked with at..(previous employer)..”. The lady on the phone then said that this lady had worked for “previous employer” for years and I then realized it was Lois on the radio! The fund raiser is being held at a local restaurant this coming Saturday morning. So I called the restaurant to make reservations and Bruce answers the phone. I talked to Bruce for about 20 minutes and thanked him for everything he did for me and looked forward to seeing him Saturday morning. He then said that neither Lois or Betty worked at “previous employer” anymore and that Lois would be there Saturday. I realize this day is about Betty and Lois is there to help her friend (and its not about me!), but I can’t help but feel that God has placed this opportunity in my life to at least tell Lois thank you and apologize for any trouble I caused. Had I not heard her on the radio and then called Bruce, I wouldn’t have known she didn’t work at “previous employer” anymore.

Pretty cool I think, and I thank God.
Love you all!

Jared