Thankful For The Opportunities

Thankful For The Opportunities

John Paul Derryberry

There was a moment in my life when there was a real possibility that I would end up a loser or worse. Many successful people forget those moments or weave them into their narrative of success. I actively pursue the absolute truth that my story of success was owning my worst moments and not making them some jumping-off point to success. I may have been just as successful as I am today if I avoided my being a jerk years. I'm also fully aware if a couple more things went wrong in my life back then, or even now, I could end up depressed and contemplating the point of life all over again. It's a mistake not to realize we are presented with opportunities, and what we do with those opportunities is what will ultimately define us.

On the drive back from a visit with one of my closest and longest-standing friends, this thought came into my head. Our kids played, we chatted about life and joked about the past, and I texted my wife on a work trip pictures to do my best to include her. See, there was a point in my life that I didn't think I would live past 24, a point where I didn't know I would have a partner who would get me, a point in life where I didn't think I would be a dad, and a point where I thought I would never get to do social work they way I felt it should be done. I am forever grateful for these opportunities to be Greta and Millie's Dad, my mom's son, the leader of a fantastic agency, to be asked to share my stories and be Anne's husband.

So many factors, happenstances, and other bits of action have to happen for my life to occur. It's a mathematical equation or divine intervention that allows the beauty of life to occur. Now, hard work, resilience, and the constant march to progress can stack the deck in your favor for good things to happen. Yet, there is no rule that it has to occur. So, as one daughter took a nap on the way home and another jammed out to our favorite songs, it wasn't lost on me that I was making the most of the opportunity to be their dad. Maybe it was because it was hard for my wife and me to have kids. The stress kids can cause never really sits on me.

Whatever the reason, my wife and I have taken the opportunity to embrace, enjoy, and love being parents. We will spend this week being thankful for a lot of things. It's the whole theme with Thanksgiving; it's why it's my favorite holiday and having access to an endless pumpkin pie supply. Yet I would encourage you not to be thankful for the people in your life but to engage in thankfulness at a deeper level. Be grateful that you took advantage of the opportunities they presented you. And be thankful for a room full of people engaged in the opportunities you offer others. It means you bring value to their life, and we can all do better to remember we have great value to offer others. We just have to be open to the opportunities life presents us.

Enjoy your families and friends this holiday season. I hope that at some point, you look around, smile a huge smile, and realize you have an amazing opportunity sitting in front of you.