Seeing the Edge with NW Marketing Guy - Rod Brooks

Soft In The Middle

Saturday was similar to many of the weekend mornings that I go walking. The sky was gray and, despite the threat of rain, I opted for the comfort of shorts but prepared to stay warm up top with a sweatshirt and water resistant jacket. There was a collapsed umbrella in my right pocket and an iPhone in my left. My ear buds were in place as I walked out of our cul-de-sac listening to one of my favorite sports-talk podcasts. 

On the return trip from the lake I switched from talk to tunes and called up a playlist on Spotify called “mood booster.” The first song I heard was a familiar oldie recorded by Paul Simon in 1986 – “Call Me Al.” 

I've heard that song more times that I can count – frequently singing along during the chorus - but today’s walk caused me to listen to the lyrics differently. While I doubt that the thoughts I took from these lines were the essence of Simon's intentions, what I heard seemed relevant to me.

A man walks down the street
He says why am I soft in the middle now
Why am I soft in the middle
The rest of my life is so hard I need a photo opportunity
I want a shot at redemption
Don't want to end up a cartoon
In a cartoon graveyard

Maybe Paul knew someone like me. Someone who in the later years of life, figured out that there is more to see and do than climb career ladders and chase opportunities. Maybe that person, like me, came to the realization that the stresses that come with forty years of corporate strategies, politics, and competitive engagements can leave a soul hardened and a body soft. Maybe the realization came in time to do something about it. 

A man walks down the street… to walk off life’s weight and make the really important things important again. With each step, during each daily walk, comes an opportunity to raise one's eyes up from the sidewalk to scan horizons, see sunsets, and explore the detailed surroundings that was once just part of the blur from there to here.

Photo opportunities are all around us and, for me, it’s important that I see myself in the picture. Seven days. Seven walks. Seven selfies. Being in the pictures, might just be what keeps me in the picture for a little longer. 

I want a shot at redemption... there’s so much left to see and enjoy.

April Goals