Staring at the bottom of his coffee cup he thought to himself, "I'd better get busy". But doing what? He made a list - Organize the garage; Put up the fountain; Spot clean the carpet; Tighten every knob on every drawer in the house; Keep the kitchen clean; Trim the hedges; Clean the barbecue; Start networking; Dust; Clean the bathrooms; Get the spa working - had another sip of coffee and recalled the conversation he had the previous night.
She held his face tenderly in her hands and gazed deeply into his eyes. "You need to decide what you want to be when you grow up," she said. "Look into your heart and figure out what makes you happy and pursue it. I will support your decision no matter what. You don't have to rush out and take the first crappy job that comes along. You've done that and been miserable. I don't want you to be miserable anymore. I love you."
He looked back at his list. Crumpled the paper into a ball and started a new list.
. Love your wife with all your heart and soul
. Give of yourself to your children
. Spend time with your aging and ailing mother
. Walk that big headed stupid dog we love so much
. Make your work light - but do it
. Listen to your heart not your head
. Place the ghosts of the past behind you
"That's a good start," he said out loud to the dog snoring at his feet. "Time to go for a walk, clear the head and figure out what we want to do when we grow up. I wonder if it's too late to become an oceanographer?"
Leash in hand. Door open. The world beckoned.
