Great Expectations?

Good Evening,

Odd combinations today:

1. Attended an orientation to utility program management processes for multi-billion dollar projects.

2. Listened to a few more chapters of a recorded book, Great Expectations by Mr. Dickens. Tonight's highlight was the first significant dialog between adolescent Pip and Biddy.

Takeaways?

How valuable are our relationships, especially family and love? How would you describe life and love? Simple, complex, beyond any sum or value? What is the cost of lost time?

Relating to item # 1 - If a new powerplant has a useful life of 60 years (about the length of one family generation) and requires capital and operations expenses of $5.5 B , is that a bargain? Probably yes. Investing a few millions to ensure all goes well (project and life cycle management) would be judged well worth it, right?

So the thought I ponder tonight, relative to item # 1, is: what is the accounting for marriage, love and family? If you could place a monetary value on love, what would it be? More appropriately, given the opportunity to account for our love at the end of our time, will our invested treasure reflect our true heart? No, not merely on a "monetary basis" but rather "all in", meaning heart-emotion, head, commitment, whole body, and treasure. Were we "all in" for each other and family?

Considering item # 2, the first dialog between young Pip and Biddy, both see the Pip's motives and dreams fairly and both know he has "great expectations" of himself that may / will push him outside his life's comfort zone. Biddy tells him the truth, he agrees but ignores both Biddy and his own true feelings because of his ambitions. Somewhat sadly, as I am sure you know the story, he is propelled to follow his inner voice and unrealistic desires.

There is certainly more to both illustrated items and any parallels in my own life. Maybe the investment in family and the pursuit of the perfect retirement plan are the subtle conflicts I haven't yet processed along the journey into life's winter season?

Is there some struggle here? Except for one long walk, life has been pretty predictable and rational. No "sticking the neck out" or taking big risks. Is there some risk to living out the current "12 months to go" plan? Am I really waiting for the "perfect moment" when all conflicts are resolved? (Great Expectations?)

What are the issues in the "perfect plan"? Waiting for age (check); working to the end of the current governor's term when my boss' appointment expires (sort of); getting health care coverage assured - closer to Susan's Medicare eligibility and timed to transition Sarah to her own coverage (sort of); surrender to the call of Pure Michigan - (yeah, that's still a tough one).

Really? Is that all? No, there is the inner voice asking what Tina Turner sang, "What's love got to do with it?"

The answer is to follow my love in a rational, no risk way. We have a plan for the next 12 months. The difficulty for both of us is the passage of time which cannot be recovered or wasted. The cost is incalculable but the reasons are justified and accepted by both of us. The plan is the plan, "Great Expectations" and all.

Peace.