“Family Comes First.”

It’s a very simple phrase and one that seems to be bandied about more than its really put into practice. We’ve all been in those kinds of situations when the phone rings and we find ourselves caught between the responsibilities of family and our responsibilities at the office. This is the situation I found myself in on Friday.

Having been in the office since eight in the morning, I got a call at about three in the afternoon from my wife. After going back and forth a few times between multiple people and phone numbers, it came down to the wire when I was needed at home at the same time I had a conference call starting in about five minutes. With other family members holding down the fort (so shoot me I used a cliché), I decided to get through the call and leave immediately afterward.

When the situation was touched upon that I would be leaving after the call, my colleague would have none of it. “Go! Don’t worry about the call. Family comes first.” I think that is the first time that I have ever heard those words uttered in the workplace, at least not with the same seriousness and meaning behind them as I heard that day.

There are moments such as this one when you know that you have made the right decision to join a company. There are moments when you come to fully trust the people you work with, when you feel they have your best interests in mind. Hearing those words put my mind at ease and allowed me to focus on what is truly important to me… my family.

Sometimes, and I am certainly guilty of this, we get caught up in doing the absolute best we can every day, putting forth every effort, and trying to do the best job we possibly can. Sometimes we lose sight of the world beyond the confines of work. Many times, that is the curse of doing what you love to do. This is when we need people around us to remind us of what exists beyond the office walls.

Thankfully, everything seems to be calming down at home and I’m glad I got there as early as I did. So, at this point, I would like to thank my colleague for giving me that gentle kick in the rear that I needed to get out the door. I am sure it is not going to be the last time that is needed.