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I am on my way home from having a killer time in colorado. I just landed at wonderful “Charlotte Douglas International Airport.” My flight was just like any other flight to say the least. Turbulence here and there. A little bit of a bumpy ride, but quiet. Nobody said a word. What made this flight peculiar was the man that sat at my right. Jackson T. Vanbiesbruick. We’ll call him “Jack.” Jack was a family man. Tall, Slender, and well dressed. Textbook businessman. Come to find out that he is a workaholic. Jack was clean cut and a model to anyone pursuiting a career in business. I engaged conversation with jack after I noticed that he couldnt help but smile when he looked out the window. This made me curious, so I opened with the question of “Do you fly often?” thinking that he’s never seen the sight above the clouds before. He chuckled and replied with “More than you’d think. More than anyone should.” This answer puzzled me. My mind jumped from possibility #1, (that he’s never flown) to option #2 (He just likes the sight of the clouds) Option 2 would prove to be correct but on a much more deeper meaning than I would have expected. He begins to tell me about his work life. Dr. Jackson T. Vanbiesbruick Ph.D is a mechanical engineer from an extremely large international company. He is in charge of all the companies international relations. Any good connections that the company has is because of Jack. Then he explains to me a shocking life detail. Jack is barely home for two months out of the twelve month calendar. The other ten, he is all over the world. This was fascinating to me at first glance but the next bite of information turned this fascination into a level of upset. He has a wonderful wife of sixteen years and a son. Connar I think it was. Connar is seven years old. Very athletic in baseball, soccer, and golf. Jack proceeds to tell me how hard it is to be away from his wife and kid for so many months at a time. The way he describes it wrenches my gut. I couldn’t even imagine being away from all of that while working 70 hour workweeks. Dr. Vanbiesbruick has a lot of money. A large house that he showed me a picture of, Nice cars etc. etc. But the one thing that sets him apart from most other businessmen with more money than god, is the fact that his house, is a home. Not just a house. He said “When I step into my house and see the tears of joy running down my wife and kids face, My blood pressure drops a hundred points. I can finally forget work for a while and whisk away in the comfort of my family.” At this point im almost in tears. I feel so bad for this man. He has everything going for him at home but he rarely gets to experience it. He opens his work laptop and three pictures fall out. A picture of his wife, a picture of his son, and a picture of his wife and son together in their golf cart. He looks at me and holds up the pictures. Takes a deep breath and says “The clouds.” I reply with a “hmm?” he says “The clouds. The reason I smile when I look out the window is because of the clouds.” I didn’t know what to say except “Yeah its so cool isn’t it?” He calmly comes back with “They remind me of my son. My son always asks how the clouds were when I get back from work. So when I see the clouds, it fills that void. You know?” Emotion hit me in the face. I can only describe it as something along the lines of “holy mother of god this is so sad but so fucking inspiring at the same time.” Just as I had that thought he says something that gave even more meaning to my movement (See you at the top) and what I do. “For most other workmen, businessman, wealthy business leaders, and all those other than I, It’s lonely at the top. Sure they have a lot of money but they’re miserable with it. But not me. My family is right up at the top with me. And if I should ever fall from this point, I know that without a doubt they will be right next to me every damn step of the way.”
This was one of the best and most eye opening conversations I’ve ever had in my life. Be safe Dr. Make sure that family always means that much to you as I presume it will. You’re an incredible man and somebody that should only be envied by the likes of others. Best of luck in everything to come for you. Im sure that Connar and Miranda are the most proud son and wife that anyone could even hope to have.
See you at the top Jackson Vanbiesbruick. See you at the top.