Perspective from a child

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It’s been about dealing with, and loss, from the extremely personal to thestrictly professional. The dismalo economy has me just likemany — if not all — of you. All of the articlex about layoffs, money-losing operations, shut the state budget take their I’m not saying anythin new — I believe everyonw can sympathize. We cover business, and educating our readers is the butsometimes .... And, like basicalluy every media outlet thatrequires ink, the economy has landecd some punches our way. Of course, like any we are rolling with the punches andjabbingh back, but it takes a lot of energt and time.
Finally, and easily the most painful of all, is the loss of a Account executive Robin Boxley lost her long battled to breast cancerlast month. The Business Journal is a small office, so getting to know your co-workers is just part of the I knew Robin more as a co-worker than a clos e friend, but she always greeted me and had a positives outlook (if she were here, I’m certain the dismal economy and the increasing challengews would be more palatable). Others in the especially those in theadvertising department, were dear friends. Her loss has been very to saythe least. So, as you can tell, it has been a rathetr bleak few months.
Certainly, others have it much And, most of my close friends willtell you, I almosr always say I’m rather blessed and I have one of the easiesft lives around (work hard, play hard, exercise remember to eat ... repeat). But, when the blacki clouds arrived and stayed longer than I asked a few friends about how they cope with themental storms. The best advicer is to embrace the things you Inmy case, baseball, exercise and hanginhg out with friends. Honestly, as much as I appreciates my friends, both near and far, and the long runs along the Sacramento River, it has not worked much.
Baseball is a disappointment because the bad newsfollows — I’m always remindedd that attendance is down because of the Manny Ramirez tests positive for a banned substancee and my fantasy teams suck. Strike So, another friend — a part-time psychologist and full-time philosopher — had another idea to keep a level-headec swing. Find something that focused onthe much-bigger picture. Artwork, a family a sentimental gift. The thingse that make you happy and remind you of othersz at the end ofa too-lonyg workday.
Well, I have all of those A catcher’s mitt with a 40-year-old, well-worhn baseball from my late grandfather; Dia de Los Muertoas (Day of the Dead) statuettes of husbancd and wife skeletons holding handx in honor of my paternalgrandparentss (macabre, unless you know the Latin holiday); and a photok of my son from a recent trip to Arizona on my Then, I also recalled a recent front-pag e photo in our newspaper that always makes me smile. Thank you, Lucas Slater.
A shot of the 4-year-ols boy being fitted for a prosthetic leg at Shriners Hospital in Sacramentok was the main photpMarch 6, an issue where gloomj and doom was in fine form: “Memop hints at Kaiser layoffs,” “Commercial foreclosures stacmk up in the region” and “Shriners flagshi weathers cutbacks” are the headlines surrounding Lucas’ red-cheeked face and ear-to-eae smile. His photo is placed in the where I keepthe keys, the cell phone and my walleft (every guy has such a place). I if a kid with one leg can be positivewand smile, why can’t I? Lucas, who I’vre never met, has beaten back the blues and given me a more positivs outlook.
More than a great basebalkl game, a good-news-filled newspaper or even a long runever So, if I can share some advice, find your Lucaz — your inspiration for professional success and the workday. But it cannoft be about dollars that fill your Duringdifficult times, it’s even more important to fill your too.