On a recent business trip, I added a few days of vacation being that I was in beautiful Calgary, only 90 minutes away from stunning Banff, Canada. On the first day, I hiked to Bow Falls and was in awe of the colors and the magical sound of running water. The gray mountains against the blue sky made me want to stare and stare.
On day two, I took a tour with a local to some ‘off the beaten path’ areas and couldn’t believe the beauty of the lakes: Louise, Minnewanka and Moraine, the last of which was so turquoise, the background in my photos looked fake. During a stop, another tourist asked me if I’d heard that someone had been killed by a rockslide at Bow Falls that day. Almost at the same time, I received a text message from a coworker checking to make sure I was safe and not the person who had lost their life.
As I spent another day hiking and exploring, I found myself pondering what if it had been me? I’ll leave the personal side out and focus on the business side for this blog. Would the business be okay if I were not around? I think I’ve written about this before but chose not to go back and look and instead will share my real-time reflections. I am so impressed and delighted with my team. They have it all covered. We’ve done the work; I’m not needed and that’s alright.
The feeling that kept creeping up as I walked among the pines along Bow River was one of satisfaction. Not that my unexpected death would be satisfying to me (ha!) but that I’m happy with where the company is and is going. Sure, I would miss all the new objectives completed, the new team members, the new Big Hairy Audacious Goals – but I’ve gotten to see so many that I’m fine if I don’t get to see them all.
That’s a new feeling for me: not needing to be a part of everything. Maybe this is my midlife crisis: stepping back, giving others the space to put their stamp on things. Like the light bouncing off the Rocky Mountains, reflection can be blinding or beautiful, cause you to stumble or focus.
I Googled the names of the two people who perished near Bow Lake Falls. One was Jutta Hinrichs, an educator. I’d like to close with a quote from a statement issued by the University of Alberta, where Jutta formerly lectured:
As an educator, Jutta nurtured many students, preceptors and clinicians to flourish and grow,” the university said. “That her work continues to enrich the tapestry of occupational therapy in Alberta is her legacy.
– Becky Sharpe, CEO
