A life of work and family…Ode to Ed McGaffigan

This morning I had an NPR stay-in-the-car moment. I had just dropped off BeeBo at DC, and she serenaded me with howls of discontent as I fled the scene. I was heading over to the gym to run on the treadmill since I do not relish ice running and that was my only other option.

I was totally drawn into an interview on NPR with Ed McGaffigan, head of the NRC, which happen to be in view of my parking space. He was discussing his life and how he continued to work, take care of taxes and spend time with his grown children, in spite of his limited time left in this world due to the cancer hijacking his body. He is a widower with cancer, and I suspect most people would give up on work, and perhaps even life, in such situation. He did not sound at all regretful of his situation, and he wasn’t trying to cram all possible amazing life experiences into his last months of life. I sensed that he felt he had done all of these things and his laser beam focus was on family and work—simple, yet fulfilling. He did feel liberated to speak his mind regarding work issues, probably something he should have done long ago…but at least he speaks now.

He reminds me so much of BeeBoDad, he runs, loves his family, works methodically, and doesn’t waste time finishing his tax returns. I only hope that if I leave BBD before he leaves me, he will continue living in this same simple manner.

Please listen: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7445131

It is a wonderful way to recognize the life of a good man who just happened to be a government employee.