text: It was a cold, rainy day outside, but Brady didn't mind. He just wanted to get out of the office for a few minutes. He felt drained and overwhelmed, like work was sucking the life out of him. Projects and action items were being piled on him with no regard for the backlog of deliverables he already had to produce. It was one thing after another, always being added to his plate. And then at home, it was all about his kids. Cleaning, cooking, breaking up fights, helping with homework. The never-ending whirlwind of responsibility never ceased to usurp his time. Exiting his cubicle, Brady didn't even bother to grab a coat or umbrella. The rain could soak right through his shirt for all he cared. He rushed through the lobby and straight out the glass doors into the pattering rain. Almost instantly, a sense of tranquility formed inside of him; it began to battle the established anxiousness. Brady breathed heavily, taking in the fresh, misty air. With each lungful, he could feel tranquility making another advance. And as it did, his walking pace waned into a more relaxed state. After a short while, he found himself being greeted by a family of geese. There were two larger ones, which he presumed to be the adults, and four baby goslings, who were trailing their parents. The rain trickled off the backs of the mother and father. But the little goslings had soft, furry feathers which soaked up the rain. Their bodies shuddered in the cold, trying to keep warm. As Brady watched, he could see that the mother and father were also starting to shake. Perhaps they too were cold, worn down by the pouring rain. The little goslings waddled over to their mother and father; they poked at the parents, signaling that they wanted something. Understanding of what was needed, the parents took one of their children under each wing, so that all four kin were protected. The little baby geese nuzzled their heads against their parents' torsos. They looked up with what Brady thought to be a gaze of adoration. *Honk! Honk!* the adults sounded happily, holding their children close. Brady's thoughts drifted to his own family. How his kids rushed to him when they were scared or hurt. How they would hold on to him, never wanting to let go. The last time there was a storm. Eli, his youngest son, raced into the room and jumped into his arms, crying in excruciating pain. A tear trickled down Brady's cheek and he pinched his lips together. He felt so bad at the time, seeing his son scared and crying. But now, the memory swirled warmly inside of his heart, soothing his mind and body. With a big, beaming smile, Brady wiped his eyes, then walked away while waving to the geese. "Bye, little geese." *Honk! Honk!* one of the adults replied as Brady headed back toward the office. With every step closer to the glass doors that he took, a small piece of his smile died. He could feel anxiousness reclaiming its ground. Tranquility yielding some of its prior gains. But the walk had served its purpose, and perhaps now he could make it through the day.