The River Trip That Reminded Me Who I Am

🌊 Four days. No emails. No screens. Just rapids, campfire conversations, and my oldest son.

Last July, thanks to Procore’s Wellness Week, I took Brock on a coming-of-age river trip through the canyons. We rode rapids, slept under stars, got soaked in sudden rainstorms, and baked in desert heat.

But here’s the thing — the adventure wasn’t the point. The adventure was the container.

What filled it was everything else.

Hours of uninterrupted conversation about life, relationships, faith, what it means to become a man. The kind of talks that don’t happen between football practice and dinner — or while he’s telling you about his NFL draft prospects. The kind that require you to be fully there — no notifications pulling you away, no “just one quick email.”

This trip was inspired by Mark Batterson’s book Play the Man, which challenged me to create intentional rites of passage for my kids before life’s other priorities — friends, sports, relationships — claim more of their attention. It’s a window that doesn’t stay open forever.

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Here’s what I’ve learned: I can’t compartmentalize.

I used to think there was “work Matt” and “dad Matt” and “faith Matt” — like I could switch hats depending on the room. But that’s exhausting. And honestly? It’s a lie.

The same values that made me paddle through rapids with my son are the same ones I bring to client conversations. Be present. Listen deeply. Create space for what matters. Show up as a whole person, not a job title.

When I found faith at 41, it didn’t just change my Sundays — it changed how I lead, how I parent, how I show up for my team and my customers. It’s all connected.

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This is why culture matters.

Procore’s Wellness Week isn’t a perk. It’s a statement: We trust you to be a whole person.

That trust gave me permission to unplug completely. To invest in my son during a season that won’t last forever. To come back recharged — not just as an employee, but as a father, a husband, a man trying to be a light in the world.

More companies should take note. When you give people space to live their values, they bring their best selves back to work.

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So here’s my question for you:

What would you do with four days completely off the grid? Who would you spend it with? What conversations have you been putting off?

Life is fragile. Time with the people we love is finite. And sometimes the most important work we can do has nothing to do with work at all.

📚 See my full reading list → 24 books that rebuilt my life, each with a personal note on why it mattered.