Things have been very hectic and I've been preoccupied with "things"! I'm still here. I can't believe I went the whole month of January without writing... But I did.
I hope to begin writing again soon. Actually I will begin writing again... very soon.
This is to let you know that I'm still here, still alive... working towards my goals.
So much has happened... hopefully you'll hear the scoop soon.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
(85th Entry) Recess is over…
The Holidays are close to being over… The New Year beginning, the old year fading away… Yet!
This past year… What an awakening! My father dying, opening factories, having 4 times as many people working for the company… working towards goals and dreams!
But… Recess is over!!!
I’m a little slow… It takes time for things to sink in with me, for me to realize certain things about life, etc. Even though it looks as if I’m doing things… am I? Sometimes I just drift along, just “going on with Life!”
And then… an awakening, a jolt, something that makes me realize that there’s something greater… My Dad’s death talked about in earlier entries… and recently two other events.
What makes me proud, happy… these two events…
Last summer Mary, my office manager, hired a woman to work in our Grabado factory. As it turns out she is a little slow… If I had to guess I would say her IQ is somewhere between 70 and 80. She’s a very kind, sweet person. She has a son who was mis-diagnosed with cancer. Over time, a couple of people in our company were telling us that she would never really be able to be productive… at least to the point of profitability. Mary and I were at the point of letting her go when other employees said… “No, she really hadn’t been given a fair chance.” So… Mary and I kept her. Since that time last summer, she has come so far. She’ll never be in the top tier of carving glass, but that’s not what we’re always about.
We are a company that needs to be profitable, but we’re also about hiring disabled individuals. In the beginning it was thought that we would just focus on hiring physically disabled individuals, but things happen… Because this person had such a great attitude and showed such respect and loyalty Mary kept her on. It’s paid off.
Recently at our company Christmas party, we watched as the other employees interacted with her. We’ve made great progress in how our employees interact with one another based on disabilities, but now… guess what? We’re having to deal with all of the normal problems that people have when they work together… In other words, we’re just a group of people working together like any other group of people.
The second event was a wedding of two of our employees… I’ll talk about this in my next entry… and then a little about our Christmas party.
Recess is over. Times are difficult, but we’re going to survive. Not only do I think we’re going to survive, but I believe we’re going to thrive this year.
Recess is over… It’s time to get back to basics, business and hard work! Worrying and wondering about things hasn’t helped. It hasn’t changed the world, the economic situation or the pain of this past year.
Recess is over… This past year has almost come to an end. It was an incredible year with highs and lows, pain and triumph!
Recess is over… It’s time to go beyond just “going on with life!”
This past year… What an awakening! My father dying, opening factories, having 4 times as many people working for the company… working towards goals and dreams!
But… Recess is over!!!
I’m a little slow… It takes time for things to sink in with me, for me to realize certain things about life, etc. Even though it looks as if I’m doing things… am I? Sometimes I just drift along, just “going on with Life!”
And then… an awakening, a jolt, something that makes me realize that there’s something greater… My Dad’s death talked about in earlier entries… and recently two other events.
What makes me proud, happy… these two events…
Last summer Mary, my office manager, hired a woman to work in our Grabado factory. As it turns out she is a little slow… If I had to guess I would say her IQ is somewhere between 70 and 80. She’s a very kind, sweet person. She has a son who was mis-diagnosed with cancer. Over time, a couple of people in our company were telling us that she would never really be able to be productive… at least to the point of profitability. Mary and I were at the point of letting her go when other employees said… “No, she really hadn’t been given a fair chance.” So… Mary and I kept her. Since that time last summer, she has come so far. She’ll never be in the top tier of carving glass, but that’s not what we’re always about.
We are a company that needs to be profitable, but we’re also about hiring disabled individuals. In the beginning it was thought that we would just focus on hiring physically disabled individuals, but things happen… Because this person had such a great attitude and showed such respect and loyalty Mary kept her on. It’s paid off.
Recently at our company Christmas party, we watched as the other employees interacted with her. We’ve made great progress in how our employees interact with one another based on disabilities, but now… guess what? We’re having to deal with all of the normal problems that people have when they work together… In other words, we’re just a group of people working together like any other group of people.
The second event was a wedding of two of our employees… I’ll talk about this in my next entry… and then a little about our Christmas party.
Recess is over. Times are difficult, but we’re going to survive. Not only do I think we’re going to survive, but I believe we’re going to thrive this year.
Recess is over… It’s time to get back to basics, business and hard work! Worrying and wondering about things hasn’t helped. It hasn’t changed the world, the economic situation or the pain of this past year.
Recess is over… This past year has almost come to an end. It was an incredible year with highs and lows, pain and triumph!
Recess is over… It’s time to go beyond just “going on with life!”
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
(84th Entry) The First…
Today is the first of what will repeat itself throughout this next year… Today would have been my parent’s 51st wedding anniversary. My father passed away on November 22nd, a few days before Thanksgiving.
Last year I wrote in my blog…
http://todreamtotouch.blogspot.com/2007/12/13th-entry-to-my-parents.html
Next we’ll have Christmas, then News Years, then his birthday, then Father’s Day, etc… Technically Thanksgiving would have been the first major day. I think that it was so close to his death that it just didn’t register.
Today my Mom has plans… she’s having people by the house and then they’re all going out to dinner… about 16 people.
Life goes on… In fact, the tribute to my Dad is that we are going on!
As he was dying we promised him that we would take care of one another and that we would all be ok.
I’m reminded of an interview that I did 22 years ago in Lufkin, TX. I interviewed a family whose first daughter was born with Down Syndrome. I was around 25 years old at the time. The couples name was Jim and Yvette. They were probably only in their early 30’s at the time. As I said, their first daughter was born with Down Syndrome. Their second daughter, Heidi, was in the sixth grade in what was called, “talented and gifted” program. Heidi was very bright and out going.
Yvette spoke so eloquently that day about her experiences with her daughter and her disability. The daughter was around 12 when I interviewed them. She had done remarkably well.
In one part of the interview Yvette talked about when she brought her daughter home from the hospital, she kept all of the drapes closed and didn’t want anyone to see her or her daughter. She talked about the process of working through these feelings and coming to terms with not only her own feelings, but the reactions of others. She then talked about having a second daughter who was “normal” and how this didn’t diminish in any way her feelings towards her first daughter. I can’t do justice to the words that Yvette spoke that day. But what I can do is express what she did for me.
During this time in my life I had been searching for a lot of answers. I had even gone to visit my childhood doctor’s. I had asked them many questions about how my parent’s handled my being born. It had been so many years that they really couldn’t remember details. What Yvette did for me was give me an insight into what parent’s go through when things happen in life.
As my friend and I drove home that day, we didn’t say a word for at least a half an hour.
Sometimes I wonder why I’m reminded of some event in life when writing in the blog or why an event just crosses my mind from no where. I’m still wondering about this one… Actually I probably know. It was Yvette’s ability to express the struggles, the feelings, the fear, the joy… It was her ability to put it all in perspective independently of my own life and my own experiences. By looking at someone else, I was able to see much of the details of my own life and my own family in new and different way.
Life is a series of memories… Easy to distort, easy to misunderstand, easy to forget…
Last year I wrote in my blog…
http://todreamtotouch.blogspot.com/2007/12/13th-entry-to-my-parents.html
Next we’ll have Christmas, then News Years, then his birthday, then Father’s Day, etc… Technically Thanksgiving would have been the first major day. I think that it was so close to his death that it just didn’t register.
Today my Mom has plans… she’s having people by the house and then they’re all going out to dinner… about 16 people.
Life goes on… In fact, the tribute to my Dad is that we are going on!
As he was dying we promised him that we would take care of one another and that we would all be ok.
I’m reminded of an interview that I did 22 years ago in Lufkin, TX. I interviewed a family whose first daughter was born with Down Syndrome. I was around 25 years old at the time. The couples name was Jim and Yvette. They were probably only in their early 30’s at the time. As I said, their first daughter was born with Down Syndrome. Their second daughter, Heidi, was in the sixth grade in what was called, “talented and gifted” program. Heidi was very bright and out going.
Yvette spoke so eloquently that day about her experiences with her daughter and her disability. The daughter was around 12 when I interviewed them. She had done remarkably well.
In one part of the interview Yvette talked about when she brought her daughter home from the hospital, she kept all of the drapes closed and didn’t want anyone to see her or her daughter. She talked about the process of working through these feelings and coming to terms with not only her own feelings, but the reactions of others. She then talked about having a second daughter who was “normal” and how this didn’t diminish in any way her feelings towards her first daughter. I can’t do justice to the words that Yvette spoke that day. But what I can do is express what she did for me.
During this time in my life I had been searching for a lot of answers. I had even gone to visit my childhood doctor’s. I had asked them many questions about how my parent’s handled my being born. It had been so many years that they really couldn’t remember details. What Yvette did for me was give me an insight into what parent’s go through when things happen in life.
As my friend and I drove home that day, we didn’t say a word for at least a half an hour.
Sometimes I wonder why I’m reminded of some event in life when writing in the blog or why an event just crosses my mind from no where. I’m still wondering about this one… Actually I probably know. It was Yvette’s ability to express the struggles, the feelings, the fear, the joy… It was her ability to put it all in perspective independently of my own life and my own experiences. By looking at someone else, I was able to see much of the details of my own life and my own family in new and different way.
Life is a series of memories… Easy to distort, easy to misunderstand, easy to forget…
Sunday, December 14, 2008
(83rd Entry) My first year…
Little could I imagine what this past year would bring… I began this blog on November 24, 2007 at the urging of a friend who suggested that it might be the quickest way to kick-start my goals. Little did I know… Thanks John!
Today I spent some time reading from start to finish my blog… Since the beginning of this blog, I have been amazed… at the reception, the comments, the support.
People that I never thought would read the blog are some of the most loyal and others that I thought might follow it have not. Life is full of surprises.
I’ve also been amazed at myself, at my willingness to express feelings that I thought might be beyond approach or to be expressed to those close and far away.
We’re nearing the end of 2008… a new year is arriving. While again I can’t imagine what this New Year might have in store for me, I know that it will be as dramatic as or more so than this past year.
I know that there are major changes in my life awaiting me. Just in this past year… my parent’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, my Dad celebrated his 80th birthday and… on November 22nd my Dad passed away. This alone is a major change for my whole family. I’m glad he got to see at least the first year of this blog!
My family also made a lot of progress in business. Two new factories are running successfully today. While all of the dreams have not materialized they are at least being worked on, maturing at their own pace!
I know this next year will probably be more difficult and more challenging than this past… at least in terms of worldly things… business, etc.
Happy Birthday Blog!!! A few days late
Today I spent some time reading from start to finish my blog… Since the beginning of this blog, I have been amazed… at the reception, the comments, the support.
People that I never thought would read the blog are some of the most loyal and others that I thought might follow it have not. Life is full of surprises.
I’ve also been amazed at myself, at my willingness to express feelings that I thought might be beyond approach or to be expressed to those close and far away.
We’re nearing the end of 2008… a new year is arriving. While again I can’t imagine what this New Year might have in store for me, I know that it will be as dramatic as or more so than this past year.
I know that there are major changes in my life awaiting me. Just in this past year… my parent’s celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, my Dad celebrated his 80th birthday and… on November 22nd my Dad passed away. This alone is a major change for my whole family. I’m glad he got to see at least the first year of this blog!
My family also made a lot of progress in business. Two new factories are running successfully today. While all of the dreams have not materialized they are at least being worked on, maturing at their own pace!
I know this next year will probably be more difficult and more challenging than this past… at least in terms of worldly things… business, etc.
Happy Birthday Blog!!! A few days late
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
(82nd Entry) Irony…
What’s the difference between irony and coincidence? In this case irony happened after the coincidence.
If you look closely at my entry numbers I skip from entry 76 to entry 80 which talked about my Dad passing away. He was 80 years of age and I guess the number was just in my head. At his funeral we shot off 80 rockets, firecrackers in honor of his 80 years. The number 80 was prominent in my mind…
Yesterday I talked to an old friend, a former boss who had lost his father in the summer. It was really good talking to him. It was good talking to someone that was experiencing what I was experiencing… to hear where they were and how they were dealing with the issue.
One of the things we talked about was as our fathers were getting older and sicker; how we could offer and they could receive help. In my blog I’ve talked about this issue as it relates to the issue of disability. There’s so much more to talk about regarding the ability to ask and accept help.
As I say so often the issue of disability affects us all or will at some point in our lives. Whether it’s our age or an accident, illness, etc. or perhaps a family member, a friend… the issue will surface in our lives at some point.
So many of us think that our asking for help is just a burden on others... We sometimes don’t realize what a gift it is to another person.
I’m not amazed with the kindness that has been extended to me during this time. I have wonderful friends and acquaintances. When I got off the phone yesterday with my friend I wrote an email saying that even though we don’t talk often it feels as if it was only yesterday. The people I get to know… really know, have experiences with that transcend time are like this. Time just doesn’t matter.
It’s kind of like that with my Dad. Our experiences transcend time… In some ways they seem light years ago and in other ways they seem like yesterday.
If you look closely at my entry numbers I skip from entry 76 to entry 80 which talked about my Dad passing away. He was 80 years of age and I guess the number was just in my head. At his funeral we shot off 80 rockets, firecrackers in honor of his 80 years. The number 80 was prominent in my mind…
Yesterday I talked to an old friend, a former boss who had lost his father in the summer. It was really good talking to him. It was good talking to someone that was experiencing what I was experiencing… to hear where they were and how they were dealing with the issue.
One of the things we talked about was as our fathers were getting older and sicker; how we could offer and they could receive help. In my blog I’ve talked about this issue as it relates to the issue of disability. There’s so much more to talk about regarding the ability to ask and accept help.
As I say so often the issue of disability affects us all or will at some point in our lives. Whether it’s our age or an accident, illness, etc. or perhaps a family member, a friend… the issue will surface in our lives at some point.
So many of us think that our asking for help is just a burden on others... We sometimes don’t realize what a gift it is to another person.
I’m not amazed with the kindness that has been extended to me during this time. I have wonderful friends and acquaintances. When I got off the phone yesterday with my friend I wrote an email saying that even though we don’t talk often it feels as if it was only yesterday. The people I get to know… really know, have experiences with that transcend time are like this. Time just doesn’t matter.
It’s kind of like that with my Dad. Our experiences transcend time… In some ways they seem light years ago and in other ways they seem like yesterday.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
(81st Entry) Coincidences…
I just opened the Microsoft Word File that contains my entries for the blog. I hadn’t realized that my last Entry entitled, “My Father, My Friend… was my 80th entry… My Dad died at the age of 80.
This morning I kept thinking that I needed to write an entry for my blog to commemorate my first anniversary. Things have obviously been hectic in my life so I’m running a little behind. I knew that I had started the blog towards the end of November 2007. This morning I wondered if my first entry had been posted on November 22nd. I ran to the computer thinking that this was the feeling, the coincidence that I felt. My first entry however was posted on November 24, 2007. THEN… I open up the word file and there was the COINCIDENCE…
Carl Jung, the Swiss Psychiatrist, used the word… SYNCHRONICITY to describe events like these.
So often, if I listen, I have these little insights into life… these little moments of feeling something… an intuition. The question is… Do I go with them, do I listen, do I give them a second thought?
In the past I’ve written about, “just going on with life.”
When am I at my best? Whether it’s dealing with a disability or working with others or in corporate life? It’s when I listen to that inner feeling, inner thought… go with my “gut!”
How do you live with a disability? Every one has opinions. Every one thinks they have the answer, know what’s best for you, knows what you need to be successful.
To truly be successful with a disability or life in general is about taking responsibility for yourself… making decision for yourself based on these inner thought, inner feelings.
The only alternative is, “just going on with life.”
This morning I kept thinking that I needed to write an entry for my blog to commemorate my first anniversary. Things have obviously been hectic in my life so I’m running a little behind. I knew that I had started the blog towards the end of November 2007. This morning I wondered if my first entry had been posted on November 22nd. I ran to the computer thinking that this was the feeling, the coincidence that I felt. My first entry however was posted on November 24, 2007. THEN… I open up the word file and there was the COINCIDENCE…
Carl Jung, the Swiss Psychiatrist, used the word… SYNCHRONICITY to describe events like these.
So often, if I listen, I have these little insights into life… these little moments of feeling something… an intuition. The question is… Do I go with them, do I listen, do I give them a second thought?
In the past I’ve written about, “just going on with life.”
When am I at my best? Whether it’s dealing with a disability or working with others or in corporate life? It’s when I listen to that inner feeling, inner thought… go with my “gut!”
How do you live with a disability? Every one has opinions. Every one thinks they have the answer, know what’s best for you, knows what you need to be successful.
To truly be successful with a disability or life in general is about taking responsibility for yourself… making decision for yourself based on these inner thought, inner feelings.
The only alternative is, “just going on with life.”
Monday, November 24, 2008
(80th Entry) My Father, My Friend… continued!
May 1, 1928… November 22, 2008
This picture was taken last December when my whole family spent several days in Troncones, Mexico on the Pacific Coast. It was in celebration of my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. He had just received a new defibrillator a month earlier in Texas and just a few days after the picture had severe complications where he almost suffered a stroke. (I won’t go into the reasons this happened… now it just doesn’t matter now!)
These past few weeks while extremely difficult have been a spiritual adventure of the kind that I have never experienced.
There were so many things that have happened that I will remember for the remainder of my life… One of the most amazing moments was the very moment that my Dad died… My parent’s have a dog named Sabrina who loves both of them very much. She stayed with my Dad these past weeks with great concern and care. BUT… at the very moment he died she was again at his side. She got off the bed quickly, ran into the hall and barked several times. Sabrina doesn’t bark in the house… she talks which is like a howl, but this time she barked six times.
What ever your beliefs are… It just confirms to me that a spirit exists and that the body is just a body. Sabrina felt what was happening! She responded! We all responded.
I have never been present at the moment of death. I thought that it would be strange, uncomfortable, but it was just the opposite. We watched as my Dad suffered these past few weeks and yet when he died it was so peaceful. He simply went to sleep. These past few weeks while being in pain he looked so uncomfortable and contorted. Immediately upon dying he looked relaxed and at peace. He died in his own home, in his own bed, with his family and his animals.
This picture was taken last December when my whole family spent several days in Troncones, Mexico on the Pacific Coast. It was in celebration of my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. He had just received a new defibrillator a month earlier in Texas and just a few days after the picture had severe complications where he almost suffered a stroke. (I won’t go into the reasons this happened… now it just doesn’t matter now!)
These past few weeks while extremely difficult have been a spiritual adventure of the kind that I have never experienced.
There were so many things that have happened that I will remember for the remainder of my life… One of the most amazing moments was the very moment that my Dad died… My parent’s have a dog named Sabrina who loves both of them very much. She stayed with my Dad these past weeks with great concern and care. BUT… at the very moment he died she was again at his side. She got off the bed quickly, ran into the hall and barked several times. Sabrina doesn’t bark in the house… she talks which is like a howl, but this time she barked six times.
What ever your beliefs are… It just confirms to me that a spirit exists and that the body is just a body. Sabrina felt what was happening! She responded! We all responded.
I have never been present at the moment of death. I thought that it would be strange, uncomfortable, but it was just the opposite. We watched as my Dad suffered these past few weeks and yet when he died it was so peaceful. He simply went to sleep. These past few weeks while being in pain he looked so uncomfortable and contorted. Immediately upon dying he looked relaxed and at peace. He died in his own home, in his own bed, with his family and his animals.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
(76th Entry) My world…
My world seems to be tumbling down around me. My father is very, very sick… my family is extremely tired… business is difficult due to the world economic crisis and a city I love had and attack on it yesterday. (The police chief and two others were gunned down where my parent’s live.) It’s as if all of my dreams, hopes and ambitions are being suffocated.
What do I do? I could give up! But that’s not an option… I’ve been in this position before in life… in some ways. What happens when things seem hopeless? What are our options?
Right now I’m very sad! It would be very easy to give up, to not have hope. The problem is that I have dreams! I’ve made so much progress towards my dreams and yet I have some obstacles still to over-come. I have people that are relying on me… People who now have jobs that didn’t before!
I have some one in particular that I want to hire… She’s in a wheelchair. I haven’t met her, but she came to interview while I was with my family. Mary, my office manager, was very impressed with her. Unfortunately we just had started a new program in conjunction with the government and all of the slots had been taken. She took a taxi to visit us. This had to be a stretch for her financially. We’re about 20 miles from her home town. She’s able to take the bus if I am able to hire her. Mary was deeply moved by her desire to want to work. Giving jobs to disabled individuals is a major part of my dreams and now Mary’s dreams as well… I currently have around 22 employees… around 10 have disabilities.
In some ways I’ve never been so scared… everything in my life seems precarious and fragile. Right now things seem impossible, but yet on the horizon there are many positive things… 2009 could be the year that everything changes! The question is… can I make it that long?
Life is always interesting and challenging. I always say… if it was easy, everyone would do it!
I’ve never lost a parent before. Every one tells me… no matter how prepared you think you are… you’re not.
How do you keep your dreams alive? How do you maintain hope when things seem hopeless? It’s about faith. It’s about perseverance. It’s about stubbornness. The most difficult thing for me right now is to just do what needs to be done. There’s so much to think about… so many memories. My life is getting ready to change forever…
It’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves… In the last two months… I fell and broke my arm, we experienced the hurricane in Galveston, my Dad has been very sick, business is almost non-existent, a town I love is wounded and I’m sure there’s more if I think about… but these are the highlights.
OK… some things have happened in the past couple of months that seem overwhelming. It’s called life!
There have also been some good things that have taken place… in the midst of my Dad being sick, the whole family has spent time together… and we’ve been able to be ourselves, enjoy one another, have family arguments… but most of all be together and be with my Dad.
Next blog… more about hope, maintaining dreams!
(Some of my dreams are listed in the Mission Statement listed on the right hand side of the page.)
What do I do? I could give up! But that’s not an option… I’ve been in this position before in life… in some ways. What happens when things seem hopeless? What are our options?
Right now I’m very sad! It would be very easy to give up, to not have hope. The problem is that I have dreams! I’ve made so much progress towards my dreams and yet I have some obstacles still to over-come. I have people that are relying on me… People who now have jobs that didn’t before!
I have some one in particular that I want to hire… She’s in a wheelchair. I haven’t met her, but she came to interview while I was with my family. Mary, my office manager, was very impressed with her. Unfortunately we just had started a new program in conjunction with the government and all of the slots had been taken. She took a taxi to visit us. This had to be a stretch for her financially. We’re about 20 miles from her home town. She’s able to take the bus if I am able to hire her. Mary was deeply moved by her desire to want to work. Giving jobs to disabled individuals is a major part of my dreams and now Mary’s dreams as well… I currently have around 22 employees… around 10 have disabilities.
In some ways I’ve never been so scared… everything in my life seems precarious and fragile. Right now things seem impossible, but yet on the horizon there are many positive things… 2009 could be the year that everything changes! The question is… can I make it that long?
Life is always interesting and challenging. I always say… if it was easy, everyone would do it!
I’ve never lost a parent before. Every one tells me… no matter how prepared you think you are… you’re not.
How do you keep your dreams alive? How do you maintain hope when things seem hopeless? It’s about faith. It’s about perseverance. It’s about stubbornness. The most difficult thing for me right now is to just do what needs to be done. There’s so much to think about… so many memories. My life is getting ready to change forever…
It’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves… In the last two months… I fell and broke my arm, we experienced the hurricane in Galveston, my Dad has been very sick, business is almost non-existent, a town I love is wounded and I’m sure there’s more if I think about… but these are the highlights.
OK… some things have happened in the past couple of months that seem overwhelming. It’s called life!
There have also been some good things that have taken place… in the midst of my Dad being sick, the whole family has spent time together… and we’ve been able to be ourselves, enjoy one another, have family arguments… but most of all be together and be with my Dad.
Next blog… more about hope, maintaining dreams!
(Some of my dreams are listed in the Mission Statement listed on the right hand side of the page.)
Saturday, November 8, 2008
(75th Entry) The Truth Always…
Yesterday I was talking to an old friend in Nacogdoches, Texas. I mentioned in my last blog that I lived in a community of disabled individuals for a number of years… to be exact… 6 ½ years. The old friend that I was talking to yesterday was the director of the complex for the last couple of years of my living there. She’s largely responsible for my regaining faith in humanity and the helping profession. I often wonder what my outlook would be had she not come along and I had left that environment without seeing the “good” that exists in the people.
It’s difficult to talk about this experience in my life because so many people were affected in my first four years of living in this community. Suffice it to say… there is sickness in the helping profession, the care-giving profession. There are also wonderful, giving, caring people as well who give and take with respect and boundaries. During my 6 ½ years in this community I saw both.
One of the great lessons I learned in life happened in this environment… The truth always comes out in the end. Sickness can survive and be covered up for only so long. I use the word sickness… there many words I could use. I think that there exists in the helping profession a group of individuals who get into it for the wrong reasons. (This is a whole conversation by itself… left for another entry.)
One of the first things I noticed is that were a group of individuals who repeatedly said, “All I do is give and give and give and all they do is take and take and take…” a red light ought to go off if you ever hear this. At a minimum it means that someone in the helping profession is burned out, needs help, a rest… and it can be a clue to a whole lot more.
I learned that one of the simple laws of physics applies to the helping profession… For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can only give as much as you receive. If you feel that it’s an unequal transaction then there’s probably an element of unhealthiness taking place.
The truth always comes out in the end. I am so grateful that I was fortunate enough to be around when the truth was revealed. I am grateful that my friend came along.
As always… so much more to write about regarding this entry!
It’s difficult to talk about this experience in my life because so many people were affected in my first four years of living in this community. Suffice it to say… there is sickness in the helping profession, the care-giving profession. There are also wonderful, giving, caring people as well who give and take with respect and boundaries. During my 6 ½ years in this community I saw both.
One of the great lessons I learned in life happened in this environment… The truth always comes out in the end. Sickness can survive and be covered up for only so long. I use the word sickness… there many words I could use. I think that there exists in the helping profession a group of individuals who get into it for the wrong reasons. (This is a whole conversation by itself… left for another entry.)
One of the first things I noticed is that were a group of individuals who repeatedly said, “All I do is give and give and give and all they do is take and take and take…” a red light ought to go off if you ever hear this. At a minimum it means that someone in the helping profession is burned out, needs help, a rest… and it can be a clue to a whole lot more.
I learned that one of the simple laws of physics applies to the helping profession… For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You can only give as much as you receive. If you feel that it’s an unequal transaction then there’s probably an element of unhealthiness taking place.
The truth always comes out in the end. I am so grateful that I was fortunate enough to be around when the truth was revealed. I am grateful that my friend came along.
As always… so much more to write about regarding this entry!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
(74th Entry) Asking for help…
Why is asking for help so difficult for most of us? The other day after a talk that I had given, a man revealed to me that he was ninety years of age and was just recently forced into having to ask for help for things that he was no longer able to do. He said that it was difficult for him. My Dad is having to ask for and receive help with things that he has always been able to do as well. It’s difficult to watch.
I always say that the issue of disability applies to all, because at some point we’re all going to be to the point of having to ask for help. The definition of disability that I began this blog with is… anything that keeps us from doing or trying or feeling good about ourselves is a disability. In essence, anything that we have to ask for help can be considered our disability in our society.
In my talk I mentioned that part of dealing with a disability was the ability to ask and receive help yet be able to separate this help from our “self”. The ability to separate who we are from what we need is so vital in dealing with a disability.
At one point in my life I lived around many disabled individuals… all types, all levels. Many needed considerable physical care. There were those that handled it with grace and dignity and others who… What I also found interesting were the individuals who were the caregivers. For so long after this experience I was very cynical towards caregivers. (More about caregivers in my next entry) There’s a saying… Like kind attract. Those that handled their physical care with grace and dignity tended to attract caregivers with grace and dignity… Those that didn’t…
Asking for help… Difficult for most of us… We value our independence. Separating our “self”, our value as a person from our physical “self” in a world so materialistic and vain is difficult for most.
Christopher Reeves was a beautiful example… One minute normal, the next a quadriplegic... I recall an interview where he said that he wanted to die when he first realized what had happened and that it was his family that gave him the will to live. It was his family that gave him the realization that he had value whether he could move or not.
In an earlier blog entry I talked about at one point in my life when people held doors open for me I would walk to another door and open it myself. “I’ll show you!” Who was/am I/we really showing? Who are we trying to prove something too?
As always… more to come….
I always say that the issue of disability applies to all, because at some point we’re all going to be to the point of having to ask for help. The definition of disability that I began this blog with is… anything that keeps us from doing or trying or feeling good about ourselves is a disability. In essence, anything that we have to ask for help can be considered our disability in our society.
In my talk I mentioned that part of dealing with a disability was the ability to ask and receive help yet be able to separate this help from our “self”. The ability to separate who we are from what we need is so vital in dealing with a disability.
At one point in my life I lived around many disabled individuals… all types, all levels. Many needed considerable physical care. There were those that handled it with grace and dignity and others who… What I also found interesting were the individuals who were the caregivers. For so long after this experience I was very cynical towards caregivers. (More about caregivers in my next entry) There’s a saying… Like kind attract. Those that handled their physical care with grace and dignity tended to attract caregivers with grace and dignity… Those that didn’t…
Asking for help… Difficult for most of us… We value our independence. Separating our “self”, our value as a person from our physical “self” in a world so materialistic and vain is difficult for most.
Christopher Reeves was a beautiful example… One minute normal, the next a quadriplegic... I recall an interview where he said that he wanted to die when he first realized what had happened and that it was his family that gave him the will to live. It was his family that gave him the realization that he had value whether he could move or not.
In an earlier blog entry I talked about at one point in my life when people held doors open for me I would walk to another door and open it myself. “I’ll show you!” Who was/am I/we really showing? Who are we trying to prove something too?
As always… more to come….
Monday, November 3, 2008
(73rd Entry) I really miss…
I really miss writing. I really miss expressing myself. Things happen in life… we can write, talk or hold it in. Sometimes things seem to personal or frightening or painful to possibly express. Sometimes we think people or family or whoever might think we’re divulging too much of our selves. There are many reasons not to write or not to talk…
I miss it though…
My Dad has been very sick. He’s was in the hospital and a couple of times the doctor’s said he was going to die. He’s had the most amazing ups and downs… going from almost death to life again. At one point in the hospital he said the he was tired of fighting and asked if it was ok to just let go. The family told him yes. Yet later that afternoon to our amazement he said yes… to having an angiogram. His heart is less than 30%. The majority of his arteries are blocked with one graph from a previous by-pass surgery supplying the whole heart.
He’s at home now. He’s resting comfortably. He’s declining slowly, sometimes quickly. He’s no longer able to walk, even with the aid of his walker. He can still steady himself once standing with the walker and move from the wheelchair to a chair or a bed.
It’s difficult to watch someone you love decline in health. You always think it’ll be sometime else… sometime later… in the future… But eventually it happens. All who have lost a parent have told me no matter how prepared you think that you might be… you’re not! They’re right!
We’re all doing the best we can… We’re all coping, dealing and processing these days… the best we can!
As I said, he’s had some amazing ups and downs… All we want s for him not to suffer, not to linger, not to be in pain. We have outside help… around the clock nursing care. They don’t know us. I wonder what they think? The maid is part of the family, so she’s used to everyone.
The most difficult part for me and for everyone is the not knowing…
There’s so much going on… therefore so much to write about.
I miss it though…
My Dad has been very sick. He’s was in the hospital and a couple of times the doctor’s said he was going to die. He’s had the most amazing ups and downs… going from almost death to life again. At one point in the hospital he said the he was tired of fighting and asked if it was ok to just let go. The family told him yes. Yet later that afternoon to our amazement he said yes… to having an angiogram. His heart is less than 30%. The majority of his arteries are blocked with one graph from a previous by-pass surgery supplying the whole heart.
He’s at home now. He’s resting comfortably. He’s declining slowly, sometimes quickly. He’s no longer able to walk, even with the aid of his walker. He can still steady himself once standing with the walker and move from the wheelchair to a chair or a bed.
It’s difficult to watch someone you love decline in health. You always think it’ll be sometime else… sometime later… in the future… But eventually it happens. All who have lost a parent have told me no matter how prepared you think that you might be… you’re not! They’re right!
We’re all doing the best we can… We’re all coping, dealing and processing these days… the best we can!
As I said, he’s had some amazing ups and downs… All we want s for him not to suffer, not to linger, not to be in pain. We have outside help… around the clock nursing care. They don’t know us. I wonder what they think? The maid is part of the family, so she’s used to everyone.
The most difficult part for me and for everyone is the not knowing…
There’s so much going on… therefore so much to write about.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Update -- October 22, 2008
My Dad has been in the hopsital and is seriously ill. I've been with the family for a couple of weeks. He's doing better, but still has a long way to go...
Below is an email that went out to friends last Friday when we brought him home from the hospital....
_______________________beginning of Patzcuaro message.............
We brought Errol home from the hospital yesterday in one of Patzcuaro’s new ambulances. He’s resting comfortably in his own bed and happy to be home with Sabrina, Gato, Gata and Paco!
He’s doing well, but still needs a lot of rest… So no visitors or telephone calls please.
He’s gone through a lot in the last week and a half, but he’s like the energizer bunny … He keeps going and going and going!
His sense of humor is as perverse as always. One morning in the hospital he woke up after thinking he wasn’t going to make it and his first words were, “I’m still alive. What a disappointment.”
He originally went to the hospital because Rose Ann found him on the floor in the middle of the night and thought that he was having a stroke. As it=2 0turns out he did not. He does have some neurological problems with the brain due to lack of proper blood flow which medication is helping. While at the hospital he had a massive nose hemorrhage. Had he not been in the hospital with excellent care he would not have made it. He said this procedure was worse than anything he’s experienced before. If all of this was not enough, he then went into heart failure. The doctor’s were able to clear his lungs quickly of fluid which made for a miraculous and quick recovery which is why he was able to come home.
He and the rest of the family have had a lot of ups and downs in the last twelve days… It’s been quite a roller coaster ride!!!
We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers. Rose Ann would love to hear from everyone via email!!!! loca_rosanita@yahoo.com
Errol, Rose Ann, Rick, Debra, Charlie, Sabrina, Gato, Gata and Paco!!!
____________________________________ end of Patzcuaro message….
I'm giving a talk this Sunday in San Miguel... I'm using the same title that I used in Irapauto a few months ago.... "LEARNING TO LIVE WITH, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A DISABILITY!"
This will be the first time that I speak publically in San Miguel about what I'm doing and what I'm trying to accomplish.
Below is an email that went out to friends last Friday when we brought him home from the hospital....
_______________________beginning of Patzcuaro message.............
We brought Errol home from the hospital yesterday in one of Patzcuaro’s new ambulances. He’s resting comfortably in his own bed and happy to be home with Sabrina, Gato, Gata and Paco!
He’s doing well, but still needs a lot of rest… So no visitors or telephone calls please.
He’s gone through a lot in the last week and a half, but he’s like the energizer bunny … He keeps going and going and going!
His sense of humor is as perverse as always. One morning in the hospital he woke up after thinking he wasn’t going to make it and his first words were, “I’m still alive. What a disappointment.”
He originally went to the hospital because Rose Ann found him on the floor in the middle of the night and thought that he was having a stroke. As it=2 0turns out he did not. He does have some neurological problems with the brain due to lack of proper blood flow which medication is helping. While at the hospital he had a massive nose hemorrhage. Had he not been in the hospital with excellent care he would not have made it. He said this procedure was worse than anything he’s experienced before. If all of this was not enough, he then went into heart failure. The doctor’s were able to clear his lungs quickly of fluid which made for a miraculous and quick recovery which is why he was able to come home.
He and the rest of the family have had a lot of ups and downs in the last twelve days… It’s been quite a roller coaster ride!!!
We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers. Rose Ann would love to hear from everyone via email!!!! loca_rosanita@yahoo.com
Errol, Rose Ann, Rick, Debra, Charlie, Sabrina, Gato, Gata and Paco!!!
____________________________________ end of Patzcuaro message….
I'm giving a talk this Sunday in San Miguel... I'm using the same title that I used in Irapauto a few months ago.... "LEARNING TO LIVE WITH, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A DISABILITY!"
This will be the first time that I speak publically in San Miguel about what I'm doing and what I'm trying to accomplish.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
(72nd Entry) What a three weeks…
It started out with a simple, but hard fall. I was moving out of an apartment that I had lived in for three years. There was some construction being done on the street in front of the apartment. I stepped onto the side walk from the street. The sidewalk had this coarse, dark sand that was invisible to my eye. My right foot went sliding down the incline to the driveway like it was on ice. I fell with my arm against my ribcage. I hit hard, bouncing over on my side. At first I thought I had broken my ribs, but I had simply knocked the air out of myself.
It took a few minutes, but I soon realized that it was my right arm that hurt so bad. To make a long story short, I needed two stitched in my left leg and I fractured the bone in the end of my right arm. That was towards the beginning of the week and then over the weekend we watched Hurricane Ike destroy Galveston.
We’re coming up on our third anniversary of moving our offices to Mexico from Galveston. We still have a warehouse with inventory and all of our mail goes to Galveston, but all of our operating facilities are in Mexico. We moved our offices three years ago when Hurricane Rita was to have hit Galveston, but at the last minute turned towards Louisiana. After that getting trucks, 18 wheelers, from Mexico to Galveston was impossible due to the back log.
We opened a couple of weeks later in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Five of our original employees are still working for us today. Actually 5 out of 7 are working today. Of course today there are 22 or 23 people working. We’ve added two factories and are still growing.
Back to my arm… It’s better. Not quit so painful. If they had put it in a caste I would have been severely limited in what I could do, so we’re letting it heal naturally. I actually did this before when I was 13. I had a bicycle wreck and hit my arm head on into the curb. I saw the fractures in the x-ray and they’ve healed nicely. This to will heal.
Back to Hurricane Ike… I’ve talked to some of my friends in Galveston. All had damage to things that they owned. All are ok. BUT.. they all sound different than they usually do. It’s that sound of despair, of being over-whelmed. As one friend of mine said, “Remember what we thought Rita was going to be? This was it.” My thought and prayers are with them.
Both of those events happened three weeks ago. And now the last two weeks… They can wait for another entry.
It took a few minutes, but I soon realized that it was my right arm that hurt so bad. To make a long story short, I needed two stitched in my left leg and I fractured the bone in the end of my right arm. That was towards the beginning of the week and then over the weekend we watched Hurricane Ike destroy Galveston.
We’re coming up on our third anniversary of moving our offices to Mexico from Galveston. We still have a warehouse with inventory and all of our mail goes to Galveston, but all of our operating facilities are in Mexico. We moved our offices three years ago when Hurricane Rita was to have hit Galveston, but at the last minute turned towards Louisiana. After that getting trucks, 18 wheelers, from Mexico to Galveston was impossible due to the back log.
We opened a couple of weeks later in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Five of our original employees are still working for us today. Actually 5 out of 7 are working today. Of course today there are 22 or 23 people working. We’ve added two factories and are still growing.
Back to my arm… It’s better. Not quit so painful. If they had put it in a caste I would have been severely limited in what I could do, so we’re letting it heal naturally. I actually did this before when I was 13. I had a bicycle wreck and hit my arm head on into the curb. I saw the fractures in the x-ray and they’ve healed nicely. This to will heal.
Back to Hurricane Ike… I’ve talked to some of my friends in Galveston. All had damage to things that they owned. All are ok. BUT.. they all sound different than they usually do. It’s that sound of despair, of being over-whelmed. As one friend of mine said, “Remember what we thought Rita was going to be? This was it.” My thought and prayers are with them.
Both of those events happened three weeks ago. And now the last two weeks… They can wait for another entry.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
(71st Entry) Why I do…
Recently I was asked, “Why do you do the things that you’re doing?” I ask myself this question quit often as well. I most often ask on days when things are difficult and seem almost impossible.
Then there are days that surprise me and all my doubts subside and the reason that I do what I do is simply obvious…
We had a birthday party last Friday. We opened our Mexican office three years ago. We started with six employees. In those days the parties were quiet. Not these days… with twenty-four employees, we had someone playing a guitar and lots of folks singing. It was a joyous event… at least for me… and I think for Mary as well.
It’s one of those events where you’re glad you have hot, spicy food, so that people don’t realize that those are tears of joy and elation.
We’ve worked so hard and sometimes lose sight of our true reason for doing what we’re doing. I gave Mary a ride home that night and said to her, “you have to be proud of what happened today.” She readily acknowledged and agreed that we had created something special. Even a week later as I write this, I find myself emotional. We have 24 people, 8 of whom are disabled and yet there were just 24 employees sharing in a party… not 8 and 16… but 24.
Of course a week has gone by and all the stress of work, of running factories and operating in a bad economy weighs heavily so… It's nice to look back
And now a few pictures...
This is Juan... Our Grabado muestro... It was his biurthday this month as well... He a great individual. When Mary and I first approached him about teaching... He said absolutely not. He had good reasons, but today he is as commited to the dream as Mary and I. 
And of course Krispy...
Then there are days that surprise me and all my doubts subside and the reason that I do what I do is simply obvious…
We had a birthday party last Friday. We opened our Mexican office three years ago. We started with six employees. In those days the parties were quiet. Not these days… with twenty-four employees, we had someone playing a guitar and lots of folks singing. It was a joyous event… at least for me… and I think for Mary as well.
It’s one of those events where you’re glad you have hot, spicy food, so that people don’t realize that those are tears of joy and elation.
We’ve worked so hard and sometimes lose sight of our true reason for doing what we’re doing. I gave Mary a ride home that night and said to her, “you have to be proud of what happened today.” She readily acknowledged and agreed that we had created something special. Even a week later as I write this, I find myself emotional. We have 24 people, 8 of whom are disabled and yet there were just 24 employees sharing in a party… not 8 and 16… but 24.
Of course a week has gone by and all the stress of work, of running factories and operating in a bad economy weighs heavily so… It's nice to look back
And now a few pictures...
This is Juan... Our Grabado muestro... It was his biurthday this month as well... He a great individual. When Mary and I first approached him about teaching... He said absolutely not. He had good reasons, but today he is as commited to the dream as Mary and I. 
And of course Krispy...
Sunday, August 24, 2008
(70th Entry) The last several weeks…
I hate it when I go to long without writing. Getting back into the flow seems so difficult.
I just returned from New York! As always… I love New York. There’s just a magic to it.
I attended the New York International Gift Fair where my Mom and I tried to sell our products. Times are tough in the U.S. Buyers are nervous. No one really knows what to expect.
We seem to be a company always in transition… Our old mainstay product was hand-hammered copper. The problem is that copper has become so expensive that it’s prohibitive to sell. Only a select few understand and appreciate it enough to pay the kind of prices that we must charge. Of course the Santa Rosa Candles have been a product… a great product for many years. My Mom started the company with a glass line and that’s where we’re back to today… Glass… Especially the carved glass that is done in our new factory!
I shared with people “our story.” How we’re trying to hire disabled individuals to work, to learn to carve glass. People really responded. I had made a little hand-out that had a few pictures and a few lines about what we’re doing… At the bottom it said… “Be a part of The Story”
As I said, we're a company in transition. We arrived in New York and created the booth with what items we had in our mini-warehouse and some items lent to us by our neighbors who happen to be good friend as well. My Mom hadn’t gone to market in six years. She had to admit that things had changed drastically in that time. We’re located on Pier 94 and since she had been the whole make-up of the pier’s had changed. Not to mention the neighborhood. Pier 94 is located on 52nd and the West Side Highway. This neighborhood has changed dramatically in the last few years. Once what was a rough area has turned into a trendy neighborhood.
It’s good to be back home! There’s lots to do to ensure that the dream survives.
I just returned from New York! As always… I love New York. There’s just a magic to it.
I attended the New York International Gift Fair where my Mom and I tried to sell our products. Times are tough in the U.S. Buyers are nervous. No one really knows what to expect.
We seem to be a company always in transition… Our old mainstay product was hand-hammered copper. The problem is that copper has become so expensive that it’s prohibitive to sell. Only a select few understand and appreciate it enough to pay the kind of prices that we must charge. Of course the Santa Rosa Candles have been a product… a great product for many years. My Mom started the company with a glass line and that’s where we’re back to today… Glass… Especially the carved glass that is done in our new factory!
I shared with people “our story.” How we’re trying to hire disabled individuals to work, to learn to carve glass. People really responded. I had made a little hand-out that had a few pictures and a few lines about what we’re doing… At the bottom it said… “Be a part of The Story”
As I said, we're a company in transition. We arrived in New York and created the booth with what items we had in our mini-warehouse and some items lent to us by our neighbors who happen to be good friend as well. My Mom hadn’t gone to market in six years. She had to admit that things had changed drastically in that time. We’re located on Pier 94 and since she had been the whole make-up of the pier’s had changed. Not to mention the neighborhood. Pier 94 is located on 52nd and the West Side Highway. This neighborhood has changed dramatically in the last few years. Once what was a rough area has turned into a trendy neighborhood.
It’s good to be back home! There’s lots to do to ensure that the dream survives.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
UPDATE...
I've been in New York for the past 12 days. I've just returned home so I'll get back to the writing.
As always there's lots to say!
So hopefully by Sunday I'll start having new entries.
Stay tuned!
As always there's lots to say!
So hopefully by Sunday I'll start having new entries.
Stay tuned!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
(69th Entry) My talk in Irapuato
Last May I went on a meditation retreat. It was a great needed weekend of peace and quiet. During that weekend I met a Doctor by the name of Eugenio. He’s a pediatric orthopedic surgeon for CRIT, Centro de Rehabilitacion Infantil Teleton or just Teleton. Telethon is a clinic for disabled children in Mexico. They now have 11 clinics and aim to have one in every State. At that retreat he casually asked if I would like to come to CRIT and give a talk. I of course answered yes, thinking that the likelihood of it actually materializing would be minimal. Well shortly after that weekend I began hearing from both Eugenio and the Human Resource director of Teleton in Irapauto, Guanajato.
To make a long story a little shorter on Thursday, July 31st, I’m in a car with my two interpreters heading towards Irapauto. Most people only need one interpreter, but I always tend to do things with a little more fanfare… Makari and Nataraj are good friends of mine. Nataraj is the person who has helped with all of the videos and Makari was my Spanish tutor until life just got to hectic. Makari who is from Mexico City understands 90% of everything I say so therefore Nataraj, a Canadian by birth, fills in the 10% gap. Now you understand why I had two translators.
Telethon arranged for us to stay in a hotel for the night. Our friend Eugenio, Dr. Eugenio de Pavia M., picks us up for dinner. We go to the old Sanborn’s in downtown Irapauto and talk for a couple hours. It’s at that time that I discovered that my talk was to be in front of 125 people. I had known that the talk was to take place at 7:00 a.m. which is why I had asked Nataraj to bring a coffee maker. I didn’t realize that I was speaking in front of 125, doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists… in other words the entire staff of the clinic.
I had brought with me some notes from previous talks. When I returned from dinner I spent a couple hours reviewing the notes. I created my outline… approximately 18 words on a single page of paper… The title of my talk was “HOW TO LIVE WITH, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A DISABILITY”
We arrived at the clinic at 7:00 a.m. where we proceeded to the auditorium. I was introduced and began my talk. It was an incredible experience. I had never given a talk where I had to have it translated. It was an amazing experience. I learned so much. By having it translated I was forced to slow down, say only a couple of sentences at a time. By doing this it forced me to collect my thoughts, think about where I was, think about how it connected to what I had said and where I wanted to go. I realized that I had included just as much or more substance than if I had just been speaking for an hour and ten minutes with no translation. I realized that I was focusing on the audience, watching there reactions. I wasn’t just in my head, talking. There were several times that I paused, looked at my outline and regained my cadence.
It was an incredible experience for me and I hope for those listening as well.
After the talk, several of us had breakfast together at the little café on site. Afterwards two individuals, Angel Zavaleta (HR dirctor) and Dr. Guadalupe Reyes Mail (Chief of Staff) proceeded to give Makari, Nataraj and myself a tour of the clinic. I think we spent two hours touring the clinic. I kept thinking back to my days as a young child going to the old Scottish Rites Hospital in Dallas. What a difference time has made in the ways we deal with the issue of disability.
This clinic was incredible! Not just in the facilities, but also in the philosophy. First, architecturally the building and grounds were open, airy and colorful. Second, the facilities were a good as I had ever seen. State of the art equipment was everywhere. Third, the philosophy was one of treating not only the whole person… body, mind and spirit; but also the whole family. I could go on and on. It was just a moving experience for me… for the three of us from start to finish.
To have a dream means to have desire. To have desire means to want to accomplish something. To want to accomplish something means to have the confidence, the self esteem and drive necessary to make it happen. There’s a line between confidence and arrogance. In my Mission Statement I make clear what my goals are… I started the blog back in November of 2008. While I haven’t accomplished all of my goals, I’ve made tremendous strides. Dreams sometimes seem to be bigger than reality… sometimes they change over time and sometimes they come true or sometimes you just give up! Sometimes you just keep going when all logic says… it’s impossible!
We have 8 out of 24 employees who are disabled. I gave a talk that lived up to my dreams. Not that it was perfect… But it was! I have a few video clips… the beginning of another dream. What more can I ask in eight months?
Sometimes I question my dreams. Am I really capable of doing…? Do I really have what it takes to do all that I say…? At the risk of sounding arrogant… I think I do!
To make a long story a little shorter on Thursday, July 31st, I’m in a car with my two interpreters heading towards Irapauto. Most people only need one interpreter, but I always tend to do things with a little more fanfare… Makari and Nataraj are good friends of mine. Nataraj is the person who has helped with all of the videos and Makari was my Spanish tutor until life just got to hectic. Makari who is from Mexico City understands 90% of everything I say so therefore Nataraj, a Canadian by birth, fills in the 10% gap. Now you understand why I had two translators.
Telethon arranged for us to stay in a hotel for the night. Our friend Eugenio, Dr. Eugenio de Pavia M., picks us up for dinner. We go to the old Sanborn’s in downtown Irapauto and talk for a couple hours. It’s at that time that I discovered that my talk was to be in front of 125 people. I had known that the talk was to take place at 7:00 a.m. which is why I had asked Nataraj to bring a coffee maker. I didn’t realize that I was speaking in front of 125, doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists… in other words the entire staff of the clinic.
I had brought with me some notes from previous talks. When I returned from dinner I spent a couple hours reviewing the notes. I created my outline… approximately 18 words on a single page of paper… The title of my talk was “HOW TO LIVE WITH, FEEL COMFORTABLE AND BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A DISABILITY”
We arrived at the clinic at 7:00 a.m. where we proceeded to the auditorium. I was introduced and began my talk. It was an incredible experience. I had never given a talk where I had to have it translated. It was an amazing experience. I learned so much. By having it translated I was forced to slow down, say only a couple of sentences at a time. By doing this it forced me to collect my thoughts, think about where I was, think about how it connected to what I had said and where I wanted to go. I realized that I had included just as much or more substance than if I had just been speaking for an hour and ten minutes with no translation. I realized that I was focusing on the audience, watching there reactions. I wasn’t just in my head, talking. There were several times that I paused, looked at my outline and regained my cadence.
It was an incredible experience for me and I hope for those listening as well.
After the talk, several of us had breakfast together at the little café on site. Afterwards two individuals, Angel Zavaleta (HR dirctor) and Dr. Guadalupe Reyes Mail (Chief of Staff) proceeded to give Makari, Nataraj and myself a tour of the clinic. I think we spent two hours touring the clinic. I kept thinking back to my days as a young child going to the old Scottish Rites Hospital in Dallas. What a difference time has made in the ways we deal with the issue of disability.
This clinic was incredible! Not just in the facilities, but also in the philosophy. First, architecturally the building and grounds were open, airy and colorful. Second, the facilities were a good as I had ever seen. State of the art equipment was everywhere. Third, the philosophy was one of treating not only the whole person… body, mind and spirit; but also the whole family. I could go on and on. It was just a moving experience for me… for the three of us from start to finish.
To have a dream means to have desire. To have desire means to want to accomplish something. To want to accomplish something means to have the confidence, the self esteem and drive necessary to make it happen. There’s a line between confidence and arrogance. In my Mission Statement I make clear what my goals are… I started the blog back in November of 2008. While I haven’t accomplished all of my goals, I’ve made tremendous strides. Dreams sometimes seem to be bigger than reality… sometimes they change over time and sometimes they come true or sometimes you just give up! Sometimes you just keep going when all logic says… it’s impossible!
We have 8 out of 24 employees who are disabled. I gave a talk that lived up to my dreams. Not that it was perfect… But it was! I have a few video clips… the beginning of another dream. What more can I ask in eight months?
Sometimes I question my dreams. Am I really capable of doing…? Do I really have what it takes to do all that I say…? At the risk of sounding arrogant… I think I do!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
(68th Entry) A week to remember and a little to forget…
This week started out with the government of the state of Guanajato inaugurating our work of hiring disabled individuals. Read my sister-in-laws, Debra’s, blog entry on this.
Debra's Blog Entry
She does a great job of telling the story.
For me, it was an amazing event. It’s been a dream in the making for over twenty five years. I honestly didn’t think that it would be this monumental of an event for me. But it was. As you read my blog these past eight months we’ve have had our moments… good and bad, highs and lows. The blog can only reveal a small part of the struggles that have actually been taking place in my life. Great things have happened! Yet the struggles continue and give me reason for concern.
Having two factories open in the course of eight months has been very taxing on all of us trying to survive day to day. My parents came for the month of July to help relieve Mary (our office manager) and I of some of the burden. Their help and time was invaluable.
Also this week we had a major catastrophe. No one was hurt… that’s the important thing. A few material items were ruined, but they can be replaced. It’s just part of running a business. Sometimes you have good luck, sometimes not so good.
I always say… “If it was easy, everyone would do it!”
One of the reasons that the inauguration was so powerful for me is not just because it was a dream come true, but a moment when I realized just how far I’ve come, we’ve come. I’m responsible for 24 individuals… making sure they’re paid every week. Some of them could easily get other jobs, but what about the one’s that can’t? We’ve started something that is “catching on”, getting noticed. Bad economy or not… This has to be successful!
In entry 65, I talked about the individuals that came a few weeks ago to interview for jobs. Not only were they inspiring to us, they showed us just how grateful they were to be given the opportunity to work. It was touching, moving. They are all working now for us.
Somewhere in a previous blog or two, I talked about my own struggle to get my first corporate position. It takes a dream… a commitment… help… to get things done.
The week started with an amazing Monday and finished with an amazing Friday… with just one little lousy day in-between.
In my next entry, I’ll talk about Friday… My talk at CRIT, Teleton, located in Irapuato, Guanajato, Mexico. Another very moving day for me…
Debra's Blog Entry
She does a great job of telling the story.
For me, it was an amazing event. It’s been a dream in the making for over twenty five years. I honestly didn’t think that it would be this monumental of an event for me. But it was. As you read my blog these past eight months we’ve have had our moments… good and bad, highs and lows. The blog can only reveal a small part of the struggles that have actually been taking place in my life. Great things have happened! Yet the struggles continue and give me reason for concern.
Having two factories open in the course of eight months has been very taxing on all of us trying to survive day to day. My parents came for the month of July to help relieve Mary (our office manager) and I of some of the burden. Their help and time was invaluable.
Also this week we had a major catastrophe. No one was hurt… that’s the important thing. A few material items were ruined, but they can be replaced. It’s just part of running a business. Sometimes you have good luck, sometimes not so good.
I always say… “If it was easy, everyone would do it!”
One of the reasons that the inauguration was so powerful for me is not just because it was a dream come true, but a moment when I realized just how far I’ve come, we’ve come. I’m responsible for 24 individuals… making sure they’re paid every week. Some of them could easily get other jobs, but what about the one’s that can’t? We’ve started something that is “catching on”, getting noticed. Bad economy or not… This has to be successful!
In entry 65, I talked about the individuals that came a few weeks ago to interview for jobs. Not only were they inspiring to us, they showed us just how grateful they were to be given the opportunity to work. It was touching, moving. They are all working now for us.
Somewhere in a previous blog or two, I talked about my own struggle to get my first corporate position. It takes a dream… a commitment… help… to get things done.
The week started with an amazing Monday and finished with an amazing Friday… with just one little lousy day in-between.
In my next entry, I’ll talk about Friday… My talk at CRIT, Teleton, located in Irapuato, Guanajato, Mexico. Another very moving day for me…
Sunday, July 27, 2008
(67th Entry) “If you build it, they will come…”
God! I hope so. Remember this line from the film FIELD OF DREAMS? People thought Kevin Costner’s role was crazy for building a baseball field in the middle of a
corn field. This is how I feel right now building two new factories in tough economic times and trying to hire disabled individuals to work in them. I feel a little crazy, a little over-whelmed!
I’ve said on many occasions that this is a dream. What I’m trying to do is a dream… a way to give back. Do something different.
What are dreams? Why do we follow our dreams? Why do some people never follow their dreams?
Dreams aren’t always rational. Sometimes they’re something that we’re being called to do. Doing what I’m doing in San Miguel probably was not the best or most rational business decision to be making at this time… or at least at the speed at which I’m doing it.
Motivation, Dreams, Desires!!! What causes us to want to fight for something, fight to be able to do something? Why do some people just give up when faced with adversity?
This week is looking like a busy, fun filled, exciting week. On Monday, July 28th, the State government of Guanjato Mexico is coming out to inaugurate a joint program that makes it possible for us to hire more disabled individuals. Then on Friday, August 1st, I’m giving a talk at a national clinic in Mexico called, Teleton. It’s a system of clinics that work with disabled children. The title of my talk is… “Learning to live with, feel comfortable and be productive with a disability”. And… in between keep working with employees, factories, customers and more.
What motivated me to get to this point in my life? How did I learn to live with a disability? What were the steps to feeling comfortable with my disability? Why is there a desire to be productive when in reality I could get by with being less than productive?
Adversity in life seems to cause some to do more and others to do nothing.
I think it starts very early in life.
I think I said this many entries ago… I’ve been asked many times what I consider to be the difference between the issues of having congenital disability and having an accident. And then.. one step further… why do some that have accidents do well in their recovery and others do nothing at all. Simple answer… Those individuals who had happy, healthy, productive lives prior to their accident learn to have happy, healthy, productive lives after their accident. And for many… that had unhappy lives prior to their accident continue that pattern. There are always exceptions! This is not absolute… just a general observation from my own experience.
Once we establish a pattern… Patterns are difficult to break, but they can be broken. Patterns start for many different reasons. Sometimes they start because it’s just easier for people to let us do what we’re doing than to try to motivate us to do something different. If you remember back to my entries 45 to 49 talking about the original grabado maestro and the negative effects he had on several of my employees, then it’ll be no surprise that these employees are again acting out those negative patterns.
We didn’t stay on top of the problem. We became involved in other issues around the company and didn’t keep our focus on the originals problem. How do you motivate people to change? The two girls know right from wrong. They know what they’re doing. The problem is that they have no respect for themselves, for the company, for their co-workers or me.
Another whole dimension of motivation is respect… for ourselves and for those around us. Until we have respect, all other issues are mute. Why should I do something for myself when I can ask someone else to do it for me? Why should I work hard if no one penalizes me when I don’t?
In so many ways bad habits of any sort boil down to respect.
corn field. This is how I feel right now building two new factories in tough economic times and trying to hire disabled individuals to work in them. I feel a little crazy, a little over-whelmed!
I’ve said on many occasions that this is a dream. What I’m trying to do is a dream… a way to give back. Do something different.
What are dreams? Why do we follow our dreams? Why do some people never follow their dreams?
Dreams aren’t always rational. Sometimes they’re something that we’re being called to do. Doing what I’m doing in San Miguel probably was not the best or most rational business decision to be making at this time… or at least at the speed at which I’m doing it.
Motivation, Dreams, Desires!!! What causes us to want to fight for something, fight to be able to do something? Why do some people just give up when faced with adversity?
This week is looking like a busy, fun filled, exciting week. On Monday, July 28th, the State government of Guanjato Mexico is coming out to inaugurate a joint program that makes it possible for us to hire more disabled individuals. Then on Friday, August 1st, I’m giving a talk at a national clinic in Mexico called, Teleton. It’s a system of clinics that work with disabled children. The title of my talk is… “Learning to live with, feel comfortable and be productive with a disability”. And… in between keep working with employees, factories, customers and more.
What motivated me to get to this point in my life? How did I learn to live with a disability? What were the steps to feeling comfortable with my disability? Why is there a desire to be productive when in reality I could get by with being less than productive?
Adversity in life seems to cause some to do more and others to do nothing.
I think it starts very early in life.
I think I said this many entries ago… I’ve been asked many times what I consider to be the difference between the issues of having congenital disability and having an accident. And then.. one step further… why do some that have accidents do well in their recovery and others do nothing at all. Simple answer… Those individuals who had happy, healthy, productive lives prior to their accident learn to have happy, healthy, productive lives after their accident. And for many… that had unhappy lives prior to their accident continue that pattern. There are always exceptions! This is not absolute… just a general observation from my own experience.
Once we establish a pattern… Patterns are difficult to break, but they can be broken. Patterns start for many different reasons. Sometimes they start because it’s just easier for people to let us do what we’re doing than to try to motivate us to do something different. If you remember back to my entries 45 to 49 talking about the original grabado maestro and the negative effects he had on several of my employees, then it’ll be no surprise that these employees are again acting out those negative patterns.
We didn’t stay on top of the problem. We became involved in other issues around the company and didn’t keep our focus on the originals problem. How do you motivate people to change? The two girls know right from wrong. They know what they’re doing. The problem is that they have no respect for themselves, for the company, for their co-workers or me.
Another whole dimension of motivation is respect… for ourselves and for those around us. Until we have respect, all other issues are mute. Why should I do something for myself when I can ask someone else to do it for me? Why should I work hard if no one penalizes me when I don’t?
In so many ways bad habits of any sort boil down to respect.
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