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.
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