The Power of Purple

In a scene from a reality show, an elderly woman, who lives in a retirement community, receives a visit from 2 strangers. They want to return personal photos that belonged to the woman.  They had found them in a desk they had purchased. This story is touching and had the intended effect, but the sweet woman's very simple and powerful  statement  "My daughter came to visit last week...she doesn't live close and she's busy with her own life so she doesn't visit very often. I miss her and wish I could see her" brought me to tears. I mean big huge rolling streams that took a few minutes to get under control. How profound! It resonated deeply within my heart. I was reminded of my own mama and how far away she is. Although she is not in a retirement home and lives independently, I've been told that she says much the same thing throughout the year. Due to the multi-state distance, it's not easy to visit  in person more than once a year.  So many times, we...

My recent textbook case of what not to do to please a loyal customer of 15 years... This past Saturday I experienced some issues with my smart phone. After trying to troubleshoot on my own for about 2 hours, I called my carrier to speak with someone in tech support. The agent on the phone was friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. She walked me through numerous procedures to identify whether it was just a broken SIM card or the phone itself. After roughly 3 hours of trying different things, we realized that nothing was going  to correct the problem. I was surprised when she stated she was going to arrange for replacement to shipped and delivered the following Monday. In addition, since we were unable to fully resolve the issue, I would also receive a credit on my next bill.  Once the call was completed, I received a text message asking for feedback on the call and service provided by this agent. I answered th...

While I was out running errands yesterday, I noticed that everyone was wishing others a "Happy Thanksgiving" and many just didn't have any emotion when they spoke. I wondered why. While it's customary in our culture to say this, it doesn't mean anything if there's no emotion behind it. If you don't feel grateful, it's reflected in your conversations. Many people declare the month of November as the month to give thanks...but why limit it to just one month, or even one day a year? Being thankful on a continual basis brings a perspective to your life that enriches your relationships, adds peace to your day to day activities, and just makes you feel good. I have found that being grateful for everything (and I do mean everything...) opens up a world of opportunities. You look out and see the world from a different view point. You truly appreciate the blessings that have been bestowed upon you and you learn to never take anything for granted. Many pe...

Over the past few months I've had quite a few "AhHah" moments. One of the most profound has been to realize just how much giving and keeping your word can mean to someone else. We spend our days going through routines that include asking for assistance, being asked to attend or participate in activities with friends, co-workers and colleagues, and being given deadlines that require working with others. But what happens when you give your word, and that word isn't reliable? If you tell others what you think they want to hear, offer to help, or agree to do something and then blow it off because you really had no intention or it doesn't "fit" into your plans, your credibility diminishes and the trust in the relationship begins to unravel. In personal realtionships feelings can be hurt, and a general sense of being let down can begin to develop. Take the time to consider what's being asked and honestly respond. You'll see that your word carries...

Over the weekend the world of motor sports lost not 1, but 3, drivers in race crashes. 1 an IndyCar champ, and 2 off road racers. The world is smaller and a bit dimmer today because of the 3 lives lost. They will be remembered and their passion for living will live on in the lives of everyone who was blessed to know them or those of us touched by the tragedies. The most important lesson from this is they didn't take life for granted. They knew they weren't invincible, knew the risks involved, and yet approached life with passion and sincere appreciation for what they had been blessed with. They simply lived their lives in each and every moment with an exuberance that many don't understand. Many of us only acknowledge those who mean the most to us when a tragedy like this happens. It leaves us feeling vulnerable about our own mortality. It's easy to get into the rhythm of day to day living, taking for granted that those who mean so mu...