Wasn’t it just yesterday when we made our New Year’s Resolutions? I know I put them around here somewhere in my start to the New Year promise to myself. Is it me, or did someone misplace January? That seems to be missing as well; however, my calendar says it’s going to be Valentine’s Day in a few days. Is it possible for me to get a do-over?I don’t know about you, but I’m not doing well with those resolutions. It seems the days and weeks are passing by more quickly, and life is becoming like that preverbal snowball gaining more speed as it goes downhill. So one of my New Year’s resolutions was to slow that snowball down and take some time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life that I’ve been having a hard time permitting myself to do. Somehow along the way, I became like my dad, who always wanted to “take care of one more thing” before heading out for a fun family day.
Having lost several close friends since Thanksgiving, it has been a bit of a wake-up call and a bit of a nudge not to take life for granted and to give some thought into pursuing some of those resolutions sooner than later. To be honest, it has even made me look a bit more deeply into those resolutions and how they can be used to help the lives of others.I’m a firm believer that people are brought into your life to teach you life lessons. It could be struggles they overcame that have become a source of inspiration, while others have taught us not to take ourselves too seriously in a world where it seems division has become rampant. Two such people are Sidney Poitier and Betty White. Upon their recent passing, I was intrigued by the lives they led and how they seemed to touch the hearts of so many. Poitier had a certain refinement and broke many barriers in the entertainment world as a young black man from a very humble Bahamian childhood. While he rose to enjoy success garnering awards for his illustrious career as an actor, film director, and diplomat, his 2002 Honorary Academy Award recognizing his “remarkable accomplishments as an artist and human being” spoke volumes to me of a life well-lived.
Then you have Betty White, who has touched the hearts of so many with her sense of humor and ability to teach us not to take ourselves too seriously. She became more like that family member or confidant you knew you could trust through her many roles. To me, she was that little bit of sugar that gave us a respite from the negativity we are bombarded with each day.Then you have others that come into your life that touch you in ways you can’t put into words. To me, that person I’ll refer to as “Howard,” a client who became a good friend.
Howard and I shared almost nothing in common, and he had a strong opinion on everything. He could sound like Archie Bunker at times, other times just an old curmudgeon. Politically we couldn’t have been further apart, although he often said to me, “I can’t figure out what side of the aisle you’re on.” He hated phonies and often would say Realtors were like snake oil salesmen, but he always ended his comment with, “but I like you.” He started his day with his vodka and orange juice which he kept flowing throughout the day, yet kept up with the stock market and loved his sports and passion for sailing. I often would tease him that one day I was going to find he embalmed himself on his couch with a cocktail in hand, to which he would reply, “then you’ll have another house to sell.” However, despite living by himself with his cat and only having a few close friends, there was something about him I liked. Maybe it was our fun verbal sparring sessions or just his unabashed outlook on life, but somewhere under his crusty exterior was someone special. Over the years, he spoke of a few loves in his life, but mostly it was just a recounting of a simple life that seemed ordinary at best. However, it wasn’t until his recent passing that another life lesson was about to unfold. Unbeknownst to me, Howard had a passion for children with terminal illnesses and left most of his healthy financial portfolio to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. When I heard this news from one of his close friends, I thought to myself, “without any mention or desire for the recognition, he made a lasting impact on the life of others.” I was stunned by this man’s passion for something he never spoke about.
I started to reevaluate my New Year’s resolutions and thought there is always more we can do just by being ourselves as much as we give. Sure it is great to get into better shape, finish that book you started writing years ago, or take time to enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer. Still, I’m learning there are many ways we can impact the lives of others as they have to me, even if it is just putting a smile on someone’s face who’s having a challenging day.As we approach Valentine’s Day, I think it isn’t only a day to share your love with that special someone in your life, but a day when you can let others know how much they mean to you as well.
-Gary Cardillo
While most people would like to talk about themselves, Gary and Gail have always put their clients first, and their diverse backgrounds have provided their clients an unparalleled level of service and knowledge throughout the past years.