Appreciating Simplicity

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Life seems so fragile. In the last few months, so many of us have experienced death in one way or another. Whether a friend or loved one, or someone we knew or knew of, or a public figure who influenced us, it seems death has impacted so many of us. Today, we lost Senator Ted Kennedy, and it only seems right that I encourage everyone reading this to enjoy what and whom you have.

It is so simple to not appreciate the simple things. I wonder if perhaps we might begin to become a more appreciative people—realizing we are not invincible. Of course, I fear that just as we became a nation of humility in the months following 9/11 then soon allowed ourselves to go back to business as usual, we may remain silent for a time but will soon allow the chaos to deafen that silence.

Next Monday will be the 25^th anniversary of the day Drs. released me from the hospital. Many days, too many in fact, I forget to be thankful for the Drs. and nurses who fought to save my life, the person I will never know who gave blood for my transfusion, the parents of other patients who helped my mother, my Aunt Linda for moving her and her then 5 yr. old son to San Diego from Spokane to help my mother with my recovery. Most days go by just like any other day. But some days I am thankful for my sight, ability to walk, and so many other things. I try to be thankful every day, but most days it's just business as usual.

Amidst all of the death that has loomed over this nation in the past several months, and even in recent years, don’t forget to appreciate what you have. It all fades so fast. I guess my point is to appreciate life, don’t take it for granted, and never let the chaos around you deafen the silence of humility within you.

Keep connecting,

Erick

My Orange Skateboard Helmet

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After I learned how to walk again, I continued to make my way around my childhood home with a walker, while my legs became stronger. Sometimes, when I needed to get from one place to another quickly, I used my wheelchair. I learned to do wheelies in my chair and became pretty good with it. Sometimes, I walked to strengthen my legs; and when I did, I wore an orange skateboard helmet.

The fall after Drs. released me from the hospital, after my legs became strong enough, my cousin Paul, who had moved to San Diego from Spokane with his mother, taught me how to ride a bicycle. The first time I rode a bicycle without Paul helping me, I rode around the bottom of our cul de sac, while Paul ran to a neighbor’s house, and told them to come out and watch. I fell off the bike and hit my head. Luckily, I wore my orange skateboard helmet. After my mom bandaged me up, I got right back on that bike and started riding again.

Throughout the past couple of years, so many of us have fallen off of our proverbial bikes. We’ve lost our jobs, our savings, our families, and perhaps so much more. If you watched the Oprah episode last week about the couples who had lost their millions, you heard them say that along with those millions they lost thoe pseudo-friends who came with the money. It’s important that when we fall off of our proverbial bicycles, we get back on and continue to ride. It’s even more important that we wear a helmet—those friends who will be our friends regardless of how much money or power we wield. Those are the friends who are going to protect us when we crash.

Until next week,

Erick

A Friendly Perspective

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If you’re just joining this blog, I am currently doing a series. Feel free to read my blogs from previous weeks to catch up.

Here goes . . .

I was asleep (in a coma) or dazed and confused during most of my time in the hospital, so my stories are limited. I do remember a significant story about August 31—the day the Drs. released me from the hospital. That afternoon the hospital threw a party for me and another boy they released. We said goodbye to those who had taken care of us and become our friends, we at cake, and a local news station sent a reporter to interview us.

After the Drs. warned my mother that I would not begin walking for 2 years and I would remain a vegetable, she wheeled me out to the car, strapped me in, and we took off. Sometime later, driving north on Interstate 5, the car ran out of gas, and my mother coasted over to the side of the freeway. She got out, came around to my side of the car, unstrapped me, and carried her 7 year old child (me) down the shoulder of the freeway toward a gas station.

Moments later, a beige car pulled over to the side of the freeway, my mother strapped me into the back, and she got into the passenger’s side. I didn’t understand how my mother could be so calm, sitting in a car with a guy who had a shotgun between him and my mother. I didn’t say anything about it. Well, that I can remember. Sometime later, it dawned on me that the man who picked us up was an undercover cop. I wonder if subconsciously his help left such an impression on me that that’s why I spent many of my childhood years wanting to be a police officer, and even now I have a deep seeded respect for police.

Sometimes, when help comes our way, we don’t realize it’s the help we need because of our perspective on life. That’s why it’s important to surround ourselves with people who have our best interests in mind and can identify others willing to help us. Whether it’s finding a trustworthy mortgage broker, realtor, other person to do business with, or potential employee, friends are important. Had it not been for my mother, I would have never gotten into that beige car. Of course, I wouldn’t have been there had it not been for her, but I am sure you understand my point. Friends are important because they have our best interests in mind, and they can give us a different perspective on our circumstances.

It’s easy, in this current economic climate, to hide our money and not trust anyone with our business. Of course, hiding our money is part of the reason we’re here. Perhaps if we surround ourselves with people we trust, then ask them to help us find other trustworthy people to do business with, we can begin to come out of this economic funk.

The Friendly and the Friendless

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Blog posting from Erick Pettersen from People Connect:

Last week, a couple of friends of mine from Boston came to my house for dinner.  I reminisced with them about how I befriended their son a few years earlier.

When I moved to the Boston area, from San Diego, I started out in Salem.  One night after work, in down town Boston, I walked to TD Bank Garden North, where the Celtics play and trains depart.  On most nights, large metal partitions hide two escalators that lead from the train station to the Celtics’ stadium.  On game nights, and a few other nights, people ride up and down those escalators.  On that Friday night, after I arrived at the train station, crowds of people streamed up and down those escalators.

I looked at my watch, checked the train schedule, and decided I had time to venture to the top of the escalators.  At the top, I stopped, turned, and asked the first person I saw about the cause of the mysterious crowd.  Three years later, his parents sat on the other side of my dining room table.  For two years, while I lived 3,000 mile from home, my friend and his family made me feel welcome in Boston.

That friendship started with one question that led to an answer that led to a conversation that led to the realization of mutual interests that led to exchanging phone numbers that led to many afternoons of coffee and evenings of meals.  Do you understand how the chain works?  If so, can you explain it to me.  There is no scientific method, there is only trial and error; though, it only works if we’re willing to let go of our preconceived notions and befriend the friendly and the friendless. 

People Connect is about connecting with people, in order to meet common life goals, not about shallow business relationships.  Hey, if more business comes of it, great. If a greener world comes of it, even better.  If a you receive a richer life, due to a great friendship, that’s awesome. 

Perhaps you came to this blog via AgentsPayingForward or a set of keywords you typed into Google.  Maybe you’re a friend of mine on Facebook or you follow me on Twitter.  However you came to this blog, you most likely found it because you want to connect with people who want to connect with people and are striving toward goals beyond themselves.  People Connect is about developing relationships, in order to meet goals. 

When I moved to Boston, I shook the hand of every person willing to shake mine. When I moved back to San Diego, I did the same.  Most of my friends from college had moved on, so I needed to make new friends.  Less than a year later, I continue to shake hands with whomever I can, chat on line with new Facebook friends, try to remember to return notes via my Twitter followers, and know my efforts to connect with people will lead to a goal greater than me.

Ten years ago, someone asked me what I saw myself doing in 10 years.  I answered, “I don’t know what I’ll be doing in 10 years, but I do know this—if it’s not bigger than me, we’ve got a problem.”  Ten years after she gave me an awkward look, followed by silence, and a long, drawn out “Okay,” I am on the right track toward my goal.

Now the question is, are you?  In the wave of technology that causes us to lose more and more of our humanity, relationships become more and more valuable.  Whatever your goal, I encourage you to connect with people, not the potential for money or business leads or other.  I urge you to connect with the friendly and the friendless without expectation.  

If you connect with people like one wave connects with another, you will find your shore.  

I would love to hear from any of my followers, or anyone else reading this blog, about your journeys, how those journeys are going, and the type of relationships your building.

Keep Connecting,

Erick