Crisis shines an all knowing light

"Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth." - Lou Gehrig

I have been accused of being many things, however, at a loss for words has never been one. For the past few weeks I have been unable to write my blog. For all that have enjoyed every incredible word I have written in the past, you know my blog is as much about life as it is business. Lately, life has been all too real.

My father is dying. It's a fact I have been dealing with for some time and by the time you read this he may already have passed. However, the impending definitiveness as I am writing is now here.

My father was very influential in my life and his loss will have long lasting effects on me personally. I am not eloquent or intelligent enough to express in prose his impact on me. However, it's not my father but something my mother once said that is dominating my thoughts. "You learn a lot about people during death. Crisis shines an all knowing light."

My mother’s statement is true in business AND in life. There have been countless examples during the past couple of years of appalling and egregious corporate behavior. However, there have also been remarkable acts of kindness and proper corporate responsibility. Morals are not attached to a financial biorhythm and should never shift no matter the peril. (OK - that fulfilled the business requirement portion.)

Only recently and only to a few have I shared my personal struggle with losing my "hero." I never wanted to project my burden onto others and thought of these types of discussion useless and self absorbed. However, I felt compelled to share to a few who where witness to my morose behavior and countless cancellations to their kind invitations. They were not only understanding, but without my knowledge shared with others who they felt would benefit from knowing my ordeal. Normally this type of personal exposure would make my skin crawl, however what has transpired has changed my outlook completely. A great majority of my life's interactions are through work or with husbands of friends of my wife. As such, I never considered myself someone who had many friends in the traditional sense. I felt those interactions were forced or of some duty on their part, since I was either providing a service to them or in the case of the husbands, stranded on the same island together. There was a part of me that also believed that I was too old to make friends.

However, what I have found out lately is there is no such thing as traditional love, kindness or friendship. In the past couple of weeks so many people have reached out to me, expressing their thoughts and genuine offer of support. Each interaction leaves me bewildered by my luck to know such caring people. I can even be so bold as to say, I have many friends.

Mine is a blog about business and life. If indeed "Crisis shines an all knowing light," I have learned my light shines bright.

Thank you all.

Greg

Gregory Salsburg
CEO/The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723