When I think of the family members that served so that I can have the freedom to write this post, and make choices for my life every day, Thank You is a small thing. When people make decisions to make life better for others, it benefits us from generation to generation. When we take Freedom for granted, it endangers the sacrifice that has been made, Freedom takes commitment and responsibility. When my son served in the Navy on a Nuclear Submarine, and he was gone for months without any family contact, every day I prayed and was thankful for the safety of all on his boat. My grandfathers service in WW!! has benefitted my grandchildren.

I am grateful, and today I say “Thank You!” with Honor and Appreciation! In Memory!

Beauty Everywhere

I was very fortunate to attend my niece’s wedding in Sitka, Alaska a few weeks ago. Sitka is on the southwestern side of Alaska, about 3 hours by plane away from Anchorage. When I was there, the weather was amazing and sunny, not the usual rain and snow for that time of year. This allowed me to take some of the most beautiful pictures of the ocean, mountains, and views of Sitka. Most of the people that I talked to in town have been there a long time. There definitely is a more relaxed lifestyle, when they work they work hard, and when they play, they love it! It was 43 degrees F on average when I was there, and there were people eating outside enjoying the sunshine. No matter what the weather everyone is outside, dressed for whatever the day calls for. Fishing boats were on the ocean, bike riding, musicians entertaining on a nearby porch. The air is crisp and clean, words aren’t enough to describe it. The water is amazing, they serve it with pride at every meal.

Wedding pictures were taken down by the ocean with the most amazing view possible. Everyone in Sitka has special boots to wear, and the wedding party had them on and stood in the water. Very Sitka like. I enjoyed meeting many new friends, drinking great coffee every day and eating fresh fish and wonderful food.

When it was time to come home (16 hours to get home) I was a little sad to leave this beautiful place, but happy that I got to come and experience it and enjoy this wonderful place called Sitka, Alaska

Today is the day, yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not promised so make the most of today!

Having an attitude of gratitude and giving more than is expected will always make our days rock n roll.

Taking time to really listen and care for others whether it is our family, clients, prospective customers or someone passing thru our day.

What will you do today to make sure you rock n rolled today?

In all shapes and sizes. We are influenced by traffic lights and signs from the minute we leave our homes. We are influenced by menu selections at our favorite coffee shop, what is new, what are the favorites and price. We are influenced by the people who take our order, are they happy, tired, rushed or is this “just their job”.

Let me share with you . . .

The person who had the most influence in my life and what I learned from him. His name is Stan Beetler and he is my Uncle. He passed away recently, and on the long drive home as I was contemplating his life I realized that influence was his greatest attribute. He was the kind of person that everyone he met became his friend. He loved people and he was a first class salesman. He could sell anything to anyone and was very successful in many different businesses he owned over his lifetime. It is because of his influence that I have made a major change in my life and business knowing that life is too short to not be doing what you love.

Influence is a developed . . .

Character trait that comes from understanding “it is not all about me”. My Uncle Stan lived this example for all of us to see. He would always greet you with a big smile, asking how you are and listening intently to every word you said. He never had an agenda beyond making you feel like the most important person of the moment. He would share a joke or funny story to put you at ease and let you know how glad he was to see you. If he did sell anything to you, it made you feel like a fortunate person to have bought it from him. He was a generous man with his time, his love and his attention. He loved his family most of all, and he always made time for us, always was appreciative of each and every one of us and always made us laugh! You always felt on top of the world after being with him.

So how do we have influence . . .

Every day we have influence:

• To bring encouragement
• To influence life changing decision
• To change another person’s attitude
• To solve another persons problem by providing a solution
• To help someone else be greater than they thought they could be
• To share free gifts of attention, love and time
• Or none of the above

Influence is a powerful character trait that can make or break a relationship. How are we developing our influence with others to bring happiness, joy and encouragement to those people who cross our path each day? Will we be remembered for our influence in a positive manner?

My Uncle will be a tough act to follow . . .

Who has had positive influence in your life?  How are you using influence in a positive way?

First, lets talk about Autism….

Autism affects children in different ways. There are those children that have severe disabilities, social interaction, learning, language, sensitivity, mood swings, rages, OCD and the general everyday struggle to navigate their lives.

There are those children who can learn and are very smart, but socially are tuned out to those around them, struggling with language, communication, sensitivity and general socialization in everyday life.

Then there are those who communication is present, but struggle in everyday expectations of life, what is expected of them and living within those expectations.

Identifying Autism

How do parents identify Autism? My grandson Joey was born quickly eleven years ago. My daughter almost didn’t get to the hospital in time. He was a big baby and everything progressed very quickly. He was a beautiful baby, but I noticed from the beginning that something was different. Joey didn’t seem to make eye contact as often, and he wouldn’t always notice you when you spoke to him. In the different degrees of Autism, there will be different flags with each child that has been well documented. The most important thing is for parents to acknowledge the differences because early diagnosis and early intervention is critical. By the time Joey was 15 months old, my daughter knew something was not ok. She had Joey evaluated at Children’s Hospital here in Columbus Ohio. The evaluation showed that Joey was Autistic, he was very smart, but his ability to use language and have social interaction along with other issues would have to be dealt with.

Resources available for Parents and Autistic Children

Joey is the second born in a family of six children, so one of the best things in Joey’s life is his brothers (2) and sisters (3). His oldest sister Audrey is a great advocate in his life, he learns from her, and she has spent time assisting Joey with difficult times. My daughter in the very beginning of Joey’s diagnosis began researching therapy, one on one help to work with Joey to develop the difficult things, his language and communication and his social interaction. It is not an easy road, Joey doesn’t always want to cooperate, and finding the right people to work with him is often a daunting task.

I will never forget the first time Joey looked at me and said, “I love you Grandma”. Everyone in an Autistic child’s family is affected by Autism. His siblings can struggle with adverse feelings trying to understand the differences in behavior. I have spent time explaining to my grandchildren the issues they struggle with about Joey’s behavior, which we never give up helping him to learn, change, and grow. I also point out to them how different their lives are and the things they get to do that Joey often does not. As grandparents, we work with Joey whenever he is with us, one on one to encourage and help his behavior.

My daughter has found that some of the most valuable support has come from other parents with Autistic children. How do they find each other?

This is where social media has made a huge contribution! Facebook and Twitter have proven to be a great resource of friendships, advice, and notices for conferences, information and support for parents with Autistic children.

As Business owners we can help spread the word that there is help in our community, parents, you are not alone!

Last Friday my Dad started to feel ill, he had been to the Dr. the day before for a follow up checkup, but didn’t alert anyone that he didn’t feel well. We keep in touch with them, but if they tell you they are fine when they really aren’t and you are over two hours away, this causes definite problems.

By Sunday my Dad was seriously ill and I could hear it in his voice, he had denied sickness up to this point. My brother (who had been out of town also) and I rushed to our parents house to get Dad to the hospital since he refused to call anyone. He is now recovering from the life threatening infections that he has, I had to bring my Mom home with me which caused her great distress since she has no short term memory. I patiently answered her constant questions-why am I here, where am I, where is Dad, why is Dad in the hospital, what is wrong with him? She didn’t want to go to bed, I would have to gently prod her to please lay down Mom, I think you are tired. She was by my side morning to night, asking, searching, trying to understand her plight while my brother was with Dad.

Mom and Dad were reunited yesterday, I stocked the refrigerator, fed them and made sure of food for the rest of the week, answered questions and encouraged them. My brother will stay with them for a few days, then it will be my turn again. There are so many things that need to be decided, they really are not able to take care of themselves, but think that they are. It breaks my heart to watch my Mom struggle with trying to figure our what she doesn’t know and not know why she doesn’t know. Dad is stubborn and doesn’t want to listen, he only wants to talk non-stop.

So my brother and I are going forward together, slowly dealing with what is, looking for what is ahead and praying for wisdom to make good decisions to take care of Mom and Dad and let them have as much of their lives while we still try to deal with our own.

This is not going to be easy, but we are committed.

So as the house of cards was tumbling, and I was rolling down the hill many things go thru your mind. The thoughts were rushing by like the landscape on a super sonic transporter and I was seemingly helpless to intervene.

So on this Tuesday, I am picking myself up, and marching on. If I sit on the tracks, it won’t make anything better. If I take time to think about what happened, it is over no redo’s available. I think the learning curve is in the going forward, no matter what went on yesterday, today is the day!

Tidbit’s of wreckage float by, and I take note as I am back on the tracks going forward. Who knows when the next freight train could be in my future? Not to worry, I have survived many before and I will survive many ahead along with the calmer things that life brings each day!

Even when I was a kid and cars didn’t have AC, and most homes didn’t have AC, you found the breeze in the shade, a book to read and some lemonade. When you have a summer birthday there are so many options to celebrate unlike those of us who have winter birthdays. Blizzards, snow and cold can ruin plans at a moments notice. My wedding anniversary is in winter and there have been more than a few changed anniversary plans because of the weather.

Frozen over lakes are not as much fun as boating, swimming and just lounging by the water can be. I know there are some of you that would disagree, you are entitled to your opinion. By the same token, I LOVE SUMMER!

Shaun King, Pastor of Courageous Church in Atlanta, Georgia has done a great work to bring tents to Haiti (just google Shaun King or Courageous Church) and he is still working to provide more. He also helped injured children get medical care with many others who were working with him to aid these children left homeless and hungry.

The most difficult story I read during this time was about the orphanage that was located farther away, and the workers had a hard time getting to them. Two of the care givers had died and many, many children also. They found one caregiver alive and only a few children with injuries which they rescued and made sure they got medical attention. So many children died because help could not reach them in time.

We have children in America with rare forms of cancer that fight bravely against the disease robbing them of life. If you visit any Children’s Hospital, there are children from all walks of life fighting to win the battle against disease, and there are those that thankfully do, but also those that leave behind a family heartbroken at the loss of a child.

All these little ones have personalities that set them apart, that made their parents smile and be grateful for the gift of their child. How do we remember them, their life, shortened by early death. It is healing to be able to have those memories preserved, marking the special times and personalities of their child. Their sibilings need to know that they will not be forgotten.

I have a passion for changing how we remember and preserve those memories for the next generations to follow.

What would you like to see be available to remember those that matter to you and are taken away from this life?

Please leave me any comments or questions you may have.

I appreciate you all!

Robin

In today’s world most people you meet are so about “them”, and what is next for “them”, that a random act of kindness goes a long way.

So don’t pass up that opportunity when it comes along.  Sometimes all we have to give is our smile, that can be a gift in itself!

Robin