Well folks it's that time again. You're in front of your computer now. Open up a new word document. Go ahead, I'll wait. Now list five things you are grateful for. List more if you like but list at least five. Now's you're set. If someone asks you to say grace at Thanksgiving dinner you've got it covered. Of course it would be good if you review that list from time to time. I am so thankful.

 

 

 

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Judi is a career expert and prior to starting VisionQuest, Judi was a search consultant for 20 years in the contingency and retained markets. She has owned her own recruiting firm and successfully assisted numerous repeat clients in hiring all levels of management. She now educates job seekers on what the candidate selection process is all about so that you not only learn how to successfully present, package and sell yourself, but also make sure you’re not stepping into a miserable job. Her training has resulted in many of her clients finding their perfect job after long periods of frustration or no activity.

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 Road Improvements  

"Things Change"
By Mark Matteson

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Ever heard that? I never quite understood that one until recently. How about, “You are exactly the same as you were in high school!” That one is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I hope I have changed since high school. Yesterday I attended a funeral of a friend’s father. Steve’s Dad was born in 1932. He worked for Boeing most of his life. He was a good soul. He was loved by his family and friends. As I listened to loved one’s talk about him I looked down the row. Five of us sitting together all played Little League Baseball together. Let’s see, there was: a cop, an artist, a gas station owner, a real estate developer, and Steve, a Boeing employee like his Dad. What stood out to me were the stories. Stories based on fond memories; Funny stories, bittersweet stories, stories to make you Laugh, Cry and Think. (for a FREE copy my newest e-book of the same name, go to www.mattesonavenue.com and sign up for my monthly e-zine)

What do you have after a person is gone? Pictures, letters, clothes, memories, feelings, relationships and oh yes, the stories. It’s the stories that bind us. Home is where your history is. That Lutheran Church was smack dab in the heart of the neighborhood where we all grew up. At the reception, I talked with old friends. I began every conversation with, “What I remember about you was…” and told a story about them. They grinned from ear to ear or said, “I don’t remember that…” and then laughed. I must admit, several times I thought to myself, “Some of these guys hadn’t changed a bit since high school” and that was a good thing.

My recent surgery in August (two operations, removing a foot of my colon and appendix) allowed me to reflect on what is really important. Funerals accomplish the same thing without the expense or pain. Here are my reflections from my three week hospital stay. I hope they hold some meaning for you as they most certainly have for me:

• Family first. In the end, it’s your nuclear and extended family that matters. You will know them by the calls, visits, written notes of sympathy and caring. Before it’s too late, let them know how much they mean to you. Heal any old wounds.
   

• Friends second. Over the past two months as I recovered from surgery, I had dozens of calls, emails and cards from childhood friends, clients, subscribers, colleagues, wishing me a speedy recovery. I need to invest more time in those relationships.
   

• Insurance is vital. How is yours? Is it enough? I asked the question in a previous article, “How many days forward can you live?” Here are my new set of life changing questions: “Can your business run without you for six months?” “What if you couldn’t work for a year, would you be okay financially?” “How liquid are you?” “Do you have six months of savings for the rainy day surgery?”
   

• Do you have a will? Is it updated? Has anything changed since it was drafted? Is it time to update it?
   

• Nurses are underpaid and underappreciated. I gave away 30 copies of my books to the staff at Stevens Hospital as a thank you. It takes a special person to be a nurse. God bless them.
   

• Compassion matters. The first visitors really meant something. As the word spread I was in the hospital, more friends came by. It sped up my recovery. It mattered. I resolve to care more, listen more, understand more, visit more, and help others more. I need to volunteer my time in a nursing home, children’s hospital, any place where people feel alone and forgotten.
   

• “Only one life that soon is past, only what’s done with love will last.” How can I increase my service to others today? I want to make a bigger difference in the world. To date I have written four books and four e-books. That needs to improve. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. What can I do today to improve the quality of life and business for my clients, friends, and loved ones?

People change. Principles do not. I think that’s what my lead in quote means. We get older, loved ones die, children grow up and leave the nest, strained relations heal in time, we learn to forgive old resentments and what remains are fond memories and meaningful stories. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Thank God.

 The Boulevard

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