A Simple Gift
An old friend stopped by our house this past week. Ken Blanchard, author of about 40 books and honored by Amazon as one of the world's best-selling authors, came by, as he usually does around the New Year, to hang out and swap stories. He used to come with his entire family to "The Magic of Skiing"; he now just comes to Aspen with his wife Marge to hang out with old friends. I don't say that lightly, because I think that's what makes Ken so successful and why he has had such an extraordinary impact on millions of people worldwide. What I mean is this - he is generous with his time, he considers the nurturing of relationship as fundamental, he talks in personal specifics rather that broad generalities and he is one of the greatest storytellers around. So, there we are, having lunch, and Ken's telling me a fascinating story of a friend of his who wrote down a list of 36 friends who had greatly influenced him and contributed to his life. The man was taking a year off to visit each one, share his gratitude and renew the relationship. Ken and I envisioned how happy that would make him as well as his friends and were quietly reflecting on this when Ken looks up at me with a smile. "Tom," he says, "I want you to know how special you are in my life and what a difference you have made over the years. Like when my house burned to the ground in the San Diego fire. You called and left a simple poem on my message machine which reminded us that material stuff is in the end, still just stuff. That meant a lot to Marge and me." Wow! There he was doing it! Taking action on the intention of expressing gratitude, not waiting around for some 'appropriate' time or place, possibly risking a missed opportunity. As he continued thanking me for being in his life, my wife Cathy cames downstairs with that very poem, framed and illustrated, in her hands. She had taken it from the wall in my meditation room: My barn having burned to the ground I can now see the moon Basho "Ken," she says, "We would like you and Marge to have this." I looked at the two of them - two of the most generous and acknowledging people I have ever known, and two of the happiest! Think there's a correlation?
Tom Crum
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