What I've Learned

This is what I learned from this survival story ... from this Leukemia adventure ... from this truly incredible life experience.

This, from Mahatma Gandhi - I know it applies to me, I think it applies to you ... I think it applies to everyone;

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever."

No, I did not learn this from Leukemia. I learned this from people.

"Live ... as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn ...as if you were to live forever."

This is what I'm doing every day.

I learned this from people. The people around me. All around me. The members of my family. My friends. My business associates. Those who helped ... those who supported ... those that were always there.

Ray, hard at work.

I learned from the medical staff at Good Sam . . .

... Garry, the RN who welcomed and taught me from Day One

... Kathy, 22 years at Good Sam ... the nurse who was a "mother" to me - and twice gave me the chance to survive - she literally saved me twice - T W I C E. Twice.

... the doctors - all of them ... including Dr. David Paul, my chemo doc ... who was patient and listened and acted ... he truly did what needed to be done next!

... the bone marrow transplant guy ... Dr. Schreiber - who responded to my complaint 26 days after I was dismissed about being only 40-50% back to normal ... by saying;

"Hey Ray . . . you were at ZERO!
40% sounds pretty good."

Of course, Doc Schreiber was right.

I learned from friends ... who reached out ... and touched. I felt hands - frequently when no one was in the room.

I learned from my family. I learned you can teach an "ole dog" (me!) new tricks. I learned from my daughter Julie, from my sister Joyce, from my wife Nancy. And I also learned this;

I also learned family is thicker than blood. Family is greatly expanded. It is friends. And it is business, too.

The base of what I learned is this;

"It’s not 'what if' ... it is 'what’s next'!"

Playing the "What If" game gets you no where. Absolutely no where. Rehashing the past is a totally wasted effort. Sure, I could have done that. I could have said ... "What if I’d had a physical every year? Would they have caught this thing sooner?"

I don’t know the answer to that question ... and, you know, it really doesn’t matter. I’m not going there. Because . . . ifs can never be proven.

Athletes, sports fans and sports writers are always doing "what if we'd done this", or "what if we'd done that ... we'd have won the game".

Yet, ladies and gentlemen, just know that ifs can never be proven! So, I'm not going there. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not now. Not ever. The only thing that matters is ... ‘what’s next’.

What’s next for me is this. I’ve made a new commitment;

People First

Why? Because I’ve learned to appreciate. I’ve learned that love is wonderful ... and I’ve also learned love is not enough. I’ve learned you need to do more. You need to appreciate, too. Yes, you need to do more . . . and that more is appreciation. And, you need to do it, NOW!

Ray with his favorite teen-age granddaughter, Brittany RayChelle. On one of their recent loooong Harley rides together.

So, I'm communicating more, much more frequently.

E-mail and phone often, gift giving for special occasions, and for no occasion.

* If I haven’t heard from sister Joyce in 2 or 3 days, I chase.

* I call Julie 2-3 times a week.

* I phone Nancy every day!

* E-mail goes to Danielle and Brittany several times every week.

This is all really very simple ... it's very easy to do. I’m staying in touch. I'm communicating. Something I do in business very well - I am now doing it with family and friends, too. I'm making regular communication a regular part of life.

I'm also traveling to see people, all the people in my life I had not appreciated, as now I do ... my family and friends around the country.

Why am I doing this - why am I seeing people? And not just calling and writing?

Because ... you can’t HUG with E-mail!

Remember; "... a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist." I’ve added heart to my mix. And today there is nothing ... absolutely nothing ... to keep me from fulfilling the commitment I’ve made. Nothing!

In the past I offered "excuses". The usual; no time, no money. I’m busy. Today it’s People First ... that is the commitment. My entire extended family and friends - personal and business - get all the time they need. Money - if I need it, I find it. I dig into savings. I borrow it. I change priorities.

Whatever it takes. As People First ...is all that matters.

This survival adventure changed my life. I now know what comes first. I appreciate and understand what NOW -- N O W -- really means. I'm not waiting until tomorrow, or next week, or when there is time. Or enough money. Or at holiday time. Or a break in my business.

I have committed to life like crazy.

* Life with my family * Life in my business.

* Life with my friends. * Life like Crazy!

Okay, this has been about me. What about YOU? What does this story mean to you? And why should you care?

Well, I'm asking you to look, to see, to think if there just may be ... there just may be ... something in "The Business of Your Life" you are NOT putting first? Or ... in "The Life of Your Business".

Because ... you can do something about what is important to you. In your home. And in your office. You can do something about what is important to you ... NOW.

And ... why now? Why is it so-so important to act now?

Well, I got a second chance. You may not get a second chance. Yes, you may NOT get a second chance!

So, do something. Today. Because the only commitment you make is the journey ... not the words. The journey. The commitment is what you DO. It's the action you take.

It IS what you do next.

So, commit to life like crazy!

While you can ... commit to life like crazy!

Don't wait until things change,
until you have more time,
until you are less tired,
until you get that promotion ...
or until you get that raise,
until the kids are in school ...
or until the kids are out of school,
until you settle down,
until you move ...
until, until, until.

Don't wait -- like I did -- for a major event to occur in your life before you really begin to live. Begin where you are right now. Start your journey today

You see . . . "Your biggest risk is NOT taking one!" . . .

... because you may not get a second chance!

I got that second chance. I survived when I wasn't supposed to. I got some extra time to do it right.

Because, remember, the only fix . . . the ONLY fix . . . for my strain of Leukemia is a bone morrow transplant . . . and I did not have one. And I won’t have one! And I’m here anyway. I'm supposed to be dead ... D E A D . . . dead.

Instead, I’m here. I've been given a loooonger string. I learned to talk again. I learned to walk again. And to eat again. I can sing and dance and ride my bike ... and I'm supposed to be dead. I got a second chance! I got some extra time to live like crazy.

What are you doing with your time?

* Are you committed to living your life like crazy?

* Do you really appreciate ALL the people in your life?

* Have you put People First?

Remember ladies and gentlemen . . .

"It’s not ‘what if' ... it IS what’s next!"