Sal's Reflections

I have just returned from a two day conference that actually has totally blown my mind, and I have enough new ideas and work for many many moons. One of the outcomes which was not part of the seminar was the personal impact that Viktor Frankl had on almost all of the persons in attendance. One by one they shared how his book impacted their lives. If this is true of any of my  reflections friends i would love to hear from you. With your permission I will include these testimonials in my presentation about what I learned from Viktor.

I am keenly aware that in most circle of friends and relatives there are persons dealing with the struggles of being ill.For some it is temporary and hopefully the difficult period will be short and soon they will be able to resume normal activities. However, for others the situation is chronic and the activities that we take for granted are limited and daily the challenges that illness brings are ever present. It is most helpful for them to know that despite their situation they are not alone, and certainly not forgotten. A note,phone call or even an email can brighten what may be a dark and grey day. It only takes a minuscule amount of time but I can assure you that it will make their day as well as yours.

Received the unedited video of a presentation that I made in April. It
was the keynote to a Nursing Conference in Branson Missouri. My son John is taking snippets from the video. Once it is edited it will be segmented on the new website that we are developing. The other site sjtagliareni.com

will remain in tact and devoted to my novels and the Holocaust.

https://youtu.be/Eb–bAflXSM

Had the good fortune to have coffee with my friend Perry this week and as usual walked away with new wisdom.His contribution to my education this time was that we say no to too many opportunities to learn new information because we buy into the “I am too old to learn that.”He has learned to fly a plane,play the piano and has become quite accomplished in French and Spanish all after his his eightieth birthday. With a twinkle in his eye he inquired”what mountains will you say yes to in the coming months?You are too young to rest so muster your resources and charge ahead.” Somehow life always seems better when I have the pleasure of his company and.the Don Quixote challenges seem doable.

One of the constant questions I employed whenever I worked with a group or organization was “what have we learned in the past few months.”This pause and reflection often brought great insights and was the foundation for alternate goals and new paradigms. i believe that the question is valid for our personal lives as well. Being mired in habits and repetitive behavior it is worthwhile to stop and ask ourselves what we have learned and what are the implications of that knowledge?.There are times when we will gather even from a situation or a time period when things are not going well that there are choices and opportunities in the midst of the difficulties. Some of the best moments in my life came when I explored the problems and wound up discovering terrific new challenges.

When I was a youngster I thought the end of the road was probably around sixty years of age. It seemed people went to school .worked for x number of years and if they were lucky collected some social security checks and waited for the grim reaper.Well in the 21st century the game has completely changed. There are over 78 million baby boomers, and the road is wide open for all sorts of new meaning and even careers.Many thirst for legacy and to leave an imprint in the sand, and it is most encouraging to see the lasting impact of their experience and compassion.Being at the number that once defined and limited opportunity has been deep sixed and a plethora of choices are there for anyone that wants to search, There may be snow on the roof, but the fires of desire and ability still burn brightly.

I have been asked to write a Leadership book and these are the first thoughts on chapters:

Rules- Update the old learning
Choices- you are never really stuck
Visual- the magnet draws you
Values- listen to your heart and soul
Guts-stiffen your spine
Speech- substitute the new words
Beliefs-field test the old marching orders
Choices-Life is like a box of chocolates
The Past- it is gone and can’t be changed
Style-one size does not fit all
Silos-turn over the sandboxes
Allies- give up the Lone Ranger role
Dissatisfaction –raise the heat in the kitchen
Listening- hold your tongue and open your ears
Fear-Failure is merely feedback
Allies-band of sisters and brothers
Selling- creating value and sharing the risks
Code of conduct-way to stop being strangers.
Planning-There is no Wizard of Oz
Stakeholders-Those with skin in the game
Goals- Benchmarks along the way
Systems-checking out all the moving parts
Adjustments-Measure,measure,measure
Growth-all the players grow and benefit.

1968 I was flying from New York to Copenhagen and then on to Rome. At one point the Captain came on and announced that we had a minor problem and would be landing in Gander, Newfoundland. I heard a voice behind me say’this is not minor and we will soon jettison fuel.”I turned and saw that the person making that statement was an Air Force Colonel with jet wings on his uniform. As we approached the airport we were instructed to take our glasses off and place our heads into a pillow. The level of anxiety was palpable and as we came lower and lower the plane was absolutely silent. The landing was rough and at one point the plane skidded sideways. Once the emergency crews came and assisted via ladders all of the passengers were taken to the Gander Motel and next to a restaurant with an open bar. Needless to say the liquor flowed and most were so traumatized that they over imbibed. We had to wait for almost 24 hours for TWA to fly in a new plane.
The upside of that event was that I was reminded how fragile and unpredictable life can be and more than occasionally I remind myself that the only real guarantee is the “now”.

I am a regular on the Amtrak route from Washington to Philadelphia and New York and saddened by this tragic accident. It is shocking that in one moment your life could be altered or even ended. I feel for those that have been so impacted by this event, and it reinforces the belief that I have had for most of my life to seize the day. Someday may not exist for any of us, and so living our lives to the fullest and following those dreams that make our days so worthwhile makes more and more sense. I pray for those injured and especially for the families who waited for loved ones that will never come home. I also reinforce my conviction that time is precious, and so today and hopefully everyday forward I will do my best to make my life and the lives of all I encounter filled with meaning and purpose.