In memory of...

It was two years ago today that I said my final farewell to my oldest friend; we laid him to rest on a Monday and I vividly remember the white gloves we were asked to wear as pallbearers - Symbolic I suppose... no longer to be touched by the flesh of the living.

Not surprising, hundreds paid their respects and he was eulogized by the chief of police; we laughed more than we cried, and celebrated his life... how could you not but laugh when told the story of being bitten on the ass by your own police dog. His life was a treasure chest of stories and people; rich by any measure.

Cancer, all too familiar and sadly predictable, took him from his wife, his family and his friends - All that is left are memories and these stories of a lifetime. Stories of friendship, character, compassion and courage; stories that have, in a humble way, shaped my own. 

"You got a lifetime. No more. No less"* - Knowing this, you write the best story you can and live your life. 

And life goes on. 

You find yourself putting these memories on the top shelf, and continue writing your own story...never forgetting, but eventually not quite remembering. Until a moment occurs; once more to be flooded with the memories of friendship, brotherhood and laughter. A reminder of why we are here, and what is important.

July 1st is Canada Day and the skies will be filled with fireworks to celebrate the nation; I will also quietly celebrate the life of Garth Jung, as this is one of those moments that I remember my friend and his story.

In Memory of Garth Jung (1960-2013), and all those who have touched our lives.

gpe

* Neil Gaiman said this

Be Epic...

I was at a cycling event last weekend* and a friend arrived "sporting" a new T-shirt that said, "BE EPIC".

There was something in this simple phrase that caught the imagination and whispered countless possibilities- The deeds and adventures of heroic and legendary figures; stories standing the test of time... all Homer-like in grandeur. We were all caught up with the emotion of these two words, and shared the greater meaning among ourselves. 

Striving to "BE EPIC" is a stretch goal if ever there was one... it will take you places that you never thought you could go, and on adventures you didn't realize were in you; the only place for big, big dreams - "BE EPIC" makes for a great mantra! 

And then someone** said, "Or maybe, the shirt says BEE PIC." 

Looking at the stylized lettering, and with a little imagination, it wasn't hard to see how you could come up with "BEE PIC"... and of course that is short for "BEE PICTURE". With that, I just started to smile. 

By saying "Or maybe, the shirt says, BEE PIC", I was reminded that different perspectives will let you see different things... and "different" will lead to new thoughts, ideas, impressions and interpretations. For me, I was literally reminded of The Bumble Bee, a blog entitled " Every man has a story... even the Bumble Bee" and those characteristics we should emulate.

So now when I put on my "BE EPIC" T-shirt, I am reminded of this - 

• Dream and set your goals with EPIC proportion.
• Look at the world differently and embrace those who do.
• Be industrious and never underestimate the importance of hard work.
• Believe in what you are able to do... and do it.
• In the end, only true character is left standing.

And yes I bought a T-shirt.... wouldn't you?

gpe

* The cycling event was a Princess Margaret Ride to Conquer Cancer, where 4,799 of my closest friends and I rode 223 kilometers and raised $19 Million. I big thanks to Huey, Dewey and Puddly for riding with me... it was a pleasure and an honour.

**It was Huey. Introduced in a blog entitled "Reflections".

Yes it's a game... but what exactly are the rules?

Patented in 1933 and sold to Parker Brothers, Monopoly is a board game that is standing the test of time; playing Monopoly is where most of us are given our first glimpse into "business". You open the box, set up the board, pick your favorite token, distribute the appropriate money and brush up on the rules that are conveniently provided. The dice is rolled and the game begins. A couple of hours later someone inevitably leaves disgruntle after they turn over all of their holdings and declare bankruptcy - They say Business (and Life for that matter) is a game and should be treated as such.

I don't remember anyone giving me $200 for just passing "GO"; it seemed I had to do much more. And I sure don't remember seeing a set of neatly typed up instructions as to how to play. Did they fall out of the box when we were setting up? It seems I am in the middle of an engaging game and have picked up some of the rules on the way. This is what I have gleaned so far - 

Knowledge allows you to play the game better: Search it out formally and/or informally. There is some knowledge that allows you to play the game better and with some advantage; understand what you need and what you are good at - Then learn to get really good. What can make it tricky is knowledge and ability valuable today, may not be in the future. Maintaining the momentum of learning to "retool your knowledge base" is key.

You play with people, so build reliable networks: Playing the game requires a wide range of people who can teach, council, mentor and motivate you. This will support you intellectually and emotionally, as well as afford you the opportunity to meet people who can help you play longer and better.

Be Trusted and Reliable: People want to play with people that they can rely on, and who can be trusted to "do what they say, and say what they do".

There are times the game is not fun to play: There are times the dice do not roll your way, you go directly to jail and won't pass "GO", or just can't seem to make that trade for the final property to give you a monopoly. When it doesn't go your way, you need to keep focusing on action to make things happen. And remember, if you are not having fun, you may have you ask yourself, "Why am I playing this particular game?"

Achieve... do not compete: Look to your own goals and work to achieve them - Celebrate your achievements, as well as those of others - Achievement tends to be infectious. If you find yourself competing with someone and their goals, you have shifted the game away from you and to someone else. You cannot achieve someone else's goals... just your own.

"Winning and Loosing" is a spectrum, so play the game with character: There is no absolute winning or loosing in this game, just degrees...there will always be someone "winning" a little bit more, or loosing a little bit more. And this can change in a week, and is the nature of the game, so be ready. Grace is something that will serve you well with the other players, no matter where you find yourself in the game.

Be balanced, as this game of business is not the only one: There is other games that we play and they are all connected... look after your health, share your heart and watch a sun set. 

Well that is what I have so far, but as I say, I am still playing. 

gpe