FAMILY

My father in-law sent me this beautiful illustration about FAMILY.  It was in Indonesian.  So let me translate this to English for a broader audience.


Need encouragement?

Bill Havens, a US-team canoe racer, was about to compete in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.  As the time neared, it became clear that Bill's wife would give birth to their first child when the US team was about to compete.  After much soul-searching, Bill decided to withdraw from the competition and be at his wife's side for the birth of their son.


Years later in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from his son, Frank.  At the time, Frank just won a gold medal for competing in 10,000-meter Canoe race.  The cablegram sent from Finland read, "Dad, I won.  I'm bringing home the gold medal you were supposed to receive while waiting for me to be born.  Your beloved son, Frank."


From that story, we learn that our presence in the family means the world to our family members.


Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the USA, once said, "I would rather spend my time with my family than elsewhere with the world leaders."


Friends, at the end, we will reach the point that everything we did and every sweat we shed are all for them -- the family we love the most.  Eventually, we will find that position in a company, achievements, and promotions don't weigh the same as togetherness in a family.

With that, would you trade the warmth of your family with the business of work?  There is no denying of that a great result will come out of a hard work.

If you're in Sales and Marketing: Family is your primary customer.  If you're an employee: Family is your real boss.  If you're in Finance: The most worthy investment is in the family values.

Make sure that when you are at the top of your career, you wave that victory flag in the embrace of your family members around you.  And not with them crying at the bottom of the hill for losing you in the process.

FAMILY is the bond that emphasizes our strengths and overcome our weaknesses.  Yes, we cannot choose who our family is.  But we can choose what kind of a family member we want to be remembered of.

"To be in your family's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today."

May this be a blessing!