Had a Nice Day!

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

Working, Swimming, Writing, Talking with Two Friends...

I could scarcely hope for more in a single day!

My morning began with an Indian friend and colleague, letting me know that the major projects I had come to India to help launch, and which she took on upon my departure, have now been selected as the way to go for all emerging markets. I had hoped that that would happen, and I felt so connected to her at that moment, and so much more effective about my time in India in hindsight than I think I could even see while I was there. A lot of it was about laying groundwork that people could build on beautifully.

Before leaving India, more than once, I told a couple of peers, whenever I succeeded in gaining buy-in for projects, my experience was that nothing major I had ever launched at IBM had been shut down; rather, it had just grown even bigger upon my moving on from it. I was trying to help them believe that the project I started during my short-term foreign service assignment was poised for success regardless of my day-to-day involvement, was trying to reassure them; in parallel, perhaps it sounded a bit arrogant, but I'm glad that I didn't speak falsely...at least given the news I received today.

It put me in a great, creative mood for the rest of the day.

At day's end, I spoke with a friend of mine, who was confined to a nursing home temporarily due to a stroke she had some months ago that left her temporarily, partially paralyzed. Speaking with her always made me feel better because she was inspirational. She survived breast cancer, a heart attack, stroke...and thank God, just kept going. I always thought of the power of the human spirit whenever we spoke. Oy, I didn't want that to sound patronizing.

And then I sang pop songs in my head while swimming hard, and after my chat with my friend this evening, I saw the nicely edited version of an article I was asked to write for my synagogue's newsletter, on Pat's and my experience in India. Once it's published, perhaps, I'll post it here, too.

Shabbat Shalom

The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions.

Golden Usefulness

Someone I know who survived a grave illness called me for advice today. The person was interviewing for a job, better than any the person had ever before had, and wanted to know if the title of the position sounded appropriate.

"I don't know anyone else in the corporate world," the person said.

"It sounds great," I reassured the person.

"I'm feeling tearful right now....I'm feeling very emotional. Grateful. Remembering that I survived what I survived, and now, having this opportunity, it's --"

I laughed.

"I know you've got to go, and I don't want to keep you, but --"

"No, I'm laughing because recently, I said to you, 'Someday, we'll laugh about all this [i.e., your search for super-meaningful work],' when I should have said --"

"Someday, we'll cry about it!"

"Right."

"That walk you're taking right now to clear your head prior to the interview, let it be a glorious walk. You're in such a wonderful position with your life right now."

"It is glorious."

When is the last time you've been so grateful, it made you cry?