TRIBUTE TO MY LATE HUSBAND, CHARLIE GLANZ

Today, May 10, marks the ten year anniversary of the death of my husband of 34 years. It is hard to believe that I have lived without him for a whole decade! He was my anchor, my soul mate, my lover, my business partner, and the dear father of our four children. I will miss him forever. I am a far better person because of his life and love. This beautiful poem expresses the legacy my children and I are each creating for him, giving away the love he so freely gave to all of us. “Love does not die, people do.”

Now that I am gone,
remember me with smiles and laughter.
And if you need to cry,
cry with your family and friends who walk in grief beside you.
And when you need me, put your arm
around a friend or loved one
and give to them what you need to give me.
There are so many who need so much.
I want to leave you something – something much better
than words or sounds.
Look for me in the people I’ve known
or helped in some special way.
Let me live in your heart as well as in your mind.
You can love me most by letting your love
reach out to family and friends,
by embracing them and living in their love.
Love does not die, people do.
So, when all that is left of me is love,
Give me away as best you can.
~Author unknown

There really ARE angels on earth! On Wednesday I flew from Sarasota, FL, to Hunsville, AL, for a dinner for the Candl Foundation, a wonderful ministry to help children learn to read. As always, I had a layover in the Atlanta airport, so I had time to have a nice lunch at TGI Friday’s in Terminal B. I visited with a number of the servers there and also met some interesting young men from Colombia, where we have had an “adopted” child for many years.

When I arrived at my hotel, I stopped in the bar to order a coke, and lo and behold, when I went to pay, my wallet was nowhere to be found! I then realized I must have left it in the restaurant at the Atlanta airport. What a panic! Of course it contained all my credit cards and personal information as well as a significant amount of money, and suddenly, I was left with no ID and no money. (Fortunately, I did have my passport in a travel wallet I carry separately in my computer bag.) Realizing I was terribly embarrassed (and probably glad I had only ordered a coke…), a gentleman at the bar paid for my drink. (Angel #1)

It took nearly 40 minutes and many calls to find a phone number for the correct restaurant. The young man at the front desk at the Holiday Inn in Huntsville tirelessly kept looking up numbers for me. (Angel #2) I initially thought I was at Chili’s (lesson: pay attention to the name of the restaurants where you eat) and since the receipt was in my wallet, I had no way of checking. However, the folks at the various Chili’s went out of their way to get me to the right place — which was not even one of their restaurants! (Angels #3)

Overhearing my plight, Don Rodgers, who was also a guest for the Foundation dinner, came over with two $50 bills and insisted that I take them so that I would not be traveling without cash. (Angel #4) I had not even thought of that!

When I finally did reach TGI Friday’s in Concourse B and shared my situation, they called a manager who happily informed me THEY HAD FOUND MY WALLET! I asked her to please open and check my credit cards, and amazingly, every one was there. What a HUGE relief!

The best part of the story, though, was when I returned yesterday through Atlanta and immediately went to the restaurant to get my wallet. I asked if they knew WHO had found it and could I talk to them. With a shy smile, out came Elaine Echols, a darling bus person at the restaurant. (MAJOR Angel #4) I gave her a huge hug, thanked her over and over, and then gave her a small reward. I told her I would be bringing her a copy of my book, “The Simple Truths of Service Inspired by Johnny the Bagger®”, when I came through Atlanta next week because she had truly been a “Johnny” in my life. When I told her I was going to write this story on my blog, she even wanted me to use her full name! 😉 Thank you, Elaine, for being so honest, and thank you, TGI Friday’s, for hiring such good people.

The moral of this experience is that there are MANY GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. We so often hear only the bad stories that we become cynical and jaded. The rest of that day I shared this story with everyone I met, including all the Delta Airline personnel, and every single person I shared it with left with a huge smile. We all need to CELEBRATE goodness in this world.

What are your service angel stories?

I have been thinking a lot about heroes these past few days. Yesterday I spoke to the Veteran’s Health Administration in San Antonio, Texas. Their mission is to take care of our heroes, those men and women who have served their country in the armed forces. It was a privilege to speak to these dedicated servants and to encourage them to connect every day with the deepest purpose of their work – to make these heroes’ lives better through concern for their health and wellbeing. I shared with them that my father, grandfather, and husband all served in the military, so I have been the personal recipient of their caring for my loved ones. They are heroes caring for heroes!

Barbara at the Alamo

Then, I spent an afternoon at the Alamo, the legendary epitome of sacrifice for one’s country and beliefs. In 1836, fewer than 200 Texans and Tejanos held out for 13 days against Santa Anna’s army of several thousands. Legend holds that on the 8th day of the siege, with the possibility of additional help fading, Colonel Travis drew a line on the ground and asked any man wiling to stay and fight to step over –all except one did. As the defenders saw it, the Alamo was the key to the defense of Texas, and they were ready to give their lives rather than surrender to General Santa Anna. People worldwide continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds—a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. Of course this emotional experience brought so poignantly to my mind the sacrifices being made daily by our heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Barbara and Mary Sue in Cinderella's carriage in San Antonio

Finally, I had the joy of spending an evening with one of my personal heroes, Mary Sue Koontz Nelson. She is the most beautiful, lively, delightful, smart, talented and FUN person I know! At age 78, this is her comment when I asked permission to use her age:

“Oh Baby..it’s 79 in October and I IS STILL FEELIN’ FINE!!!
Could care less about age….AGE PLACES LIMITS–and I don’t want ANY limits..Never have..never will. If I want to go on a midnight cruise with a young man or even Bungee jump, I WILL. NO LIMITS EVER!!!!!”

The darling and delightful, unabashed Mary Sue in the chef's coat at Biga's on the Bay!

All the guys at La Margarita!

You can see the results of our “adventures in San Antonio” in the pictures; however, Mary Sue’s precious comment tells you exactly WHY she is one of my heroes! Let age never take our spirit away.

Who are YOUR heroes?

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-7. If you are looking for a wonderful gift for your child’s teacher, a teacher from your past, or a mentor who has changed your life, why not consider The Simple Truths of Appreciation-How Each of Us Can Choose to Make a Difference* by Barbara Glanz?

Enjoy this story, excerpted from The Simple Truths of Appreciation:

“THE TEACHER STORY: The Life Changing Gift of Appreciation”

Barbara writes:

“As I speak about appreciation, I use this quote by Albert Schweitzer:

‘Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.’

Then I ask my audiences to please shut their eyes and think about someone, who at some time in their lives, has rekindled their inner light. I leave the room in silence for several minutes, and it is always a profound experience as they remember the JOY they received from being appreciated by someone when they needed it the most.

Afterwards, I ask them to write down the name of the person they thought of and to commit to their own act of appreciation letting that person know in the next 72 hours that he or she was thought of. I suggest a phone call, a note, or even a little prayer if they are no longer living.

After one moving session, a gentleman came up to talk with me and thanked me for creating a new awareness in him. He said he thought of his eighth grade literature teacher because she was everyone’s favorite teacher, and had really made a difference in all of their lives. He planned to track her down and let me know what happened.

One afternoon nearly two and a half months later I received a call from him. He was choked up on the phone he could hardly get through his story. He said that it had taken him nearly two months to track his teacher down, and when he finally found her, he wrote to her.

The following week he received this letter:

Dear John,
You will never know how much your letter meant to me. I am 83 years old, and I am living all alone in one room. My friends are all gone. My family’s gone. I taught 50 years and yours is the first “thank you” letter I have ever gotten from a student. Sometimes I wonder what I did with my life. I will read and reread your letter until the day I die.

He just sobbed on the phone. He said, “She is always the one we talk about at every
reunion. She was everyone’s favorite teacher- we loved her! But no one had ever told
her… until she received his letter.”

Our teachers, parents, employers, and other mentors love to hear about the difference they have made in our lives. Keep them in mind during Teacher Appreciation Week, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day this year. Send them a copy of The Simple Truths of Appreciation as a small token of thanks for changing your life!

*The Simple Truths of Appreciation now includes a free 3-minute DVD with purchase of the book!

Order now through May 31 and receive the special sale price, book plus DVD for only $12 plus shipping/handling!

To order, click here.

Mother’s Day Special

Order CARE Packages for the Home– Dozens of Little Things You Can Do to Regenerate Spirit Where You Live for only $12 plus shipping/handling.

GIVE SOMEONE YOU LOVE A GIFT THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME!

Celebrate Mother’s Day! Give your Mother, Sister, Grandmother, Aunt, Teacher, Friend, Co-Worker or Neighbor an inspirational and loving book that she will enjoy and cherish for years to come.

Mother’s Day is a time to recognize not only our mothers but all those special women who have made a difference in our lives. What better way to celebrate them than with a book of ideas that will help them create even more caring and joy in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities?

Barbara Glanz has recently revised this classic book to help families celebrate one another and create new traditions:

“In this book Barbara offers countless ways to help families forge more caring, creative and joyful places to live. Through ideas and stories from real-life families, schools, and neighborhoods, Glanz encourages readers to take action by adapting the ideas to their own families. Whether your family is a traditional family, a single-parent family, a blended family, an extended family, or a retired family, this book contains special ideas just for you!”

This book also makes a precious and lasting wedding, shower, or baby gift as new families are formed. And it is a perfect gift to send to your employees’ homes as a “thank you” to their families.

Jack Canfield, coauthor of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, says, “This is a wonderful resource for any family that wants to actively pursue creating more loving and caring in their home. I highly recommend it.”

ORDER YOUR COPIES AT THE SPECIAL PRICE TODAY THROUGH MAY 31!

To order this new book, go to www.barbaraglanz.com/products/books/.

I recently received a powerful email from Kim Bosler who lives in Vacaville, California. She shared how much my books and newsletters had inspired her and her husband. I was thrilled with the following message:

My husband is a dentist and is self employed, and all of your ideas are fantastic. We have transformed our office from just “get your teeth fixed here” to a place of warmth, happiness, and comfort for our patients and employees. My husband, Dr. Bosler, now has weekly devotionals with his “team” and monthly training on how to treat our guests. We serve water, juice, tea, and refreshments as people come in. We light candles and have lovely music playing, and make sure each patient has a warm neck wrap when they are seated. Customer service, mission statements, etc, are all discussed and role played at each devotional. We laugh more. We love our jobs because the bottom line is, “How happy can I make someone today?”

His production has almost doubled within the last year since we have been doing these things. It was a complete surprise, especially in this economy. I love your work, Barbara, and you have changed my life –not just spiritually and mentally, but financially, too!

What a wonderful testimonial about how little things can make a BIG difference! It affirms that by creating workplaces where people are valued and cared for, the business will come. Thank you, Kim, for sharing your commitment to both internal and external customer service. I wish I lived closer, and Dr. Bosler would be my dentist! 😉

To learn more about Barbara’s work, her books, and to subscribe to her free email newsletter, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.

Simple Truths of Appreciation

Montreal and New York City, April 7th, 2010 – How does enthusiasm build morale at work? Why do leaders forget the power of appreciation? Real Recognition Radio welcomes Barbara Glanz, leadership expert and author of eleven books, including The Simple Truths of Service As Inspired by Johnny the Bagger® to share her secrets on how to spread “Contagious Enthusiasm” in the office.

Barbara has worked with organizations around the globe, and her client list includes Honda, Nordstrom, and Southwest Airlines, to name a few. Her work focus is on how to improve morale, retention, and service. Most importantly, she works with people who want to rediscover the joy in their work and in their lives while acknowledging that we will all face challenges.

During this uplifting Real Recognition Radio episode, you too will learn how to inspire others to achieve great things and transform the workplace as well as live a better, fuller, more engaged life.

Tune in next Tuesday, April 13th, at 1 PM ET, on Real Recognition Radio available at www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1688.

Read more about Barbara’s recent work at www.barbaraglanz.com/news.

In the March 2010 issue of Oprah magazine, Oprah interviewed Thich Nhat Hanh, an 83 year old native of Vietnam, who is an internationally renowned Zen Buddhist master and a powerful, yet humble, advocate for peace and understanding in our world. He talked about the concept of “Deep Listening” which he believes can lead us all to deeper understanding and love for one another:

Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of another person. You can call it compassionate listening. You listen with only one purpose: to help him or her to empty his heart. Even if he says things that are full of wrong perceptions, full of bitterness, you are still capable of continuing to listen with compassion. Because you know that listening like that, you give that person a chance to suffer less. If you want to help him to correct his perception, YOU WAIT FOR ANOTHER TIME. For now, you don’t interrupt. You don’t argue. If you do, he loses his chance. You just listen with compassion and help him to suffer less. One hour like that can bring transformation and healing…..Deep listening helps us to recognize the existence of wrong perceptions in the other person and wrong perceptions in ourselves. Compassion is our most important practice.

This concept struck me in a powerful way — it is something we have heard many times before and know deep in our hearts; however, the simplicity of Nhat Hanh’s words made it clearer to me than ever before. How often with friends, family, and customers do we listen, only waiting to get in “our side” of the matter or to give advice and solve the problem. I know I am terribly guilty of this because I am a “pleaser” and a “fixer.” I like for everyone to be happy! Yet, as Nhat Hanh points out, I am not allowing the person to just let the feeling out and then later, perhaps, come back with advice or comments….. although, as he points out, that may not even be necessary as allowing them to express their emotions helps them to clarify and often find an answer themselves. By deep listening, we not only learn to better understand this person but also ourselves if we truly stay open without judgment.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to wait until later with a customer; however, we can allow them to fully express their feelings without interruption and offer them compassion on a Human level even if ultimately we are not able to solve their problem on a Business level. Nhat Hanh says that we should look into the other person’s eyes and say, ” I’m here for you.” You offer him or her your full presence. You are not preoccupied with the past or the future; you are there for that person. He says, “To be loved means to be recognized as existing,” and that is a precious gift we can give to everyone in our lives, whether friend, family, co-worker or customer.

This is a video of the coaster I rode this fall at Glenwood Fairy Caverns in Glenwood Springs, CO. You will feel as if you are riding it yourself! I love this friend’s laugh…..;-) Be SURE to watch the video below and imagine being on this open coaster.

http://youtube.com/user.GlenwoodCaverns

My brother, sister and me starting on the coaster

Here I go! 😉

I made it!

“EXHAUSTED, CONFUSED and TICKED OFF – HOPE FOR A NEW BEGINNING WHEN CHANGE HAS DONE YOU IN”!

Barbara Glanz, CSP

“If they make one more change around here, I’m going to lose my mind.”

“I can’t BELIEVE they’re changing everything AGAIN!”

“When is it all going to stop? Why can’t we just go back to the way it used to be?”

Have you ever heard one of these statements? Have you ever said (or felt) any of these things? Then this program is for you!

Change is rampant in our world today, both in our personal and our professional lives. We are all bombarded with change, and it is clear that what happens at work impacts our personal lives, and what happens in our personal lives affects the way we perform at work. In order for people to move forward both in their professional and personal lives, they must learn to let go of the old ways and adjust to new ways of work and life.

Instead of being overwhelmed by unwanted changes, we can learn to be more open and deal more effectively with those difficult periods of transition between the ending of one thing in our lives and the beginning of something new.

This inspiring, interactive presentation will help you find greater job satisfaction and more personal happiness by enabling you to better understand the change process as well as your feelings in the midst of change. The workshop will include a CONTROL INVENTORY™ and a customized Action Plan as tools to use in managing any change in your life.

It will also provide new coping techniques to help you gain more control and perform at a higher level in a dynamic work environment that is fast-paced and ever-challenging.

Outcomes
• Reduced stress
• Greater job satisfaction, resulting in increased productivity
• Higher levels of personal happiness

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” ~Harold Wilson

“I’ve developed a new philosophy… I only dread one day at a time.” ~Charlie Brown

“Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.” ~ Robert C. Gallagher

To learn more about this program go to www.barbaraglanz.com/programs/topic5.html.