Commitment, Devotion and Passion

My parents are gone, but they left a lifetime of wonderful memories behind. 

My parents “courted” for a few months before deciding to get married in 1941.  My dad was in the Army.  On May 1^st, he went AWOL from his base, picked my mother up and they eloped.  When he returned to his base, he was demoted from a Private First Class to a Private. He obviously was not devoted to the Army.

My mother’s parents were Orthodox Jews, so they didn’t acknowledge my parents’ civil marriage, so they were remarried by a Rabbi on May 14^th.   

Dad was shipped overseas where he served in Africa and Sicily. Every single day he was gone, except when he was actually in a battle, he wrote my mother a letter.  (My mother saved those letters, and when she died, my siblings and I each took a portion to keep.) 

My mother worked at Lockheed as a “Rosie the Riveter” throughout the war.  When my dad came home after the War, they struggled financially for several years.  They worked and saved enough to buy their first house.  Within a six-year period, my sisters and I arrived on the scene.  My parents also bought their first restaurant and were fairly successful.

My brother came along several years later – an “oops” child, but my dad had the son he always wanted.  Upon my brother’s arrival, we moved to a larger house.  Soon after, my parents opened another, larger restaurant which they owned and operated together quite successfully for 25 years.  They took wonderful trips together – to the Orient, Mexico, Europe and Hawaii.  They had a good life. 

In their later years, as happens to most, they developed serious health issues.  During this period, we would often see my parents sitting side by side in their wheelchairs, holding hands while they watched TV. 

My father died in 2004, and the love affair of 63 years ended.  My mother died 3 years later in the home where she had lived for 49 years.  My parents were together again.

This is not a sad story.  It is a beautiful story of commitment, devotion and passion. A little side note… My father gave my mother two anniversary cards EVERY SINGLE MONTH for 63 years, one on the 1^st and one on the 14^th.  My mother saved those as well, and I have them.        

How many people today are so committed to one another – or even to a job, hobby or business? I had a good example to follow, and I learned well.  I am committed and devoted to my wonderful husband.  I am passionate about my Xpress Healthcare business.  I know what it takes to have a successful marriage and business, because my parents demonstrated it to me my entire life.

I have been able to apply the lessons I learned from my parents to my business.  I am doing my best to demonstrate these same lessons to my team members, and I am pleased that some have learned very well – perhaps from their parents.  I enjoy sharing my passion for my business with others and helping them strive to reach their goals.  Perhaps I can help you too.  http://julie.joinxpress.com/opportunity-launch.html