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Hi y'all,
I want to talk about my first role model and mentor. "Slick", as he was known in the neighborhood, always had a warm greeting and smile for anyone. He took me to my first baseball game. He gave me my first job. I was 10/11. I had to move a pile of dirt from one place to another. This never make sense to me but he paid me a dollar a day and it was money that I didn't have to ask my dad for.
There was nothing in it for him, but I learned how to talk to other folks, what it meant to respect myself, the value of keeping my word and showing up on time.
Slick was cool and I wanted to be like him. He always offered me words of encouragement. I never knew his education level. It didn't matter. I just knew that if I needed someone to talk with, he would be there.
This are things that I have never told him. It would be great to let him know how much he influenced my soul.
It is clear or me that my business practices have been shaped my the things I learned from Slick. The essence of being a leader, the value of hard work and respect for others are all things that have contributed to my business success.
Later
clyde
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Given my technical prowess (hah!), it took me a moment to figure out how to post. Love your article on Slick. My own Slick must certainly be my mother. She was the best role model I could hope for - through her EXAMPLES, not her words, she taught me the following: how to be a lady; how to have strong, long & lasting friendships; how to be a good wife; how to be independent and have my own interests; how to nurture and cultivate my faith all my life. She was proud of all of my career successes and would be prouder still to see me as a wife & mother. She never got that chance here on earth but I have to know that she is smiling down from heaven that her little cathedrals have all matured. Thanks, Clyde, for allowing me to ramble about my prized relationship, and for including me on your blog!!
ReplyDeleteToday, I took one of those mandatory surveys on technology skills developed by the Maryland State Department of Education and to my surprise, I came out "Proficient." Hahahahaha - my friend sitting at the computer next to me told me that although he too was "proficient," he got some answers wrong because he was sitting next to me and I made so many comments about not agreeing with some of the answers and basically having a bad attitude about the whole thing, he was extremely distracted and would have done better had I not been there. Of course,he said this with respect for a fellow co-worker and I reminded him that perhaps I get along with a lot of my students because I am not much different than them.
ReplyDeleteThe role model that taught me all about love, respect and self-advocacy was my grandmother on my mother's side. This little woman never learned to read or write and had no idea what the word "advocate" meant. She also had no money and all of her expenses were paid by one of my uncles. She walked everywhere or took the bus, even into her late 80's. She had no material things in her life and lived in a tiny apartment, but she had the gift of love and I felt that love everyday of my life until she died at the age of 90 and will feel her love forever. She was my "Slick." She taught me to care about those less fortunate than myself and managed to raise millions of dollars in charity by "harrassing" those rich Philadelphia folks until they gave in and gave her what she wanted. She had a reputation all over the city as that little woman who never took no for an answer when it came to the homeless, infirm or folks just plain worn out. I went to a dinner honoring her and had to read the program to her because she couldn't read a word of it herself. She taught me all about what "love" really means and respecting others no matter what their station in life. She entered a nursing home at the age of 88 and I recall getting a call from her telling us that there was a Viet Nam vet in the "home" who hardly had any clothes and asked my family to round up some clothes to bring to this guy which we promptly did. In my case, the names Slick and Rose mean the same thing. Thanks Clyde for giving me the opportunity to publicly share about my grandmother Rose.
Hi Clyde! Love the blog - keep it coming! Pam
ReplyDeleteClyde, Great story!!! Great blog!!! Now we can get our Clyde "hit" on a regular basis without even having to knock on your door or give you a ring on the telephone. Best.
ReplyDelete