Friday, August 23, 2013

Thanking the people who make you smile

This has been an "interesting" year. In business I have always been blessed with the most wonderful clients. People who are a joy to work with, who have become friends, who I have come to cherish. This year we have had our share of "difficult" people. If I focused on these few people, I would have a hard time seeing the special people we have also worked with.. I have worked with all kinds of agents. Agents who make your day and transaction easier, agents who are arrogant and some who are even incompetent. In my life I have had 'friends' who make you feel better about yourself, who look for how they can help you - lift you up - who make you laugh. I have had 'friends' who are takers, negative balls of discontent that are difficult to be around.
 
This week a very sweet man suddenly died. He was one of those 'good' ones. One of my earliest transactions was with him and as a Real Estate agent he was professional, but he was more than that. He was a problem solver, he was a gentleman. Whenever I saw his name this would be in my mind "I like Randy Redding". So when he joined our company a short while back, I said to myself... I like "Randy Redding" and I smiled. I didn't go out of my way to connect with him. I said hello probably about a month after he joined us. (Shame on me) I would wave hello in coming and going but I never really said much to him.
 
When our company decided to put the Pink on for the SF 3 day, Jean Spaulding a Realtor in our office sought out a "good sport" male Realtor who would be brave enough to wear a Pink jump suit and beehive hairdo. Several guys said no thanks... Randy said sure. So there he was welcoming our walkers to Mill Valley in full drag. I was so touched that he agreed to do this, and I did tell him so. But I did not tell him much more. And I regret that.
 
Randy, thank you for making me smile. Thank you for making my day better whenever I was around you. Thank you for helping me to like other Realtors, just a little bit more. I am sorry you left us before I could sit down and talk with you more.
 
Today I walked 16 miles and on that walk I made a promise to make a few people smile. I took a couple of photos for people, I complimented a girl on her cute skirt and another on her cute baby. I explained the America's Cup to a couple on the bridge. I saw a couple of smiles that hadn't been there before I made an effort. I even called and emailed buyer and agents about our listings and I did it with a smile.
 
We all have a limited time on this planet. I hope we all remember to not only thank those who have helped us laugh, but just how good it can feel to be the one who puts on smile on someone else's face. This life is too short to be angry. It is too short to be mean.
But it is long enough to make a difference. Randy you made a difference in my life.
 

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