In a few short hours, the wise sage, Joe Howe, will be off to the world of retirement after a gazillion years in the world of Ocean Marine insurance. I asked him for a piece of advice on how to be successful in this business and his quick answer was, “Answer your phone.” When asked to elabo-rate, he told me that his agents always knew that he would pick up the phone instead of hiding behind voicemail.
How true this is in all of life. We all are pulled in so many different direc-tions at this time of the year that we sometimes wish that we hadn’t “answered the call.” But for those that we take the time to visit, to bring a gift to, to share a meal with or to spend a few minutes with on the phone, all appreciate that you answered their call. It is the call of friendship, the call of charity and the call of human di-vinity. It is easy to let the call go unanswered, to ignore the cry of hunger, the plight of the poor, the anguish of loneliness. But you my friends, all have the power within you to create light out of the darkness in another person’s life this Holiday Season. Will you answer the call? I actually know that you will as you all do it already. So perhaps this is the year I challenge us all to add one more person to our list of people to see. I have a friend who reaches out to me eve-ry time I send one of these messages and for the past 3 years we have agreed to get together but I have not taken the time to do so. So Steve, expect me at some point over the next 2 weeks to stop by for that glass of wine we have been talking about for so long!!! That is who I am adding to my list.
Who in your life has been waiting to see you but you have just been too busy to connect? Take the first step this Season. You will feel great about it! And you will be transformed by it.
Speaking of transformations, this is a picture from Zuccotti Park here in downtown Man-hattan. This was the scene of many protests and arrests a few years back. Now look at it. This Season makes all things possible.
Pray for our troops and their safe return. Pray for our Police and Fire and EMT’s that are al-ways put to the test during the season of rev-elry. And pray for all who need our prayers.
Joe—enjoy retirement.
And to all others—I hope your Chanukah was Happy, your Christmas Merry and your New Year Heathy, Peaceful and Prosperous.
All the best
John
Answering the Call This Christmas, this Chanukah and Through the New Year By John Gambino
