An Authentic Life @ edlamour.com

I have to chuckle at all the calls for advertiser boycotts against the likes of Donald Trump, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and even magazines like Rolling Stone (March 2011). Really people? Think about what you’re asking for…you want corporations to dictate freedom of speech through where they spend their ad dollars?  Oh wait…of course, since those corporations would ultimately be supporting you and your subjective opinions of what is appropriate to think and say, this would make it all ok, right?  I can see how that rationale would justify ripping the heart out of First Amendment rights.

Tell you what…look at the situation in reverse and maybe you’ll get the point.  Perhaps the next time you say or do something foolish, one of your detractors should mobilize your friends and neighbors to call your boss and have them cut your salary or demote you to a lower position in your company.  Then they would call the mayor of your town and have him or her to raise your taxes and devalue your home.

Freedom of Speech: Noun:
The right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint.

So, next time you hear something offensive, thicken your skin and be thankful for the right, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And next time you say something offensive, be thankful that you have the right to do so without fear of reprisal.

Today I am posting from the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL.  We’re about to start a satellite media tour (SMT) that will connect two John Deere spokespersons with TV newsrooms across the country.  The purpose of the SMT is to give TV news programs the opportunity to conduct “interviews” with our spokeswomen to discuss a publicity campaign John Deere has undertaken called, Project “Can Do.”

Project “Can Do” is raising awareness for the critical need for more food production (it is estimated that by 2050, farmers will need to increase food production by 70 percent in order to feed a world population expected to grow to 9 billion). The focal point of the campaign is John Deere’s “Can Sculpture” which is expected to break a world’s record for the largest can sculpture ever made.  The sculpture weighs approximately 188 tons and uses more than 300,000 cans of food to depict the company’s new S-Series combine, which is the world’s largest, most powerful combine that can harvest more than 350 acres per day.

Each can within the sculpture is individually sponsored by consumers who sent in their name and photograph.  All the canned food will be donated to local food pantries when the sculpture is dismantled in mid-December.  The sculpture is 60-ft wide, 80-ft long and 16-ft tall.  It’s a tribute to America’s 2.2 million farmers.

From my perspective, this is more than just a publicity event.  The good people at John Deere take very seriously their commitment to being an integral part of feeding the world’s population.  By calling attention to the issue and saluting the farmers that are on the forefront of the effort, John Deere hopes to build public awareness and engagement.  For me to be on the inside of this event and witness firsthand John Deere’s dedication and commitment to the entire effort has been an honor.  Many jobs my company is hired to do are just jobs.  This one, however, has impacted me by way of seeing what the John Deere company is made of and what they value most.  It has been refreshing to see so many of them — employees, retirees, and volunteers — authentically and passionately committed to the cause.

Team "Can Do" at John Deere Pavilion after creating world record setting can sculpture

Ed Lamoureaux at John Deere's Project "Can Do"

Back on November 1st, 2011, a Facebook friend of mine challenged all her facebook friends to name something everyday in the month of November that we were thankful for. It was a great idea and one that I decided to engage.  Until you count your blessings, it is easy to get caught up and lose sight of all you have to be thankful for.  Life has a way of making our days long with busyness and short in years and opportunities seized.

At first I thought the process would simply be stating the obvious — listing the blessings I have been given.  Wrong.  It became an epiphanal moment each day that, beyond helping me understand the obvious (and not so obvious) riches I have in my life, has caused a fair amount of guilt and shame for not realizing sooner that I should be giving back more to those who have enriched my life as well as paying it forward to those I’ve not yet even met.

There’s a quote I like which goes, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?” (Rabbi Hillel)

All of this gelled for me this morning when I posted the following update to my Facebook wall:

• Day 9 of my daily professions of what I’m thankful for and today I am thankful for my mother’s continued good health. Back in February 1986, she had a massive stroke that left her debilitated to the extent of needing full time care and physical and speech therapies. She has lived with great limitations for the past 25 years yet she proceeds forward and faces each day with determination and perseverance. Robbed of many of the small pleasures and simple activities every day, she did not choose how she gets to live the second half of her life. Yet she rarely complains and remains a beacon of light and joy in our family. Mom, I love you with all my heart. Thank you for teaching me more about life than you could imagine.

The post received 17 “likes” and several comments within minutes, all positive and acknowledging my love for my mother.  Yet, as I read those posts, what occurred to me was that while I have been present for my mother always, I’ve not been fully engaged in trying to break through her communicative limitations and work to show her how deeply I love and respect her.  For those who have never dealt with a stroke victim and the aftermath of a stroke’s highly destructive effect on brain function, motor coordination and communication skills, let me explain in greater detail.  A stroke generally affects one or the other side of one’s brain and can act as an eraser coated with Armor All® that is used to wipe clean a chalkboard.  Essentially, it wipes away the information that existed leaving limited ability to re-write the information in the area left affected by the eraser.  So for 25 years, Mom has been at the acuity of mind similar to that of a 6 year old.  Much of what you say has to be repeated and switching from one train of thought to another (as is common in a basic discussion) is very, very difficult.

What has resulted from that situation is that Mom usually participates in family gatherings but conversations happen around her, not including her.  That makes me sad and as I read and reread my Facebook post today, brought tears to my heart for all of the time she’s missed life’s moments that are going on all around her.  I can’t help but wonder if her mind does indeed process more than the outward manifestation her stroke betrays and it pains me to think that she has been a prisoner of her mind’s disability for so many years.

So, with authentic love and reverence for a woman who has given so much of herself to everyone around her for so many years, I now know that I need to not just count my blessings, but act upon them.  Mom, as I’ve said a million times before, I love you.  Now, please prepare to see me live it.

Perhaps I’m just cranky on a cold November Monday morning. Perhaps I need something else to keep my mind occupied when my commute turns into a two-hour ride from hell.  Or, perhaps I just don’t like losing at anything.  Maybe it’s just that I don’t like/trust/appreciate/tolerate politicians and what I’ve come to expect from them — very little (except for what benefits them). In truth, it’s probably a combination of all of the above that has me writing this post. And let me preface this by saying that in the scope of what really matters in this world and to me today, one would tell me to ignore the trivial matter that has me ruminating on something that would normally pass unnoticed and unmentioned.  But I just can’t.  Let me explain…

This past Saturday night found me attending a fund-raising Casino Night event in one of the neighboring towns here in New Jersey. The beneficiary of the evening is a local community educational foundation that is definitely a very worthy cause. It was billed as their “First Annual Casino Night” and, in every way possible, was a huge success. There was incredibly delicious food, a wonderful, jovial atmosphere, and the gaming company staff that were hired to run the “gambling” portion of the event were spectacular and made the event extra special. Everyone in attendance was having a great time and the money being raised was flowing freely.  All good, right?

As the night grew late, it was time for everyone to take their winning tickets from the “casino” and drop them in fishbowls in front of the door prizes that would be raffled off to end the evening. There was a wonderful collection of prizes to be won, including a hotel stay, a golf outing, a flat screen tv, a basket of wine, dinners, tickets to shows, etc.  However, as with most raffles, there is typically one super-duper “eye-candy” gift that captures everyone’s attention and imagination. That evening’s big prize was a huge basket laden with NY Yankees goodies, memorabilia and knickknacks. Everyone dropped a fair number of their tickets in that fishbowl, which was close to overflowing. Suffice to say, many people had visions of struggling to carry it to their car and fit it into their back seat at the end of the night.

Still all good, right?  Well, enter the local politician…a councilman affiliated with the foundation.  He sported a tan not native to November in NJ, impeccably coiffed grey hair and an unwrinkled blue blazer that barely concealed the pricey wristwatch and gold chain on his wrist. An affable fellow with a slightly cocky smile bordering on smarmy. As I approached the line of tables with at least a dozen fishbowls, there stood this gentleman I describe, making what seemed to be happy small-talk while he ripped and deposited one after another after another ticket from the huge stash of tickets bulging his sport jacket pockets.  He didn’t move from that spot in front of the Holy Grail of all prizes for over 30 minutes, busily stuffing tickets and making his claim on the odds of winning it.  And anyone else who wanted to deposit a ticket in that fishbowl had to reach in front of him or around him to do so.

As I approached the Yankees basket to drop a bunch of my own tickets on top of his, I caught his eye and sensed a flash of alpha male conflict — a territorial dispute. I doubled my intended ticket drop in that fishbowl and moved to the next prize over. Taking a moment to glance back at my new adversary and eavesdrop, I noticed him in conversation with a sweet woman who was saying how nice it would be to win the basket for her son, who is a lifelong Yankees fan. My newly found enemy smiled at her and without missing a beat said, “you needn’t bother wasting your tickets, mam. I intend to win this prize and I’m also the person who will be announcing the winning tickets.” His eyes twinkled as he met her gaze and flashed his best “don’t you just think I’m adorable?” smile.

Well, long story longer, his ticket was indeed the lucky ticket announced to a mixed chorus of a few cheers (his cronies?) and many more boos and hisses with a few “FIXED” accusations thrown in.  Without hesitation, he quickly and happily claimed his prize.  Everyone at my table just looked at each other with raised eyebrows and a disenchanted shrug of the shoulders while exchanging unspoken words of resignation.  Somehow, we all knew the outcome before it happened — much like what we’ve come to expect from most every other interaction we have with politicians these days — we were never going to get what we wanted because, in life, the biggest hogs always get to feed themselves from the trough first.

The world lost one of its brightest lights yesterday.  I won’t try to be wordy, clever or even pithy since there are many who can do a much better job than I could ever hope to do.  I didn’t meet him, but I feel I knew him.  Many of my friends have said the same.  He changed our world and, in doing so, bettered our life experiences.  He was the underdog despite also being the favorite.  And the tragedy of his affliction was as enormous as his success and wealth.  He was about as transparent and real as anyone ever was or will be in business and yet he was painfully private.

So, all that said, what I thought I’d do is simply share a few of his quotes — ones that have influenced me both personally and professionally.  In his words I find the same immense wisdom that the world saw in his actions.

#1

“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
– BusinessWeek interview, May 1998

#2

“It’s really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”
– BusinessWeek interview, May 1998

#3

“Picasso had a saying: ‘Good artists copy, great artists steal.’ We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas…I think part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians, poets, artists, zoologists and historians who also happened to be the best computer scientists in the world.”
– 1994

#4

“[Y]ou can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
– Stanford University commencement address, June 2005.

#5

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. … Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
– Stanford University commencement address, June 2005.

Thank you, Mr. Jobs.  May you now rest in peace knowing you made a remarkable positive difference in this world, not only by your entrepreneurial genius, but through your words and actions.