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| Friday, December 12, 2008 | | Creatively Destroying and Re-Building The American Auto Industry |
So who am I to think I have a better plan for saving the American auto industry? Why not? After all, the plan on the table calls for $15 billion dollars (oops, now its down to $14 billion) in taxpayer money to be sent straight down the bail-out rat hole. But it certainly won’t stop there. Recall the original request was for $36 billion. Does any thinking American really believe that that $14 or even $36 billion will do anything other than delay the inevitable bankruptcy of the Big 3? Bankruptcy is the first step towards the creative destruction and re-building of the American auto industry. The sooner this painful, yet unavoidable, step is taken, the sooner the industry returns to viability –albeit at a much reduced size.
So what role should the federal government play in this destruction/re-building process? For starters, Uncle Sam should put his checkbook back in the “last resort” cubbyhole from whence it came. Then, Congress needs to respond to the Big 3’s groveling with a plan of their own –one that might actually work, while putting far fewer taxpayer dollars at risk. It starts with the planned bankruptcy of all three American automakers leading to their subsequent reorganization into one newly capitalized entity. That’s right…from three to one.
 Perhaps the “American Motors” (AMC) name could be resurrected for this momentous occasion? How cool it would be to see the name of the maker of my first car back in the limelight. Yep, I still get misty-eyed thinking about my 1960 Rambler American –a gift from my grandfather. With fully-reclining bench seats, my black and white beauty was a veritable love machine. I can still hear Mac Davis singing “baby baby don’t get hooked
on me”, as my now father-in- law peered through the thoroughly fogged over windows in search of his daughter –my lovely bride of 32 plus years. I’ve been hooked on her ever since.
 OK, thanks for allowing me that little cruise down Nostalgia Lane. Now let’s get back to saving the auto industry. Obviously, we’re going to need some real leaders to pull it off. And, it should be equally obvious that the current leaders of the Big 3 need not apply. Better yet, no current or past (a.k.a. Lee Iacocca) automotive executive should be considered for the top job. Just as when Lou Gerstner took over the reins of IBM (1993) when nobody but an unaffected outsider could have saved Big Blue from singing the bankruptcy blues, so too the American auto industry needs a mega dose of outsider perspective. Chrysler got it half right when they brought in industry outsider, Bob Nardelli. But, apparently the search committee didn’t notice the $200 million golden parachute that landed Gnarly Bob safely in Detroit after taking Home Depot shares down 20% during his five year flight to nowhere. Maybe GE will oust Jeff Immelt and give Nardelli the top job he thought he deserved before leaving in protest?
Surely Cisco CEO, John Chambers, is tired of wandering in the wilderness far below the peak of Mt. Dot Com? Since reaching the summit in March of 2000, Cisco’s stock has lost 80% of its pre dot com bubble bursting value. Few blame any of this precipitous fall on Chambers. In fact, many believe (me among them) John Chambers to be the most capable CEO in the world today. What could possibly lure him to take the wheel of a born again American Motors? How about a challenge of epic proportions? A payout that could make him a billionaire many times over? Perhaps most importantly, a prominent place in history for having performed miraculous surgery on the backbone of our economy. Moving the executive suites from Detroit to San Jose wouldn’t hurt either. And if that’s not enough, tell John I’m available to carry his bags anywhere his mission of saving the American auto industry takes him.
So, now that we have one reorganized U.S. automaker led by the best CEO in the world, we still have a few challenges. First, we need to capitalize AMC to maximize their odds of long term success and fairly reward those who take the risks to achieve it. As a free market capitalist, I can’t advocate the government taking equity stakes in private enterprises. Under special circumstances, I can support the federal government providing loan/bond guarantees provided there is sufficient equity in the firm to make the risk of such guarantees manageable. That said, why couldn’t AMC go to the equity markets with a debt offering on deck, backed by the feds, but contingent upon raising a specific amount of free market capital? The “Buy American” marketing
 possibilities are endless and should make this the most oversubscribed stock offering since the dot com crazy days. Next, we need a plan for re-training several hundred thousand unemployed former auto workers. Did I mention that the UAW no longer exists at this point in the story?
That’s right, if Uncle Sam wants to make a meaningful long term difference, then he should invest in the re-training of the American auto worker. It wasn’t that long ago that our rich uncle thought buying up $700 billion in bad mortgages was a great idea. Why not make the mortgage payments of displaced auto workers for a few years while they get back on their feet? There are currently less than five hundred thousand UAW members. If half of those are displaced while having a mortgage payment of $1,500, then Uncle Sam could cover every former UAW member’s mortgage for two years at a cost of $9 billion. And, for another $6 billion, American taxpayers could pay to retrain every displaced worker, assuming it takes $1,000 per month for two years to get the job done. Well, what do you know? That totals up to $15 billion…the minimum the Big 3 say they need to survive. Hmmm…
These simple ideas are not meant as “end all, be all” solutions. My hope is to offer some perspective on what positive progress could be made toward a brighter future for the American auto industry, provided we first admit that what we currently have is broken beyond repair. The amount of the bailout is really beside the point, as any amount is certain to be too little too late to save the Big 3. There is no pain-free way out of this mess. We either pay now or we pay much more later. And, if it’s too much later and too much more, we won’t just be talking about a bankrupt industry…we’ll be talking about a bankrupt country.
Hello John, have I got an opportunity for you…
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| | Thursday, December 11, 2008 | | Stressed But Blessed? | I'm trying to break myself of a bad habit I picked up as the current economic malaise came calling upon our company. In response to the proverbial, "how are you?" greeting, I've taken to answering, "stressed but blessed". Sort of like positive self talk with a spiritual twist, I suppose. Sounds better than, "it's tough, but I'm gonna make it", don't you think? Well, I thought so too until I read this from a book recently given to me by a thoughtful friend:
"God sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in you so you could rely on Him. He loves to impress this stressed-out world by moving one of His children into and a through stress-filled environment with perfect peace. That's His way." (The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life by Charles Stanley, p. 149)
Perfect peace? Stressed but blessed? As I read the above passage, it became clear that it had to be one or the other. It couldn't be both. I realized that at its core, stress is nothing more or less than lack of faith. Ouch! Thank you, Lord, I needed that.
Contrast this to the Zimbabwean pastor I met on my mission trip to Africa last summer. When asked how he was doing, Tatenda would always respond, "strong and blessed". The difference is quite convicting. As I sit here comfortably ensconced in "Carmel by the Retention Pond", Tatenda is fighting for the life of his family and the hundreds of AIDS orphans that he and his wife care for. He's strong...I'm stressed...thank God we're both blessed.
Feeling more stressed than blessed this holiday season? More than any other, the following Bible passage has helped me get through stressful times. I hope it is a blessing to you as well:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6,7)
Have a blessed Christmas and a strong New Year! | | | | |
| | Saturday, December 06, 2008 | | Winter Survival Tips |
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Laurence Gonzales over the Thanksgiving break. Within it I discovered many survival tips well worth knowing, including how to survive the current recessionary winter.
“The climb up the edge of the cliff was the hardest and most dangerous thing I’d ever done.” Yates arrived at the top “shaking and so strung out that I had to stop still and calm myself.” But it was that very ability to remain calm that made what they were about to do possible (p. 231). Seasoned British mountaineers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, had done many hard and dangerous things prior to attempting the first ever ascent of a perilous mountain face in the Peruvian Andes. However, nothing they’d ever done would compare to their fight for survival, as they descended from that unforgiving mountain in May of 1985.
Laurence Gonzales is contributing editor for National Geographic Adventure magazine and a lifelong student of the art and science of survival. His exhaustive research has revealed twelve attributes that are commonly found in survivors and lacking in those who don’t survive their life or death adventures. His real life survival stories are riveting and inspirational, while his illumination of the science behind the survival skills is truly fascinating. In fact, those same skills can be applied to any difficult situation one might find themselves in --from strained relationships to struggling businesses. I found the book to be highly relevant on both a personal and professional level.
Gonzales has distilled his research down to “twelve points that seemed to stand out concerning how survivors think and behave in the clutch of mortal danger” (p. 287):
1. Perceive, believe (look, see, believe) – while those who don’t make it often freeze up or freak out, survivors’ perceptions and cognitive functions keep working;
2. Stay calm (use humor, use fear to focus) – use humor to relieve tension and fear to focus on what needs to be done to alleviate the source of fear;
3. Think/analyze/plan (get organized; set up small manageable tasks) – don’t focus on how hopeless the situation is but rather upon what you can do to make it better;
4. Take correct, decisive action (be bold and cautious while carrying out tasks) – don’t be reckless, but do be willing to take bold action when necessary;
5. Celebrate your successes (take joy in completing tasks) – success breeds success and hope, celebrating small successes also provides much needed stress relief;
6. Count your blessings (be grateful –you’re alive) - survivors become rescuers instead of victims, helping others helps survivors make it;
7. Play (sing, play mind games, recite poetry, count anything, do mathematical problems in your head) – engaging the brain in activities not directly related to surviving can actually increase the odds of making it;
8. See the beauty (remember: it’s a vision quest) – stopping to appreciate the beauty around will relieve stress, increase motivation and improve your ability to absorb new information;
9. Believe that you will succeed (develop a deep conviction that you will live) – perhaps the most important key to surviving is an unshakable belief that you will;
10. Surrender (let go of your fear of dying; “put away the pain”) – survivors come to grips with the possibility of dying and then do everything possible to avoid it, including compartmentalizing their pain so it doesn’t over take them;
11. Do whatever is necessary (be determined; have the will and the skill) – don’t wait to be rescued, accurately assess your situation and skills then do what you have to do;
12. Never give up (let nothing break your spirit) – don’t be easily frustrated or discouraged by setbacks, see opportunity in adversity
Deep Survival is worth the read for the remarkable rest of the Simpson and Yates mountain climbing story alone. But, as you can see from the twelve points above, this book is chalked full of immensely valuable information for anyone facing tough times…like the current recessionary winter we find ourselves in. | | | | |
| | Wednesday, November 26, 2008 | | Thankfully Remembering Black Thursday | One of the darkest days in Ambassador Solutions' nearly 20 year history occurred on a fateful Thursday in September of 2000 -- Black Thursday. In response to the precipitous decline in demand for IT services during the post Y2K/dot com era, we announced our one and only layoff. I will never forget that day --one of the saddest of my life. In fact, the current economic crisis gripping our nation has brought back painful memories of those similar times some eight years ago. Similar, but different... Similar in that no one could have imagined what was happening. Prior to the dot com bubble bursting, no one could have imagined tens of thousands of unemployed IT professionals. Prior to the credit crisis of October '08, no one could have imagined the stock market dropping to nearly half of its 2007 peak. Different in that demand for IT services fell off a cliff for several years after the turn of the millennium, but is currently experiencing what is widely expected to be merely a brief slowdown. In fact, our business has picked up very significantly in November. We are closing out a great year and going into 2009 with a great deal of momentum. Most industry experts expect companies to be very cautious about adding employees, while outsourcing their cost-saving and revenue producing IT projects. This should bode very well for IT consulting firms. That's why we're forecasting no less than 25% revenue growth in 2009. Don't get me wrong...these are difficult times. And, I'm not suggesting that our firm is totally exempt from the present pain. However, I can think of very few businesses that I would rather be in. We are, after all, in the business of helping organizations do the very things they must do to survive and then thrive through times like these. Those who choose to see the current economic glass as half full will soon be rewarded with increased market share, higher profit margins and intensely loyal customers. At Ambassador Solutions, we're determined to help as many of those "half full" clients as we possibly can. I see no "Black Thursdays" in Ambassador's foreseeable future. For this, I am truly thankful. For those experiencing tougher times, please be encouraged to know that tough times truly do make one stronger. Should you find yourself among the unemployed, you may find additional encouragement in this letter.
So, whatever your current circumstance, my hope and prayer for you this Thanksgiving is for a half full glass and a completely full heart...a heart full of thankfulness for life's simple pleasures and invaluable treasures --faith, family, friends, food and fun. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
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| | Thursday, October 16, 2008 | | Search Your Heart...Use Your Head...Vote Your Conscience |
There is much at stake in the upcoming Presidential election, but the issue with the most at stake (1.2 million lives per year) is getting the least attention. Yes, I dare say it...I'm talking about the abortion issue. I'm talking about what I consider to be THE issue of this generation. I'm talking about an issue that will have more impact upon the future of our nation than all economic issues combined. I'm talking about the one issue that can and will destroy us if we don't come to our moral senses and cease to sacrifice our unborn on the altar of convenience.
Since the Roe vs. Wade ruling on January 22, 1973, the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States has been that within the wombs of American women. One in four who go there, never make it out alive. The toll of this thirty-two year War Within The Womb stands at 52 million and counting.
In the America of the unborn, it’s been 9/11 every day for over 35 years, as greater than the “Twin Towers” falls each and every day. Yet, “we the people”, continue to terminate our unborn at the rate of over three thousand souls per day...all with the blessing of our government. My fellow Americans, this ought not be so.
Abortion on demand by governmental decree is nothing less than a national suicide pact. We are doing to ourselves what no power on earth can do to us. Yet, our obsession WITH ourselves blinds us to the reality of our imminent self-destruction. Hear Abraham Lincoln’s hauntingly prophetic words spoken in 1838:
If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
Indeed, there is much as stake in the upcoming election. The President of the United States appoints the Supreme Court judges. These judges gave women the "right to choose" 35 years ago, ignoring hundreds of years of legal precedent and the moral conscience of our citizenry. Now, they have the power to take it away.
Before November 4, I implore you to search your heart, use your head, then vote your conscience on the matter of abortion. If the majority of American voters do this, the right man will move into the White House in January. If not, God help us. So please...search your heart...use your head...vote your conscience.
Click here to understand where both candidates stand on THE issue of our generation.
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| | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 | | Upon Returning From My First Short Term Mission Trip | I returned from my first short term mission trip on Saturday, July 19 at 2 pm. See previous post for background. The trip went off without a hitch, other than the virus I apparently contracted from one of the 250 new friends I made on the flight home. You know you've traveled a long way when you have three meals on the same plane. End to end, it was a 36 hour marathon each way.
Our work site destination was the Matipane Village in the Limpopo Province of northeastern South Africa. While there, we were very comfortably accommodated by owner/couple Bootlap and Dalene at their Magnab Safari Lodge. Not exactly roughing it. My purpose here is not to give you the day-to-day details of our "work camp". Instead, I want to provide you with a general overview of what we did and then try to capture the essence of how the overall experience has impacted me...at least thus far.
But first, you should know that our original destination was to have been Zimbabwe. Given the political unrest and violence in that country, we were diverted to South Africa, the first of four African countries that Horizon International operates within, including Uganda and Zambia. Out of concern for the safety of Horizon personnel in Zimbabwe, I must be short on details here. But, suffice it to say, the situation in Zimbabwe is far worse than what's being depicted by the mainstream media. Some of the sponsored orphans have not only lost their parents, but their Horizon caregivers as well.
Our work camp was focused upon light construction and painting within a property in Matipane recently given to Horizon by a Catholic charity. Imagine a third world 4H fair type of facility and you get the idea. The site had served as a city market and agricultural gathering place. There are many small structures formally used to house livestock and farm produce. Given our small group of six people, our two main projects were to convert one small building into a library, while creating a storage room within another building for equipment and supplies related to the fledgling sewing
operation that provides work for the young women of the village. We made lots of wooden shelves and did quite a bit of painting. The Horizon workers and orphans seemed to truly appreciate what we did for them.
The single greatest impression this trip made upon me was in illuminating the fine line between hope and hopelessness. For $35 per month, Horizon sponsored orphans receive a hot meal every weekday along with a weekly bag of groceries and maize meal to take home with them. They also receive minor medical care, school fees and spiritual guidance. All of this for a mere $35 per month!
I couldn't help but make comparisons between the Horizon kids and the average kid within our own Indianapolis Public School System. Is it possible that these South African orphans have a better shot at "making it" than do those trapped within our decrepit inner-city schools and violent neighborhoods? This begs a question that I am still pondering --how do I determine the level of time, money and resources to allocate to charitable causes around the world versus those in my own backyard?
Our daily commute from the lodge took us through several rural villages via the backroads. I was struck by the number of villagers constantly walking along the dirt road. I felt badly that anyone we passed along the way received a coat of red dust from the very dry and dusty roadway. Adult males were notably missing, while women everywhere were fast about their daily chores. It was rare to see a woman walking without carrying something atop her head. This was often an incredibly large batch of firewood constantly being gathered from the fields. The strength of their necks and shoulders must rival that of the Colts' offensive linemen.
Unlike our football fields, however, grass was virtually non-existent. It was red dirt as far as the eye could see. The women took great pains to neatly sweep the dirt surrounding their homes. We created alot of saw dust at our work site, something that I saw as far preferable to the red dirt that it fell upon. Not so. One of the Horizon workers politely gave us a broom and dustpan to clean up our "mess". I found the dirt and dust to be quite oppressive. Sometimes while driving through the villages I felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the challenges these forgotten people are facing. Sometimes it seemed hopeless, but then I'd look into the bright eyes and big smile of a Horizon kid and hope would abound once again. Imagine how big those smiles will be when we install the real grass soccer field we're planning?
So, was this trip the life-changing experience that so many promised it would be? I truly think it was, but only time will tell. Time will tell if I will actually shift more of the focus of my life from accumulating to serving. Time will tell if my African experience will motivate me to re-double my efforts to help the many suffering just a few miles from home. Time will tell if Ambassador Missions will make the kind of significant difference it's capable of if all teammates and constituents catch our vision for changing the world. For me, time will tell. What about you?
If you've never been on a short term mission trip, I would urge you to consider doing so as soon as possible. It will wreck you...and that's a good thing. To learn more about upcoming opportunities with Horizon International, contact them directly . I would also encourage you to consider sponsoring one or more Horizon orphans for $35 a month. Where else can you provide so much hope for such a small investment?
The Horizon meal is often the only meal for these orphans
Horizon kids love getting their pictures taken
A little library opens up BIG possibilities | | | | |
| | Saturday, July 05, 2008 | | Anticipating My First Short Term Mission Trip | After my wife and I reluctantly agreed to accompany our fifth and final child on his senior class trip to Cancun at Spring Break, I vowed that our next trip abroad would be missional in nature. Shortly thereafter, my good friend, Bob Pearson, founder of Horizon International, invited us to accompany him and a small group of supporters to Zimbabwe in July. Severe knee problems prevented Elaine from signing up, while severe political unrest in Zimbabwe forced us to redirect our trip to South Africa. We fly out in the morning.
Horizon International is an HIV/AIDS orphan relief organization that brings help and hope to the hundreds of thousands of African children who have lost their parents to the AIDS pandemic. They are in the midst of one of the greatest human tragedies in the history of mankind. And, they're making a very real and positive difference in the lives of these kids.
To my shame, this is my first ever mission trip. Excuses were easy to come by while raising five children and building a business. But, the time has come and I sincerely hope this will be the first of many such trips to also include the other six members of our family and our grandchildren. In recent years, I've coined the phrase, "you cannot have a perspective that you've never had". I'm told by those who have gone before me that a trip like this will give me a new perspective that is truly life-changing. My pastor says it will wreck me...in a good way. I say, bring it on!
Am I nervous? Yes, I am, on two fronts. I'm nervous about those I'm leaving behind --family, friends and business associates. I will miss many and, no doubt, be constantly curious as to the worldly entanglements left behind that took over half a century to create. I'm also nervous about what South Africa has in store for us. Can we truly make a meaningful difference in two short weeks? What about health and safety concerns? Will I never want to leave or never want to go back again? Yes, I'm nervous...and that's a good thing.
I don't think I'll be blog-enabled while on the trip, so I'll look forward to sharing the highlights of my great adventure with you upon my return on July 19. So, as my soon-to-be South African friends would say, tutaonana (until next time)...
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| | Monday, December 17, 2007 | | God's Best To Your And Yours This Christmas | What follows is my traditional Christmas message at the annual Ambassador Solutions Christmas Party. This year, the party was held the evening of Friday, December 14 at The Montage banquet facility on Indy’s north side. Thank you for joining us in what has become my favorite tradition at Ambassador Solutions –our annual Christmas party. This would have been party #19, but we canceled our party plans in 2000, so it's actually #18. You may recall, the first year of the new millennium found us digging out from under the rubble left behind by the “dot bombs” that had burst upon the entire IT industry. Those were dark and difficult days, but I’ll be forever grateful for the way God so miraculously provided for the re-building of our company. And, I confess, I will always regret having canceled the Christmas party that, more than ever, we should have held in His honor. Speaking of bombs bursting, it’s been almost sixty years since the German warplanes relentlessly dropped their bombs upon our English allies. In the midst of those dark and difficult days, the BBC turned to a distinguished pipe smoking, beer swilling professor from Oxford University.  They asked C.S. Lewis to lay out the basic tenets of the Christian faith in a series of radio broadcasts that could be easily understood by the average un-churched layperson. By so doing, their hope was to give hope to English men and women who witnessed the destruction of their country on a daily basis. And then, having secured a most costly victory, to give their countrymen much-needed strength as they began the monumental task of re-building their beloved England. Lewis’ messages were so well received, that they were put into book form. Millions of copies later, Mere Christianity became one of the most influential Christian books of the 20th century. I was among those so influenced. In October, Elaine and I visited England for the first time. We were thrilled to visit Oxford University and to stand where the Harry Potter character once stood, not to mention having the opportunity to meet the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. But, our biggest thrill came later that night, as we raised a pint in honor of C.S. Lewis at The Angel & Child pub where his literary group known as The Inklings regularly gathered during World War 2. You’ve probably heard of another famous member of that group --Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien. Indeed, more so than Oprah’s today, this little bar room book club truly changed the world. But, what about your world…today? Are you experiencing dark and difficult days? Are you struggling to dig out from the rubble of bombs bursting over your relationships?…your family?...your health?…your finances?…your job? Are you in need of strength to re-build your life, in hopes that next time you’ll be better able to withstand the relentless assaults of the enemy? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions (and don’t we all have our dark days?), then tonight I want to encourage you in three simple ways: 1. You are not alone. You have much company even in this room, so I encourage you to meet as many fellow guests as you can and to share something beyond the weather and the Colts with one another; 2. If you’d like to know the true meaning of the first Christmas, then I encourage you to give yourself a copy of Mere Christianity this Christmas…and read it, as I did for the first time in 1975; 3. No matter what your current circumstances, the message of the first Christmas and every one thereafter is simply this–there is always hope. So I encourage you to be hopeful, no matter what. And know that it is our fond hope that tonight you will join us in rejoicing and enjoying this celebration, as evidence that God did indeed so love the world…and so loves you. And now for our traditional Taittinger toast: Here’s to God’s best for you and yours this Christmas and to a great 2008! | | | | |
| | Friday, November 02, 2007 | | From London To Indy: Can We Just Get Along? |
My wife, Elaine, and I just returned from a fabulous trip to Ireland, Scotland and England with my Taylor University MBA class. It was a “for credit” study tour, but spouses were welcomed, so we jumped at the chance to take our first trip to Europe (I guess life truly does begin after fifty). As a class requirement, I’ll be documenting the trip in a journal over the next several weeks (not in this blog). However, I did want to share the highlights of our last night in London and then juxtapose that lovely evening with the publisher’s rant that appeared in the Indianapolis Business Journal while we were away.
Having been traveling for twelve days, we were tired and not wanting to venture far from our hotel for our last meal before heading for Heathrow in the morning. The recommended restaurant was full, so on the way back to the hotel we stumbled into Romanos , a hole-in-the-wall Italian joint. When I asked our server for a recommendation from the very short wine list, he said, “the cheap ones are on the top and the expensive ones are on the bottom”. Duh! The ladies next to us came to the rescue by attesting to the excellent quality of the house red. As we finished our toast to a great trip, the gentleman at the table on the other side of us asked what part of the States we were from. From there, the gods of serendipity took over and we ended our trip with a truly magical evening and some wonderful new friends –Herman and Mardie.
Roughly twenty years our senior, Herman and Mardie were as full of life as the thousands of young, overpaid members of the millennial generation jamming the famous red buses of London. Herman is a retired music industry executive who sold his London-based business a few years back. His close friend and former business partner, Sir George Martin, was the producer for an obscure rock band out of Liverpool --The Beatles. With this revelation, Elaine and I silently twisted and shouted inside, but I can assure you that it was not our new friends’ close affiliation with British royalty that we found most attractive. It was their zest for life and their obvious joy in sharing it with others that brought “good day, sunshine” to our table that evening.
When Herman learned that I was a fifty-one year old graduate student, you would have thought his only child had just received the Nobel Prize. If he said, “good for you!” once he said it five times…each time more enthusiastically. He assured me I was on the right track so long as I was pursuing my passions. He said whatever money we’d need would follow, but to never do anything for the money. And, he said to be sure to do everything I was passionate about so long as I was able. This philosophy led Herman to become mayor of Aspen, Colorado in the early 1990’s, his one and only foray into politics.
We soon learned that in the process of living a very full life, Herman had acquired some very strong opinions about many things…opinions that I didn’t necessarily agree with. On matters of religion and politics, we differed greatly. He a Jew…me a Christian. He a Democrat…me a Republican. He a Bush basher…me a Bush supporter. It mattered not. Why focus upon our differences when we had so many interesting and important things in common?
I loved his thoughts on sales people and the way he corrected me when I referred to Jesus as a salesman. “Oh no”, he said, “Jesus was the product. Peter, Paul and Mary were the salesmen”. Huh? I thought they were a folk group during the heyday of Herman’s career. Whenever he’d make one of these quips that Mardie had, no doubt, heard hundreds of times before, she’d roll her eyes, but not dismissively. There was an eternal sparkle in Mardie’s eyes whenever she looked at Herman. Their lifelong love for one another verily oozed from their pores. What a wonderful inspiration they were to Elaine and me.
Our evening with Herman and Mardie stands in stark contrast to the op-ed piece appearing in the October 22-28 edition of the Indianapolis Business Journal. In this piece, IBJ Publisher Mickey Maurer, a man I hold in very high regard, attacks the newly formed Indiana Christian Chamber of Commerce saying they are “espousing the venom of exclusivity”, while exhorting the Indianapolis business community to “spurn these enterprises and affiliate with organizations that promote good business practices without regard to religious beliefs”. It’s clear from other statements made in the article that Mr. Maurer uncharacteristically failed to do his homework on this well-meaning, upstart organization.
I am not a member of the Indiana Christian Chamber of Commerce nor am I likely to become one. But, I am a committed Christian business owner who fully supports the rights of other like-minded business people to participate in such an organization. Mr. Maurer’s remarks, though poorly researched, highlight the unavoidable fact that some will see such an organization as discriminatory. Knowing many of those involved, I know their motives to be pure and their intentions to be anything but divisive, as Mr. Maurer’s mean-spirited remarks most definitely were. Had he sat down with the organization’s founders before attacking the keyboard, I think he would have found much less to attack them for. It’s not too late, Mickey…I’m pretty sure that’s what my new friend, Herman, would do. | | | | |
| | Sunday, October 14, 2007 | | A Tribute To My Life Friend: S. Franklin Mattox |
 I first met S. Frank Mattox in the band room at Hazelwood Junior High School in New Albany, Indiana –our hometown. We were 12 years old. I last saw him at the Ocean Air Restaurant in downtown Indianapolis about a year ago. We were fifty then. So, the bookends that marked the beginning and end of our life together --from blowing our trumpets in little girls’ ears to pontificating in our usual politically incorrect fashion over a fine meal, were not unlike many of the exciting chapters in between. Whenever Frank and I got together, there was always plenty of hot air to go around.
According to John Eldredge, author of the runaway best-seller, Wild At Heart, the secret of a man’s soul is revealed by three innate and very powerful desires for:
1. A battle to fight 2. A beauty to rescue 3. An adventure to live
Eldredge writes, “Life is not a problem to be solved; it is an adventure to be lived. That’s the nature of it and has been since the beginning when God set the dangerous stage for this high-stakes drama and called the whole wild enterprise good. He rigged the world in such a way that it only works when we embrace risk as the theme of our lives…”
I’ve known few men who pursued “adventures to live” as passionately and successfully as did one Shrewsbury Franklin Mattox --my best friend for many years, my partner in high adventure (and the occasional petty crime). In reflecting over our friendship of four decades, I came to realize how dull life could have been, but for the always open invitation to join Frank’s great adventure.
I used to introduce Frank as my co-partner in crime –my accomplice in nine of the ten worst things I had ever done. Truth told, I thought I was giving him a much undeserved benefit of the doubt on #10. However, in reflecting upon my life with Frank, I realized that the true highlights were not bad things at all, but rather wonderful adventures that not only defined our friendship, but did much to define who I am as a man today.
Perhaps one day, I’ll chronicle the details of my great adventures with Frank. For now, I want to pay tribute to my best friend for being there when I:
• Rode my first motorcycle
• Cooked my first steak on an open fire
• Shot my first goose on the coldest day of my life
• Rode a horse faster than I ever have since
• Became a daytime fisherman and nighttime cat burglar
• Got the dirtiest, smelliest and most refreshed I’ve ever been…all in the same day
• Did the dumbest, strangest, coolest and most dangerous things I’ve ever done…all on different days
• Worked the hardest I’ve ever worked, then enjoyed the sweetest reward I’ve ever received…a cool cup of the best water I’ve ever tasted from a Canadian stream
Continuing with Eldredge, God “rigged the world in such a way that it only works when we embrace risk as the theme of our lives, which is to say, only when we live by faith. A man just won’t be happy until he’s got adventure in his work, in his love and in his spiritual life.”
Few who knew Frank would describe him as a “man of faith”, but all who knew him know that he embraced life as a wonderful adventure to be lived to the fullest. Eldredge’s writings have helped me see that Frank’s unquenchable thirst for adventure was actually his way of living a life of faith…the kind of life we were all meant to live. The Bible has much to say about faith, but the distilled essence can be found in two simple verses:
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see…And without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:1,6)
Admittedly, I am writing this more for myself than for anyone who might stumble into this blog. It seems a much needed step in the grieving process –a process that is still getting harder, rather than easier, every day. Although we often went a year without seeing each other, whenever Frank and I did get together, it was as if time had stood still since last we met. Yet, of course it hadn’t.
I wish we had spent more time being real with one another about today and less time reminiscing about yesterday. We could have done so much more to help one another through the many difficult times that we were experiencing. Looking back, I think we tended to reach out after a crisis had passed rather than in the midst of it. Perhaps this was because neither of us wanted to appear weak to the other? An apparent downside to the profound respect each had for the other.
Advice? Cherish your friends. Reach out to them in joy and in sadness…in good times and bad. Let them know you care about them even when you wonder if they care about you. Hearts are not bound by time and distance. Don’t let anything come between your heart and the hearts of your friends. In this day of email, instant messaging, cell phones and text messaging there’s just no excuse for losing touch with your friends. So, don’t make excuses…make your friends’ day by reaching out to them.
S. Frank Mattox was a prominant attorney in New Albany, Indiana. He died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack on October 6, 2007. His obituary appeared in the New Albany Tribune on October 9. | | | | |
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