"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." - Vince Lombardi

Time... I must first say that I am beyond relieved that Matt, Vince’s son made it through his ‘vehicular mishap’ in one piece. My thoughts and prayers are with them… Vince, tell me if this is true: "Between the ages of twelve and seventeen a parent can age thirty years." - Sam Levenson (- and does it stop at seventeen???) Today I met a man I’d spoken with on the phone several times as I was organizing a conference. As a safety manager my goal was to reach our folks with a deep and probing message, above the usual standard safety stuff.. And this man did it today, at least for a few people. He’s had a very interesting career path to say the least. He worked as a mechanic for a large corporation, a foundry... the type of business I was in before entering the fine world of chemicals. He was one of those people that people like me get ulcers over... the kind that have a safety record a mile long and take chances constantly. So, he’s been a mechanic, a reporter, an ambulance driver, an embalmer, a supervisor… and now... he’s an amazing motivational speaker, because what he says, he says from the heart… He has a voice, and today: he was heard. He makes no excuses for his behavior, he was often times reckless, and it cost him an eye, he can no longer lift things since he wrecked his back after a fall, and it will cost him his life. And time... time he won’t have with his 4 grandkids, 2 children and his wife... You see… he didn’t wear gloves, ever, when he embalmed bodies. And the inevitable happened. He contracted a very rare and deadly form of Hepatitis, he was infected through a cut on his finger. And he has now survived past the normal expectancy of about 12 years for someone with this disease. As I celebrated Thanksgiving with my Chicklet and Dad this year, and visited Mom in the hospital, I struggled with the knowledge that this was certainly Mom’s last Thanksgiving. He struggled with the same thought about the time he has left with his own family… He’ll get to spend what seems to be his last Christmas with his family this year... I do this every night, but I took a little extra time today.. do me a favor.. hug your kids, your spouse, heck, hug your pets… tell the people you love just how important they are to you.. this man doesn’t have much time left… and when his light finally does go out, the world will be a little darker.. And I’ll have a lost my latest friend… I love you all more than my luggage! Hugs, hugs, hugs, hugs, smooches and gropes!