life can throw you some curve balls

Sometimes, life can throw you some curve balls. Once the pitcher releases his pitch,
a batter has two choices, really, to try to hit it, or to let it go.

I have been thinking, that life is a little like that. This past week, I went to two funerals, loaded
with emotion. I had to say goodbye to my 92 year old aunt Goldie, probably the closest relative
I have known in my life, my late father's sister. The other funeral was for a very close friend's
mother.

It may sound weird, but neither of these funerals were tragic in the strict sense of the word,
but more like sessions on life and how people live their lives.

My aunt, as long as I have known her, has a tatto, on her arm; it was a number the Nazi's put
on her arm to number her when she entered the concentration camp, Aushwitz. She was a Survivor, of some of the worst horrors of the 20th Century. She survived the camp, saved her
younger sister there and went on to mother two daughter and a full wonderful life.

My friend's mother, who I had known a little, had lived a remarkable life, herself. More than one person eulogized her as never having heard her ever utter a bad word about any other person her entire life. I do not think they were stretching the truth, by any means.

I was struck and mesmerized by the life stories of these women and all the people who gave tribute to both of them. So how does this relate to Box Brothers and our business? Good question.

Each and every day, we interact with other people, fellow co workers, vendors and of course,
customers. Sometimes, we get the chance to really help people both our fellow employees
and sometimes, customers who are trying to get some important things done.

It makes all the difference to be able to treat people with respect and with admiration, and to be
able to say you did a good job, at the end of a day of work. To take some satisfaction outof the little things we do to help our customers live a little better life. If it means packign a box for a customer in order to make it on the truck that day, so their package is on time for the birthday
they are trying to recognize. Or for the prospective employee, who needs his resume delivered
the next day, so he can find some work and support his family, or for our employees who get
caught with a sudden expense that they did not anticipate.

I have never turned down an employee who needs money for rent or food or for an important
need. They are my family and I hope they know that I will do whatever I can to protect them.
It is one of the reasons that I love my job, that I can actually help my customers and my employees to just have one less worry in the world. It may not sound like much, but if everyone
felt the same way, it would be hard not imagine a better world for all of us.

The loss of loved ones is signficant, but I do believe that the lessons of their lives will help me be a better person, for not only knowing them, but understanding that day by day, little by little, one's actions do mean something and they add up.

I have learned much and I hope to learn and do even more, in the future.