A wonderful shot of the Portland Lighthouse commissioned by George Washington. One of many incredible photos of New England splendor.
Every now and then I get the chance to speak to a young person about their lives and their career aspirations.
They all seem to be in a rush and I suppose that’s good. I was too when I was twentysomething. In time, you learn to slow down. In fact, you long to slow down.
The young people I meet with all want to be connected to people who can move them ahead and that’s cool.
I did too.
And if I can, I try to help them, but with one condition: that they listen and learn from the people they meet along the way.
Careers are often described as a ladder and we are urged to climb ever higher— rung by rung.
But life is more like a meandering path, with starts, stops, new roads, a bunch of obstacles, oceans, mountains and hopefully time to stop and reflect.
So I urge those who seek my help to build relationships and be open to learning—those relationships will enrich you in ways that defy description.
It’s OK to ask for help or request that a door be opened, but if you don’t pause to learn from those around you, ultimately you are cheating yourself.
I’m fortunate and very, very grateful to have a number of special people in my orbit who I continue to learn from as I slide well into middle age. I’ve learned that you are never too old to learn and in many ways the older I get, it seems the more questions I have and the more knowledge I need to help me navigate life.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying that I have made a special friend in retired Delray and Boca fire chief Kerry Koen.
Chief Koen was very helpful to me during my term in office, which ended long ago. But he has been even more helpful to me as the years have passed.
I’m not sure that he knows it, but Kerry is a wonderful teacher.
He’s well-read and has traveled to places that resonate with me. He always brings back beautiful photographs for me and others to look at over long Friday afternoon lunches that cover a whole range of subjects from history and politics to cities and society. I feel special that he takes the time to show me and to teach me what he’s learned and what he’s seen. It’s a gift. And it’s priceless.
A collection of his wonderful photos—some look like paintings—are available for all to see until Friday, Oct. 25 in the front entrance of the Boca Public Library, 400 NW Second Avenue.
“Autumn in New England” depicts my favorite part of the country in all of its colorful splendor. It’s a spectacular exhibit.
Recently, members of a breakfast group that I sometimes visit, broke with routine and re-located from Ellie’s Diner to Tom Sawyer’s in Boca so that we could accompany Kerry for a personal tour of the exhibit.
Over breakfast, we talked and joked about the usual stuff before we followed Kerry to the downtown library where for 30 minutes or so we were transported to New England.
Make sure to visit, it’s worth your time. The photos are breathtaking.
Meanwhile, I made sure to schedule my next lunch with Chief Koen. I want to talk about local and national politics, history, management, cities and a whole range of things with a wonderful friend, teacher and man.
I have a whole lot left to learn and even more to do.
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