She was reminiscing recently about her father Otto. His father had learned the trade of cement and making cement blocks. From these skills came two companies, and at one point Otto was president of both. She said, Otto was always looking for ways to upgrade. He bought new machinery to create blocks with different textures and better products. The others may not have agreed nor understood, but Otto wanted to improve and offer clients more. He always did so with integrity and fair competition. My father watched his father-in-law, Otto and it made a deep impression on the way he lived his life and his business pursuits. He said, "Otto because he was a visionary man, fit into my concept of what I wanted to in life... He was never satisfied with the status quo."
What mom shared was very helpful to me. I realized the stories of my people are my stories too. His desire to move forward became encouragement for me. Otto had vision. He knew what he wanted. He spent time and effort to create a better experience for others in the cast stone business. Perhaps part of getting unstuck may be to create the vision of where I want to be. I can think about what I want others to experience as a result of my efforts. To do this requires faith in one's abilities to contribute something of value to others. I can envision the results. I can refuse to accept the status quo in my life. After all, I come from him! I can be visionary and push forward as well. New ways to think from one conversation, one example, of one connected to my DNA.
When we learn about the past,
we gather strength for the future.
-Hank Smith
