A few doors east of our store is the Moss Park Restaurant. This place is a small diner that has been in business since Christ was a carpenter and it is run by my friend Spiros. I still remember the first day I walked into the restaurant for breakfast because, well, how do I put this? Let’s just say I was the only one wearing a suit. That first morning when I walked in more than a few people seated in the restaurant looked at me as I sat down for breakfast beside them with a “What are YOU doing HERE?” look. I smiled and said hello to everyone whose eyes locked with mine and as soon as they recognized that I was comfortable in their presence and willing to give them the courtesy everyone wants to receive, Spiros came over and asked quietly if I wanted a coffee. I looked up at him that morning, smiled and said, “Absolutely!” and a friendship was struck.

Spriros is originally from Greece and ironically is from the same town in which our store manager, Vasilios “Bill” Katraouras, was born. How’s that for a small world? That connection with Bill and my frequent trips back with suppliers and friends to what I often refer to as my ‘satellite office’ have solidified my acceptance within the Moss Park community and I appreciate being welcomed into the neighbourhood. In hindsight I now recognize that first visit was likely one of those moments that could have gone REALLY badly. A lot of the people who come here have fallen on hard times and my sitting among them in a business suit was not intended to make anyone uncomfortable. We were all wearing what we normally wear during the week. What it came down to was how we treated one another. With kindness and respect. I was raised to accept people as they are, help when I can, and be humble. I will be forever thankful that my parents instilled those goals in me – and I will also be the first to admit that I sometimes lose site of those goals. Thankfully, when that happens my family is there to gently remind me to not get too full of myself because, as the saying goes, “There but for the grace of God go I…” I am also thankful that my oldest sister Ferol (who recently passed away) took me aside after I graduated from university all those years ago and explained to me that if I wanted to get ahead in life (and in business) I had to always remember that ‘bosses’ are not the ones who run the world – it is their employees who do. I have always kept that lesson in mind and I try to make a point every day of asking people how they are doing. Perhaps unlike others, I look them in the eye when I say it and take a few moments when I can to chat because, well, it makes a difference. The people with whom I speak may not think their response makes a difference to my day, but it does. Ferol and my mom and dad made me realize that treating people with respect – even when simply asking if they are having a nice day – means something. I do it because it means something to me as well and I want to set a good example for my son Jake.

On that note, I look forward to bringing Jake and his mom down to the Moss Park Restaurant and introducing them to Spiros and the other people I see at the restaurant because it makes a difference. Even a small one…

After the service I took the long way home so I could drive through the countryside and when I got to my computer I had the following link waiting for me that I thought under the circumstances was the perfect way to end the day.

Tim – here’s to you. And Mom, I hope you’re doing well… I am thankful for having known you both.

http://tedxtalks.ted.com/embed/player/container/1280/666/?layout=&content_type=content_item&playlist_cid=&media_type=video&content=S0V11804QXQR55CR&read_more=1&widget_type_cid=svp&referrer=http%3A%2F%2F36ohk6dgmcd1n-c.c.yom.mail.yahoo.net%2Fom%2Fapi%2F1.0%2Fopenmail.app.invoke%2F36ohk6dgmcd1n%2F9%2F1.0.35%2Fca_rogers%2Fen-CA-x-rogers%2Fview.html

There comes a time in everyone’s life when you are confronted with a situation where you are faced with having to make a decision to either speak up or shut up. You can resign yourself to accepting the circumstances or take action based on principle and risk the consequences. I had one of those situations earlier this year in my ‘day’ job and after thinking about how I was raised and in what I believe I made a decision effective today that will affect my life from this day forward. I may suffer financially but my integrity is worth more to me than any payment I might receive by overlooking a lapse in ethics. Am I being naive? Perhaps. But in my books a person either has principles or they do not and today is the start of a new chapter in my life.

I can not say anything further at the moment but as I get older and experience situations like this I look back fondly on how my parents raised our family and I appreciate the example they set, the ethics they instilled and the love they shared. I hope that I pass these same things along to my son as well as they did to my siblings and me. It starts with knowing right from wrong, having – and living by – a set of principles and having the faith to believe in what those principles represent.

Thanks Mom & Dad. Today is the start of a new chapter and I am raring to get it underway!

We are also fortunate that Aimee’s mother Ollie is in town to join us for the weekend. I don’t think I could ask for a better in-law and I am thankful for our relationship. She lost her husband last year and while tomorrow may be difficult for her we hope that our son Jake’s presence will help ease the burden of sorrow she carries.

There will be a lot of laughs tomorrow and we absolutely have much to celebrate and for which to be thankful… not the least of which is my own mother and my memories of her.

Miss you Mom. I wish you were here to share in the day…