October 11, 2023
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Although I am not the most contemplative person, I have to admit I spent more time than usual this weekend pondering the ‘big picture’ of life! I had my 95-year-old mom staying with me, and as I reminded her repeatedly “what day it was” I realized that there was a high probability that this may be my last thanksgiving holiday with her, or at least the last time that she is able to stay with me at my home. She is failing rapidly, so this weekend drove home to me the importance of looking at the big picture, of not getting caught up in the minutiae of the situation, but of stepping back and appreciating the moment – as it is fleeting. I was also obsessed with the horrifying news pertaining to the escalation in tensions between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It was like watching an episode a of Fauda (a fantastic NETFLIX series that I highly recommend). But this time the conflict is for real and not a TV series designed to entertain! It certainly made me realize that we can take nothing for granted, and that we need to make giving thanks a regular occurrence and not a weekend event! Over the past three years or so, we have witnessed horrifying and unexpected events which will shape the future for years to come. For me this underscores the need to be thankful for the peace and prosperity we so often take for granted. The weekend with my elderly mother also provoked an interesting conversation between my husband and I concerning the need to ‘think again!’ Why is it that we have automated food dispensers for our pets in a variety of styles, shapes and colours, but no pill dispensers that “speak” to the elderly at 8 in the morning reminding them to take their medication – and then dispense the exact medication that is required? And then again at noon and before they go to bed? An aggressive search on my iphone did not yield anything close to what my mom requires – a friendly voice, a large screen displaying the time and date, an automated sorting system that accurately dispenses her required medication, and a sensor system that determines whether she actually takes the medication out of the tray – and if not, calls me on my cell phone so that I can ensure someone comes by to deal with the problem! And I forgot one thing………. in a container that she can actually manage with her arthritic fingers! Here is a pressing need (and a business opportunity?) about which somebody sure needs to “think again”. I also was reflecting on my upcoming week, and recognized how thankful I am for the OG100 team, as they get ready to ensure our cyber security event with iSentire meets the high standards that our members are accustomed to. This week we will also be finalizing our 2024 program. Here I would be remiss to not ask you to “think again” and complete the survey we sent to you a few weeks back. We need to know your views if we are to hit the mark on the topics that are keeping you up at night. So please, if you are not one of the nine members who have completed our survey, please “think again” and take a few minutes and help us out! And all this reflective thinking was going on as I was making Thanksgiving dinner. Mind you it was the same five dishes that we MUST have every Thanksgiving because heaven help us if we change the dinner menu up a bit! I tried that once and never heard the end of it……… |