Growing People

An ancient Chinese proverb advises

If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain

If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees

If you want a hundred years of prosperity, grow people.

My Grandfather, Arthur Aloysius Leroy “Heart-breaker” Maguire was a people grower. I thought he was a people collector, but in my reflections I now know he was a people grower. He was a projectionist in movie theaters during the Great Depression. While he did well, and his family never did without the necessities, he made sure that anyone he came in contact with was ok too. But more than making sure they were feed and had a place to lay their head, he made sure they had encouragement, and the feeling that someone believed in them and they were connected to the resources they needed.

He had a big head; as a child I didn’t realize that it was the look of an Irishman’s Irishman, I just thought that he knew everything and had to have a big brain to hold it all. He had wonderful expressions, which I didn’t understand, but sounded wise and made me think. One of my favorites, ‘you can lead a horse to water, you can’t make him drink, but you can salt their oats and make them thirsty;’ wow, when I finally got that one it was a life changing epiphany.

He had a network that was incredible; people who he could trust to do what they said, when, where and how they said because they so respected him, they could never conceive of letting him down. If anyone needed anything or wanted to know something, they came to Mac - if he didn't know the right person, they weren't worth knowing.

I aspire to be that person, the person who helps people see their inner glory, to open their awareness, help them to recognize when they give their best, the world’s best might find its way back to them. More importantly, that this is a no score proposition, when others win, we all win, but you don’t help others to win so you will, but because it is just the right thing to do.