When I started a computer sales and service business in 1994, I never thought I would retire from it at the ripe old age of 45. I sold that business to a larger sales outlet named Best Buy and ventured into other areas of making money. While I ran the computer sales and service, I also worked full time as a line technician with Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge in Charlotte NC. After leaving the dealership, I had a great offer from Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick hired me to cut up the old race cars for scrap and I moved my way up to becoming an engine builder for several Nascar teams. I met many of the big named drivers and even became good friends with Dale Jr. Later, I decided to retire to my log cabin in the mountains of NC.
Now there were days when I didn't have two pennies to my name. I struggled like many do today. I remember working at the dealership, building transmissions, and a family on vacation came into the dealership with a minivan, with a slipping transmission. It was late on a Friday and I was actually leaving for vacation with my family the next morning. When the service writer quoted the family for the repairs to their van, I saw the father almost cry. The cost was 1700 dollars and they didn't have it. They were on their way home from Florida to Ohio. I am sure this family could have figured a way to find this money and get the needed repairs but I knew I could help them through it. I went to the father and told him I would cancel my vacation so I could stay late and fix their van, for just the cost of parts, which was 360 dollars. The smile and joy I saw in these families' faces was more than enough for me. So I stay late, fix their van, and off they go.
Many years later, while visiting some of my wife's family in Ohio, I get a speeding ticket. I was clocked doing 78 in a 55. Just as I am about to hire a lawyer and hope he can fix this for me, I get a phone call. The man on the other end of the phone asked me if I were the same guy that fixed a van for a family many years ago. The call was from a judge who was looking over his cases for the next day. He told me that the father of that family was his son. He thanked me for my generosity and tossed out my ticket. He also told me that while he had his seat with the courts I wouldn't have to worry about any more tickets.
I am telling you all this story because I feel this is days of old. In today's world, people have become greedy, selfish, and money-hungry. We have started putting the mighty dollar ahead of principals and values. Treat others as you would want to be treated, is dying. Most would rather put an extra 40 bucks in their own wallet, over helping out a fellow drone pilot. I have seen sellers on eBay who price parts for our lovely birds that are near the price of new, sometimes more. Some will even sell parts that are broken and not tell you, leaving you with less money and having to find another part. It is not about making a living to some, its how much money that could add to their account. Money over friendship. Money over family. Money over most everything. Money is made from cotton and wood and it is just a number. Money is temporary, friends can be lifelong.
As with my story above, karma is real. I never expected to get anything from helping that family and as I said the expression on their faces was payment enough. Over time, I had even almost forgotten about it. Then one day, in a time of need for me, it comes back to thank me. We must learn to push away greed and get back to helping one another. If I have more than I need, I try to use the extra to help someone. My dad always said, "I have never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse".
Now there were days when I didn't have two pennies to my name. I struggled like many do today. I remember working at the dealership, building transmissions, and a family on vacation came into the dealership with a minivan, with a slipping transmission. It was late on a Friday and I was actually leaving for vacation with my family the next morning. When the service writer quoted the family for the repairs to their van, I saw the father almost cry. The cost was 1700 dollars and they didn't have it. They were on their way home from Florida to Ohio. I am sure this family could have figured a way to find this money and get the needed repairs but I knew I could help them through it. I went to the father and told him I would cancel my vacation so I could stay late and fix their van, for just the cost of parts, which was 360 dollars. The smile and joy I saw in these families' faces was more than enough for me. So I stay late, fix their van, and off they go.
Many years later, while visiting some of my wife's family in Ohio, I get a speeding ticket. I was clocked doing 78 in a 55. Just as I am about to hire a lawyer and hope he can fix this for me, I get a phone call. The man on the other end of the phone asked me if I were the same guy that fixed a van for a family many years ago. The call was from a judge who was looking over his cases for the next day. He told me that the father of that family was his son. He thanked me for my generosity and tossed out my ticket. He also told me that while he had his seat with the courts I wouldn't have to worry about any more tickets.
I am telling you all this story because I feel this is days of old. In today's world, people have become greedy, selfish, and money-hungry. We have started putting the mighty dollar ahead of principals and values. Treat others as you would want to be treated, is dying. Most would rather put an extra 40 bucks in their own wallet, over helping out a fellow drone pilot. I have seen sellers on eBay who price parts for our lovely birds that are near the price of new, sometimes more. Some will even sell parts that are broken and not tell you, leaving you with less money and having to find another part. It is not about making a living to some, its how much money that could add to their account. Money over friendship. Money over family. Money over most everything. Money is made from cotton and wood and it is just a number. Money is temporary, friends can be lifelong.
As with my story above, karma is real. I never expected to get anything from helping that family and as I said the expression on their faces was payment enough. Over time, I had even almost forgotten about it. Then one day, in a time of need for me, it comes back to thank me. We must learn to push away greed and get back to helping one another. If I have more than I need, I try to use the extra to help someone. My dad always said, "I have never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse".
