90 Years Young

Today, April 21st, 2011 is my maternal grandmother's 90th birthday.

90 years.  Can you possibly imagine all of the changes that have transpired during her lifetime?  

There were two World Wars, the US put a man on the moon, then the Vietnam War took hold of her homeland and forced her to flee to America, saw her daughter get married, had grandchildren (my little sister & myself), saw her grandchildren graduate from college.  All of this occurred while the television was being invented, computers were being developed, cellphones were propagating, and finally there was the rise of the Internet.  I am glossing over so many other developments in the world at large, too.

So what does it mean to witness all of that in a lifetime?  What makes life worth living?  I asked her this earlier today when I phoned her to wish her a happy birthday.  Her response was simple: family and how proud she was of all of us.

I love you, grandma.  I've known you all my life and with each passing day that I get to spend with you, I treasure.

 

Posted via email by David Dat Nguyen

The Joy Of Meeting New People

I love meeting new people.  It is quite the thrill.  

My general theory to life is simple:  Everyone has a story.  We all have a past that defines us, but we all don't necessarily know where we are going.

It is the hope for a brighter future and the desire to make life just a little bit better with each passing day that keeps us all moving forward.  From the guy working the drive-through window at McDonald's to the woman entrepreneur, we all have a unique story and a different set of ambitions.

So back to why I like meeting new people.  Most days are quite routine and monotonous for a great number of people, but it is often the new people that we meet on a day to day basis that adds that bit of spice to our lives.  After a few choice encounters, I have realized that each new person that I meet has a great deal of information that I can learn from.

Nothing is better than listening to a good story; they make me smile.  So if you have a good story to tell, let me buy you a drink, and let's chat.

 

Posted via email by David Dat Nguyen