We are all people on a journey through this world, that has many, many destinations. June has been a huge month on the road. I have done several Government Technology shows and an event for Cisco. My travels have taken me, and sometimes Darlene, to Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Indianapolis, Jefferson City, Dallas, Harrisburg, PA and all the airports that connect to these cities.
Several years ago at one of my huge events I met a guy named Art. Art felt very strongly that I needed to address Cisco. He had heard many great speakers, and felt I was in a league among the best of the best. So he began the process of introducing me to the Cisco team. It did not work, but as the years went on, he kept pushing and eventually, I was asked to give the closing keynote following one of the major divisional meetings. I got a standing ovation and got to spend an afternoon with my friend and his team later.
In October I spoke at NASCIO, a meeting for the State Chief Information Officers in Miami where I got over 35 shows. A retired Admiral, Bud, was in the audience and wanted dinner with Darlene and I. It lasted 6 hours and we were invited to another get together in Washington, DC. This weekend I was doing an event there and we were able to meet once more. Bud had a few other Admirals and their wives at dinner and we had some of the most stimulating and interesting conversations over the dinner table. It was interesting to hear these Admiral talking about the failure of diplomacy and that war was not the answer. One active Admiral was emphatic about the US withdrawal from the Middle Eastern war theaters.
Today in Indianapolis after rousing applause, a Vietnamese gentleman came up to buy a book and chat, telling me that he completely identified with my story. He explained that he was a lawyer in Vietnam who fled on a raft. After several weeks at sea adrift, the survivors were picked up by a Taiwanese fishing trawler and spent 9 days more at sea heading for Taiwan. He was eventually able to come to America, where he arrived with $5. Yes, $5!!! He started over and today has an important job in the State of Indiana in the IT field. Everyone has a story, but only a few share theirs. Our world will be better when we find out our bonds to each other, and appreciate each other’s journeys.
