Reflections on the Way to Work

Growing up in Queens, New York, our family subscribed to the daily Long Island Press, a local paper that reported on local news. The paper went out of business in 1977. My mother would read the Long Island Press regularly, including the obituary column. When I was in grammar school I remember asking my Mom one day “why are you reading the obituary column, did someone you know die.” She said “no, but there might be a notice about someone you knew in your life but lost touch with.” I thought it odd at the time but didn’t pay it much attention.

When the Long Island Press went out of publication we began to subscribe to the New York Times (“NYT”). As I began to read the New York Times diligently every day I was drawn to the obituary column. I finally realized why my Mother would read this section in the Long Island Press.

So why is an obituary column, so meaningful to me? Because it is one of the most interesting, inspiring and historic documentaries on society; on how individuals lived their lives, some notoriously famous, some not, but each, accomplished in their own right. Death and obituary announcements, unlike life, do not discriminate against age, race, religion, sex or stature in life.

We live today in a society where the headline news is filled with role models, heroes and heroines not necessarily because of their accomplishments, but more because of the underlying controversy or scandal they are involved in.

It is in the obituary column that we should find our heroes, heroines, and role models. It is a source of inspiration to accomplish more in our lives, to believe in our own power and capabilities. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on how, like others that have gone before us, we can make a difference in the world however small or grand, and at whatever age we begin.

On any given day in the obituary column you will learn about history, inventors, scientific discoveries, fashion, theatre, musicians, academics and individuals living good down to earth ordinary lives. Some have been extraordinary in their accomplishments and others, ordinary people living their daily lives in an extraordinary manner. Reading the obituary column triggers a curiosity to learn more on a topic, do more or be personally inspired by the life one has lived.

For all the inspiration the obituary announcements provide, there is, however, one oddity about them that is both interesting and puzzling and more prevalent than one would realize. When a person passes away late in life the obituary is often accompanied by photo of the person when they were in their 20’s or 30s. Not really sure why that is but it does cause you to pause and a do a double take when you are reading the announcement.

While there are so many announcements I could have included in this reflection, one more inspirational than the other. I selected two randomly. The first, to make a point that there are so many every day gadgets, inventions, brands, that we take for granted without knowing the legacy of how they got their start. Unfortunately, it is sometimes, interesting information that we only come to know when we read an obituary announcement. The other announcement chosen is to make the point that while someone may not be a household name, it shows the power of how one person can make a difference in the world. I am not including their full obituaries, I recommend you look up their obituary announcements because while I touch a little on what was written about them, their stories are so much more inspirational and their lives so much more interesting than what I included.

If you take McDonald’s, a fast food chain, globally recognizable, however, do you know the man behind the brand that built the franchise? If you read Ray Kroc’s obituary notice when he passed away you would have learned all about Ray Kroc, the man behind the franchise. You would also have learned that he started McDonalds in Chicago in 1955, when he was in his 50s, and that he also bought the San Diego Padres in 1974. He was a piano player and a former salesman of paper cups ad milkshake machines.   He went to public schools and did not graduate high school. In World War I he drove an ambulance.

Another example is that of Anne Heyman, less known than the McDonalds brand, but as inspirational. Anne Heyman, a mother, wife and philanthropist, passed away unexpectedly at 52. She gave up a legal career to devote herself to philanthropic work in Rwanda helping orphaned teenagers and what a difference she has made in the lives of those teenagers.

Every day, obituaries of ordinary and extraordinary lives are a source of inspiration to me and I hope, if they have not been part of your daily reading, that you will look to them for inspiration!

Now, on wedding announcements…….interesting for similar but also for different reasons. No, I don’t read them because I am a hopeless romantic, actually quite the opposite. Wedding announcements are interesting to read because of the sociological and socio-economical perspective they provide, they are reflective of the sign of the times. It is also extremely interesting to read about the different occupations people have and the companies they work at.

I have been reading the wedding announcements since the late 1980s. From a socio-economic perspective, during the strong economy, the wedding announcements tended to be reflective of individuals that worked in the financial services industry and tended to be less diversified. Wedding receptions tended to be on the extravagant side. The age group were typically mid 20s- mid 30s. As time moved on, you saw more diversity in the announcements, in terms of age, race and occupation. However, it was not until the financial crisis in 2008 that you saw a distinct difference in the announcements. The announcements moved away from people in the financial industry. You started to see more in the medical field, the educational field, technology and the science field. You also saw much more diversification in terms of age, nationality and race. As gay marriage became legalized, you also see many more announcements of gay marriages.

As wedding trends have changed over the years you see that reflected in the announcements. For instance, destination weddings became very popular for a period of time and you saw that reflected in the wedding announcements. As internet dating has grown, you see that many people are meeting their significant others through internet dating sites.

Growing up, as well as during transitional career periods many people consult the Occupation Outlook Handbook. It is one of the most widely used reference guides on career information. It provides details of occupations, what workers do, where they work, the types of education and training requirements and job outlooks.

One of the main reasons why I like to read wedding announcements is because it is like reading a mini Occupational Handbook. It is a great source of career information that crosses multiple occupations, education, companies, and jurisdiction. Again, as in obituary notices, in wedding announcements, you also learn about companies, types of degrees or career paths taken to lead to a job and or occupation.  You also learn about so many charitable organizations that people dedicate their time to.

Once in a while you actually even see someone you “know” that is getting married, a news reporter, a lawyer you worked with, the son or daughter of someone you worked with or grew up with, so it is interesting to “catch up” on the lives of people that you crossed paths with sometime during your life.

Ok, I will admit, while it does not happen very often, there is an occasional wedding announcement that I read that even for me has the “ahhhhh” factor and brings a tear to my eye because of the beautiful, romantic story of how the couple met or because of the story behind their wedding.

So that is why no matter how little time I have to read the paper, I always make sure I read the obituary and wedding announcements. In particular, the obituary columns as I continue to be inspired, enlightened and challenged by the legacy of those who have passed through this life before me and whose legacy continues to live on in their passing.