Timing Beyond or Within Control #cindertoflame

The right time to take action is associated with success. When timing is beyond our control, the results are unpredictable and I will share a humorous personal story. Then we will conclude on a serious note, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities, when timing is within your control.

I was 25 years old when I received this evening phone call: “I just arrived from the Philippines and read about you in a magazine. You wanted friends…Well, here I am!” Astonished and perplexed, I vaguely remember applying for a penpal in an Archie comic book when I was 16. Then, nine years later, responses flooded in. I was no longer living at home and forgot to warn my father, who received foreign mail in packs of 50. His friend, the postman, thought it was weird. My dad replied, “I guess my daughter has lots of friends!”

Over five years, I received 438 letters, 29 were from females. Writers ranged in age from 12 to 45 years old. Many of the writers were sailors from Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, China, Kuwait, India, Iraq, Germany, Greece and Spain.

Even the post office memorized our address. If an incorrect address was written, they added “try 195 Hespeler”. My teenage brothers brought bags of mail over to my apartment. They also brought their friends and we read every letter. Some letters greeted me with new nicknames - “Borah” and “Debbo”.

Here are the opening lines (quotations) from eight letters:

“You were one of the many advertised faces in Wakasan comics, the people who needs people, lonely people section.”
“There can be no happier day in my life than when I read your name in a komiks magazine.”
“I read about you in our weekly amusement magazine.”
“Well, your name is so popular, that even someone in Jeddah knows you!”
“Peace! Perhaps you’re surprised receiving a letter from this deserted desert place. Har, har …”
“When I saw your picture in the magazine, a wonderful feeling started to engulf my soul.”
“My friend, if you permit me to be one of your million friends.”
“Include me as one of your billion friends.”

This true story is an absurd example of how “timing” is sometimes beyond our control. The situation is completely different when you can control and take charge of the timing.

Building corporate culture is an ongoing process that evolves slowly over time. Therefore, alignment for major innovation should not be delayed until current solutions to corporate challenges run dry. Case studies of Corporations who were complacent - believing that their current successful position would continue into future years - have a story that describes their regression or demise.

Do you live in a city? Regression of large, progressive cities is happening across North America due to the high cost of living. When a city’s complex challenges are unresolved and continue to escalate, there is a growing trend for the middle class to relocate to the suburbs and smaller municipalities to manage the cost of living and seek a better quality of life.

However, those who cannot afford to relocate may face homelessness and food insecurity, both of which impact the social determinants of health and escalate health care utilization and costs. Some opine that political policy agendas are to blame, coupled with a slow response, and insufficient solutions to address these big issues.

Cinder to Flame helps Corporations solve complex challenges with strategic services that energize people, fuel a healthy corporate culture and ignite major innovation.

Together, we can rekindle hope, with a shared vision for sustainable, quality living. This begins with a paradigm shift in both thinking and action, centred on a social purpose. This requires a coordinated effort by all levels of government (public sector) and participation of private sector Corporations who are ready to find ways to give back to people living in communities.

Is your Corporation seeking more robust solutions to complex challenges? Is your municipality struggling with lack of affordable, safe housing and food insecurity?

Are you ready to generate more innovative solutions?

Let's connect: https://www.cindertoflame.ca/contact

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