A New Year, a New Candle

I wanted to share a thoughtful story written by my little sister, Lori Keeton.  She says Happy New Year so eloquently......

A New Candle

It is that time of year again.  Have you been thinking about your light this year?  I know I have.  And some days I let is shine.  Other days, not so much. 

2010 has been a tough year for many of my closest friends.  When I thought about my resolution for this year, I kept coming back to the many losses that have occurred in 2010.  I guess my friends and I are unfortunately reaching the age where we begin to lose our parents.  And it is horrible.    

I have found myself saying  frequently “Aren’t you glad it’s over?” in reference to the firsts… the first Thanksgivings, the first Christmases, the first birthdays and the first of so many other things that no one even thinks about.  The first time you go back home and smell the perfume of the one you loved.  The first time you see their handwriting.  The first time you reach for the phone to call them and realize you can’t.  And then there is the fact that so many people literally seem afraid of you.  In their fear of saying the wrong thing, they say nothing at all.  They avoid you.  And it only adds to the hurt.  And the time you don’t spend feeling sad for yourself, you spend worrying about the others in your family who are suffering as well.  It is overwhelming. 

So this year when I went with my mother and her best friends to Christmas Eve church service and they handed me a candle, I did not feel the usual happiness I feel in connection with this ritual.  I felt like the whole world should be mourning for the pain that I knew so many of my closest friends were feeling on that Christmas Eve night.  But I took the candle anyway.  And as I sat listening to the service and the minister speaking about the birth of Jesus being a sign of hope and renewal, I noticed something about my candle.  It was brand new.   I leaned over and checked out my mom’s candle too and whispered  “It’s brand new.”  Though I know she thought I was crazy, she is my mother who loves me so she just smiled and nodded.  But it was so important to me.   In years past, I had always been given the candles that looked like they had seen many Christmas Eve services and had very little left to give.  But not this year.  This year the wick was white having never been lit, and the candle itself was perfectly smooth. 

When I lit the candle for the first time, I thought about the year and about how hard it had been for so many that I love.  And at that moment I prayed for them- and for each of us- to be able to start 2011 with a brand new candle- a candle, a light, that is comprised of all each of us has lost and all we have gained from the losses.  A light that keeps the memories of those we have lost alive but also that radiates  the gift of our lives and the knowledge that those who have passed on would want us to let our lights shine brightly.  Because through us so too do their lights shine.  Always. 

Happy New Year. 

Thank You to All the Veterans, Past and Present

It is with utmost gratitude that I say THANK YOU to all those soldiers and all those military families, past and present, who made and who continue to make our great country safe, free and fully democratic.  We honor you today.

The Power of Giving to a Great Cause

On October 17th I joined 350 other cyclists who challenged their minds, body and spirit by participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Ride for the Cure in Death Valley, California.   My heartfelt thanks to all of those people who so generously supported me in my efforts to raise money to fight Type 1, or Juvenile, Diabetes.   The ride was 105 miles.  It was hilly and there were headwinds.  The temperature was well over 105 degrees, WITH humidity.   They NEVER have humidity in Death Valley!!!   I made it up Jubilee Pass….the 6 mile “hill” that just about kicked my um, uh, backside.  Over an hour up and less than 12 minutes down.  It was a bear.  The photo, me on the left, is proof that I did, in fact, make it to the top!

But the inspirational stories coming out of the race are too numerous to mention.  I would love to share my stories about the rider who had his kidney and pancreas transplant…last November.  Or the mother who recruited 16 participants in honor of her son who died earlier this year from complications from Type 1.  Or the countless families riding together in support of their sons or daughters who have the disease.  And then there is my hero, Mary Brown from Cincinnati, who rode 82 miles.  Her goal was to ride her age of 80 and she beat that jaw dropping number.  Wow!!   What an incredibly inspiring woman. What an incredible weekend. 

And what incredible generosity!  The 350 riders raised over 1.3 million dollars to fund research for a cure.

CONNIE ENGEL NAMED TO PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE

(CHICAGO, IL)  Connie Engel of Prudential Rubloff has been named to the prestigious President’s Circle for 2009 by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., a Prudential Financial, Inc. [NYSE:PRU] company. The award recognizes residential sales professionals who exemplified great sales measures in closed residential gross commission income, commercial gross commission income or closed 50 residential units for the year.
Connie was recognized during Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services’ Sales Convention held in Austin, Texas from March 6-8. The annual business event was attended by real estate professionals from the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“We are so proud of Connie and her performance achievement in 2009,” said Michael Pierson, President and Chairman of Prudential Rubloff. “As a President’s Circle recipient, Connie is among the top three percent of the Prudential Real Estate Network, which has approximately 60,000 sales professionals. Connie has always pursued excellence in customer service and serves as an example of the success that can be achieved by having a high standard of integrity and professionalism.”
Prudential Rubloff, which is independently owned and operated, became an affiliate of the Prudential Real Estate Network in 2009. Rubloff was founded in 1930. The company recently received the Gibraltar Circle Award as one of the Top 50 companies in the Prudential Real Estate Affiliate Network.
Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services is Prudential’s integrated real estate brokerage franchise and relocation services business. Prudential Real Estate franchises are independently owned and operated. Companies are selected based upon outstanding performance records, high levels of customer service and shared business values with those of Prudential. Prudential Real Estate provides franchises with business strategies using Operation Reviews as well as numerous benefits, including access to the Online Seller AdvantageSM program designed to provide real-time information to sellers with the touch of a keystroke. Prudential Real Estate is one of the largest real estate brokerage franchise networks in North America, with nearly 1,700 franchise offices and approximately 60,000 sales professionals in the franchise Network as of December 31, 2009.

Chicago Realtor Connie Engel Receives Platinum Service Recognition

Connie Engel of Prudential Rubloff Properties in Chicago, IL has repeated the previous year’s achievement of being granted the highest level of service achievement in the real estate industry, Quality Service Certified® Platinum. The award is in recognition of earning 100% client service satisfaction in 2009 as measured by Leading Research Corporation (LRC).

A Quality Service Certified (QSC) award status is the only recognition in the real estate industry based on independently validated customer satisfaction survey results. After the conclusion of real estate transactions, clients of QSC agents receive a survey, asking them to rate the agent on various aspects of the service process. The surveys are administered and the results are received and compiled by LRC.

Client feedback from the surveys becomes part of the agent’s credentials. An overall satisfaction rating is displayed on a consumer website (www.QualityService.org) where sellers and buyers have the ability to select a real estate professional based upon each agent’s validated record of service satisfaction.

“Nothing is more important to a prospective client in selecting a professional than the service results achieved with past clients,” says Larry D. Romito, President and CEO of QSC. He adds, “Consumers have greater confidence in service reliability, results and satisfaction with a Quality Service Certified real estate professional because they know that the agent’s service record has been validated by an independent third party. 100% service satisfaction record like Connie Engel has achieved is just awesome.”