Greatness Is a Choice

CHAPTER 26HONOR YOUR ANCESTORS AND YOUR LEGACY

I was born to Jewish parents who had many family members perish in the Holocaust and whose entire generation was scarred by it. Their parents fled a hostile situation in Europe and were blessed to gain entry to the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. However, they came with no useful work or language skills, or connections to help them find their footing in this new and strange land. When I reflect on my grandparents' lives, they seem to have been an ongoing struggle for survival. Unlike so many today who whine that they're not having fun or are not being properly respected, my grandparents and their generation never expected fun, good times, or any accommodations to their needs and sensitivities. Their world was hard, and they fought mightily to put food on the table for their families.

At the same time, I remember my grandparents as eternally giving and almost always focused on their grandchildren. It was obvious that they knew that their legacy would be tied to how well their descendants' lives turned out. My four grandparents, and especially my maternal grandmother, taught me the value of giving selflessly to others. My granny was a true saint. More than anyone I've known, she showed devotion to me and my brother's needs, the memory of which inspires me daily. Inspired by her, I try to lead a life of generosity, imbued with an abundance mentality.

Although my grandparents came to America without a formal education, they understood ...