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<< back to the 2003 archive listing << Food Protection Trends COMMENTARY from the executive director We cannot plan for these life-changing events in our personal lives, but we
can live life to the fullest while we have the opportunity As I sit down to write this month’s column, we just endured the Shuttle Columbia tragedy here in the USA as the world kept a watchful eye. It sometimes takes a catastrophe of this magnitude to force us to realize how fragile our lives are. Seven lives were taken during the shuttle’s reentry to earth’s atmosphere as each of the astronauts reached the prime of their careers. Such a sad event when you think about it. They were taken from their families without notice. They were taken from the world of science without forewarning. Some of the best minds in aeronautic and space exploration along with their family ties are severed from the world, as we know it. What does this have to do with the International Association for Food Protection or IAFP Members you may ask? A lot, I think! We cannot plan for these life-changing events in our personal lives, but we can live life to the fullest while we have the opportunity! Think about your own personal life or the lives of others close to you. Think of friends, colleagues, business associates, your children, your parents and grand-parents, and aunts or uncles. Almost everyone has experienced the death of a loved one or a close friend. Yes, it can be sad for those of us left on earth to live on after such an event. But it can also be an impetus to force change in our lives. Good change. These types of tragedies cause us to take a look at ourselves and give us reason to pause and reflect on our own lives. What are we doing well and what should we be doing to improve our lives and our relationships with others? Do we have a balance between family time and work time? How does our life affect others? We probably ponder these questions frequently, but even more often when lives are known to be so fragile and it seems that it takes a tragedy to make us more aware of these issues. On the Saturday of the Columbia tragedy, I was just concluding a weeklong skiing vacation with my wife Connie. We were packing for our return to Des Moines the morning that the news came on the television stating that NASA had lost communication with the Shuttle. As more information became available, it was evident that the Columbia crew was lost. I bring this up because the week I had with Connie in Utah was the first time in a long, long time that I had traveled with her and left my computer at the office! She was so pleased by this action it was amazing. She was overjoyed to have my undivided attention. These little actions can make a big difference in the way that our loved ones perceive us. It is important to give our full attention to family members when spending time together. In our busy world, this becomes more difficult daily as additional means of communication are developed. Sometimes though, it is good to get away from it all! Another part of the interaction between family, friends, colleagues, etc. is your health. You must maintain your good health in order to continue your life — it is that simple. Without good health, you will not have the opportunity to develop relationships with family, friends, colleagues and business associates. You will not be able to spend quality time with your family and eventually, you will not be here to share in their accomplishments. Take good care of your health and live long! This brings me back to the crew of the Shuttle Columbia. Each time the Shuttle goes to orbit the earth, there are literally hundreds of experiments conducted during its flight. Many of these experiments are carried out in an effort to find cures for diseases that are intended to extend our lives. While the astronauts knew fully the risk they faced by traveling to outer space, they assumed this risk to make our lives better and more fully livable. We should all pause for a moment to thank them for the sacrifice they made for the good of mankind. |