Remembrance - 17 + 17 this year

Although regularly in my thoughts, it has been a while since I have made a point of being grateful for the years I spent with my daughter Jayne, and shared something meaningful about her with others. I realized today that it is 17 years since she passed, which is also the same amount of time I shared her life till we lost her to a terminal brain tumor.

Each year I celebrate her life on her birthday, which is next week.

I have sometimes read angry comments on LinkedIn where community members have posted something personal, and a few readers react, dumbfounded as to what people's humanity has to do with business and our professional lives - this is a business platform. My answer to any of those people who catch this post is that business is about people and if we are going to be true and geniune with others, it will naturally cross over into our personal lives and include the moments that are wonderful, and also some that are heartbreaking.

A promient investor I know always assesses his potential entrepreneurs for their AQ - Adversity Quotient - in addition to their IQ and EQ.

So to anyone developing their AQ and going though pain, loss and hardship, let me encourage you, you can and will come out the other side, and at some point you will be able to laugh and celebrate the difficulties, trials, loss and pain.

A dear friend said to me just last week, "life is difficult" and it is, but we need to soldier on and live a full life for those who have past, accepting good and bad on our personal life journey.

To celebrate my daughter today I am going to share a couple of things from Jayne's life. A letter to her high school English teacher (aged 16) and one of her favorite pictures - a kitten.

I hope these make you smile. Please celebrate Jayne with me. Many thanks!

Dear Ms Lawson,

?Please forgive the lateness of my assignment. Due to circumstances I was not able to hand it in on time.

?I will work my hardest to ensure that this will never happen again.

?On other topic’s, thankyou for the social on Friday the 30th of August 04. It was an enjoyable night for many of my peers.

?I thankyou for your understanding. I am privileged to have you as an English teacher as you have so many pearls of wisdom to share with everyone.

?Warmest Regards

Jayne Esther Mann