Three Generations of Inspiration

Three family members, three generations, and three birthdays, all in a row.

All three quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) inspired me to dream bigger and stretch a little further.

September 6^th: Nicholas Kastner
Our son celebrates his 25^th birthday this year and continues on a path less traveled, but well-suited to who he is and who he wants to become. He’s our creative, middle child with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Dayton and a boatload of life lessons since his graduation in 2009. Nick inspires me to clarify and stay focused on what I’m pursuing.  More about Nick at www.ngkastner.com

September 7^th: Harold Spencer
My grandfather worked days as a housing inspector in New York and nights as a jazz musician. In 1964, my grandparents moved to Arizona but every summer, they’d come back to New York for a few weeks to visit with family. I started playing the clarinet in 1967 and on each visit, he’d set aside an afternoon for a special one-on-one visit with me. He’d listen to me play a few tunes, applaud, and offer a few pointers to smooth out the squeaks. Grandpa inspired me to practice and perfect my skills.

September 8^th: James George
My dad was the consummate sales professional, and often years ahead of his time strategy-wise. There was many a Sunday afternoon when he’d have materials spread across the dining room table, fine-tuning his presentation to land that next big opportunity.  He was often asked to help the neighborhood “kids” spruce up their resumes to land new opportunities, too. At his funeral, one of those neighborhood kids reminded me of something Dad did better than anyone else. “Your Dad was a huge-hearted man who always made the person he was talking to feel like the most important person in the world for that moment.”  Dad inspired me to listen intently, be curious, and help others at every opportunity.

Who inspires you? And who might you inspire?

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