My friend, Elizabeth Beskin posted a great blog about Valentine’s Day (http://www.albumboutique.com/blog/valentines-day-means/) and it reminded me about enduring relationships. The best marriage I’ve ever seen was definitely my beloved parents. If they were both still alive today they would have been married for 70 years!

I always marveled at the way they always seemed in sync with each other. My Mom doted on my Dad, cooked his favorite foods, kept an immaculate home and always let him know that she loved him very much. They would leave notes for each other, hold hands as they would walk to mail a letter at the corner mailbox, and they would always kiss each other hello and goodbye.

Every so often they would dance in our living room. And that’s when you would see that they really were perfectly in sync with each other. They always made each other smile. And no matter what, they always seemed to put the other person first. In doing so, their time together was filled with gratitude, respect and love. Their life wasn’t always easy. They faced many tragedies and hardships, but they did it together.

When my mom passed away — we watched my father’s heart break into a million pieces. And the last few years of his life without his love — though filled with family and friends — weren’t ever the same.

I hope that you get to dance with the one you love at many events — or maybe even just around the living room.

Happy Belated Valentine’s Day.

He was my first boss.

Fresh out of college he gave me a job in his PR firm.  I showed up for my interview in shorts and a T shirt.  What was I thinking?!  Yet, he gave me a chance.

I learned about deadlines, client changes, customer service.  I learned that while there is no such thing as bad PR, there is such a thing as a great PR person.  He was the consummate professional and the consummate gentleman.  He bought me my first business suit.

Over time, he decided to move to the west coast.  He kept me on a retainer and put me in charge of the New York business.  I ran the office out of my apartment.  I had a copy machine in my closet to crank out the press releases.  Fast forward — I went into Special Events.  Then started my own events company.

He retired.  He got older — quickly.  We stayed in touch — mostly through his incredible letters, whenever possible — with visits.  He let me know when more of his friends died. His physical health declined.   He had no funds left — and no family. No one.  He appointed me his Power of Attorney.  He moved to an assisted living center in DC.  Then his mind started to go.

We moved him to a nursing home twenty minutes away so we could be closer.   My mentor, my friend helped me become an adult.  Now it was my turn to help him through old age.   He was always so busy working that he never really planned for his future. And when he stopped working, he tried to live in the moment and not worry about the next day.

Life is a series of events.  As event producers, we try to plan everything.  But how many of us have planned for our future?  Or are we just busy planning the next event?

Set aside time to really look at what lies ahead.  For you, for your family and for your loved ones.   It’s easier to have the difficult conversations early.  And while plans can change, it’s comforting to know that at least you have a plan.  You would never go on site without a running order for the event — why would you want to go through life that way?