Time for gratitude: learning to be grateful in New Orleans
May 4th, 2009 | By Brian Mayne | Category: Books, Featured articlesA little while ago I was invited by Tony Robbins to travel to New Orleans and present my Mapping Systems to his Platinum Partnership. It was to become one of the most amazing experiences of my life. To list all the many magical moments that took place would fill another book, and perhaps one day will. However, the one that has had the biggest impact on me all revolved around a watch and learning to be grateful.
On the first day the 18 delegates, myself and support team contributed a day of our time to Habitat – a charity dedicated to creating affordable housing for the homeless, where we all chipped in to help build some homes. While travelling to the building site I glanced across the bus at the person sat opposite and admired the fine Rolex watch on his wrist. ‘I’d like a watch like that’, I thought, envying his possession while deciding that my own watch was looking rather old and shabby.
When we arrived at the building site we received a short, powerful and moving talk from Bob, the project leader, who explained that many poor people in New Orleans were still homeless 3 years after the devastation wrecked by Hurricane Katrina. ‘Habitat for Humanity’ was a way of people getting affordable homes by contributing some of their own time to help build houses along with volunteers like ourselves. ‘Time to get started’, said Bob and I looked down at my watch to find it gone.
I missed it immediately. It was a 21st birthday present from my sister and over the years I had grown great attached to it. While I didn’t want to distract anyone from their contribution work, I searched high and low over the building site, in the transit bus, and with the hotel reception staff, but all to no avail.
Over the next couple of days I considered deeply what a lovely watch it actually was, that I would have to accept it was lost, and the realisation of how so often we don’t really appreciate something until it is gone. On the 3rd day I asked one of the delegates the time, explaining that I’d lost my watch. ‘I’ve got it’ he declared, ‘I found it all trodden into the dirt at the building site and picked it just up thinking it was junk’.
The next day during the workshop he handed me my watch and shared the story with the group. ‘It was your watch I was admiring’, I said to Doug – the owner of the Rolex, at which point he explained with depth of feeling that the watch meant a great deal to him as it had been a gift of gratitude from the Robbins organisation.
Later that evening, at the end of the farewell dinner, Doug took the watch from his wrist and placed in my hand, saying;
I want you to look after this until next we meet, as a reminder of the many great lessons from this experience.
image credit: Mardis Gras Beads by howieluvzus
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Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans http://www.habitat-nola.org/
Their blog http://legallee.typepad.com/
A bit difficult to believe to be honest
and is i may say a little American kind of feel good
i do think you can learn from this however
I believe Robert.
It really reminds me of my missing wallet story every time I read this tale.
Tonight I told a wonderful story of a great connection that was staistically improbable to my Nephew. I asked him… Law of attraction? A message from beyond? Coincidence?
He replied “coincidence”.
I simply smiled.
Thank you for sharing Brain.
I think the UK could learn plenty from a ‘little American kind of feel good’ Robert. If only we’d stay open long enough to let it in.
Love it, great people attract great stories… coincidence?… Law of attraction I reply.
Thank you Brian I am grateful.
Thanks Chris. I’m still wowed by the whole expereience myself and learnt some really important lessons from it. Now the only trick it to remember them.
Go well my friend
Just in quick response to Robert – I was there and can vouch for this story! At times it is hard to believe that people can be so generous and giving, and when a diamond-in-the-rough kind of experience comes along like this, it makes sense to share what happened, along with associating the lessons learnt in gratitude. Thanks for sharing Brian!
A song for Brian and Terri…
“Now you sparkle in the mud
Diamond in the rough
Ready for the cut
Some stay dull
Some stay blunt
But you will shine”
TV Smith – The Lion and The Lamb
I truly believe the Universe always has lessons for us if we are ready to receive them. You were definitely ready and it all came around. Very touching story and excellent reminder to have an attitude of gratitude for what we have. Habitat for Humanity is an amazing organization, I have done work with them in the past and it is so rewarding – it changes peoples’ lives and feels so good. That’s what it’s all about.
Thank you so much for your comment Jenn. The lassons I learn in New Orleans about gratitude have been some of the most important in my life.
Hi Brian, What a great story! I’m stationed overseas at the moment, but I was in Alabama when Katrina hit… it was devastating for everyone in New Orleans. Being deployed in east asia I see so much suffering, so much hardship. All of us with food and a roof over our heads have much to be greatfull for. I’m sure that rolex will always be a reminder of how fortunate we are.
George Thompson USMC
Hi George, the Rolex story helped me to understand, look for, and find more to be grateful for in life. I’ve shared the story now with thousands of people and it is always more hope that it is helping others in the way that it helped me.
Glad you like it and thanks for sharing a little of your own life and learnings.
With gratitude ….
The watch story has helped remind me of all of the things that I would truly miss if they were gone. I am so thankful for the people and treasures in my life, however sometimes, like Brian, I too am envious.
I think you are very fortunate to have had not only the habitat for humanity experience with the Tony Robbins group, but also a simple reminder to give gratitude regularly.