Visiting Candy’s Place to Learn about Battling Cancer
Written by, Tony Mussari
Edited by, Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by, Tony Mussari
Copyright, 2016, Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

“The standard treatments for cancer are not meant to heal, but to destroy.” Andreas Moritz Cancer Is Not a Disease -It’s a Survival Mechanism.

On a damp February afternoon, our Face of America journey took us to Candy’s Place in Forty Fort, PA. This is an extraordinary Cancer Wellness Center where cancer victims and their loved ones can find compassionate encouragement and support.

Kitch and I have experienced the kindness and good will of the people at Candy’s Place. They were helpful in 2011 when Kitch was being treated for breast cancer. For the past five years, Kitch and I have participated in several healing events sponsored by Candy’s Place.

On this special evening, Nick Pokoluk, the author of Scourge of the Ages: Glycation, and Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Aging hosted an information session in the board room about diet and cancer. Nick has been in the pharmaceutical business for 45 years. He is respected for his comprehensive research techniques and his determination to help people deal with health issues caused by glycation.

Motivated by the experiences he had when his sister was diagnosed with cancer, he is taking his message to audiences large and small in an effort to start a conversation about seldom discussed causes of cancer.

What follows here are 20 starred thoughts from his presentation at Candy’s Place.

1. Lifestyle changes are important. We must focus our attention on diet as a cancer agent as well as a cancer adjuvant treatment.

2. We must make changes in our diet that are knowledge and fact based.

3. There are ways to use research based information to make people improve their cancer resistance.

4. We must understand and accept the fact that cancer will change your life forever.

5. 580,000 people in the United States will die from cancer in 2016. The American Cancer Society estimates that 1.68 million Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer this year.

The majority of all cancers are not inherited. Two out of every three cancers are lifestyle related. We need to spend more time examining and talking about lifestyle and environmental causes of cancer.

7. The three pillars of health and longevity are: Diet, Physical Activity and Mind/Body (Attitudes).

8. The harsh reality is this: one out of every five people diagnosed with cancer today is a person that has had at least one previous cancer diagnosis. 

9. Chemotherapy may be lifesaving, but it also makes a patient susceptible to cardio-vascular disease, neurological disease, cognitive and emotional issues and functional issues.

10. There are 50 trillion cells in the human body. Every day .0001 percent of cells are mutated. One of the miracles of the human body is that every cell knows what it should be doing, and every cell communicates with every other cell.

11. Growth factors are drivers of cancer. There is a correlation between body weight and cancer risk. We must learn to make good choices and manage our weight to minimize risk.

12. The best food choices are whole foods plant based diets, low fat and dairy and modest protein content.   It should also be low in simple carbohydrates, (reduced added sugar, and devoid of sugary drinks).

13. Rely on organic foods as much as possible. Reduce salt intake to 1,500mg a day. Alcohol should be reduced or eliminated.

14. The best food choices are: vegetables, mushrooms, beans and legumes, berries, whole grains and one piece of fruit a day.

15. Consider some very healthful additions such as spices, herbs, cocoa, raw walnuts and almonds, and raw pumpkin seeds.

16. Avoid high protein intake from animal sources. You get the best protein from vegetables.

17. Be aware of this important discovery. Bovine growth hormones are linked with cancer initiation in humans and they are banned in 27 countries.

18. Every animal product has glycated proteins, and glycation destroys DNA and HDL.

19. The browning that occurs in grilling, baking, broiling, frying, pasteurizing and smoking produces glycation.  Increase your use of boiling, steaming, sautéing in vegetable broth for food preparation.

20. Cancer is not only caused by DNA mutation. Cancer is caused by glycation, inflammation, unopposed growth factors activity, and immune system dysfunction.

At the end of his presentation, Nick gave everyone in attendance a colorful graphic entitled The Nutritional Rainbow, a copy of Healthy Eating for Life: Food Choices for Cancer Prevention and Survival published by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and his contact information. He volunteered to address any questions during telephone and personal consultations at no cost.

Nick Pokoluk is a man on a mission. He wants to help. He wants to serve. He wants to comfort people who are suffering, and he is willing to inconvenience himself to bring his alternative message to anyone who will take the time to listen and learn.

He understands the insightful and poignant words of Jeannette Rankin:
“We can take people as far as they want to go, not as far as we want them to go.”

Nick Pokoluk is a classic example of America at its best.

The people at Candy’s Place reflect the light of America at its best. They help people believe they can beat cancer. They give people the hope they need to beat cancer and they enable the cancer patient, and the caregiver to imagine a joyful and peaceful life together after cancer.

Thank you, Nick Pokoluk.

Thank you, Penny Cunningham.

Thank you to the staff and volunteers at Candy’s Place.

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Messages of Hope, Inspiration and Kindness for 2016

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

As we begin the New Year, none of us has to be reminded about the alarming state of affairs in our nation and our world. Those of us who are blessed with children and grandchildren worry about their future, their safety and the contentiousness that has become a way of life for so many people who are alienated, frightened and alone.

Now more than ever, we need voices of compassion, kindness, love, peace, reconciliation and understanding. Fr. Joseph Girzone was one of those voices for Kitch and me. Fr. Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries in California, is another.

To set the tone for the New Year, we would like to share 10 healing thoughts from Fr. Greg Boyle, and 15 beautiful thoughts from Fr. Joe Girzone. We hope they lift your spirits and give you hope.

10 Healing Thoughts from Fr. Greg Boyle:

Compassion

Compassion isn’t just about feeling the pain of others; it’s about bringing them in toward yourself… Being compassionate as God is compassionate, means the dismantling of barriers that exclude.

God’s Longing

This longing of God’s to give us peace and assurance and a sense of well-being only awaits our willingness to cooperate with God’s limitless magnanimity. 

God’s Vision

God looks beyond our fault and sees our need.

Hope

“Emily Dickinson writes, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, that sings the song without the words and never stops at all.”

The Challenge

St. Paul challenges us to "dedicate ourselves to thankfulness," and so I will. 

Patience

Ours is a God who waits. Who are we not to? It takes what it takes for the great turnaround. Wait for it.

The Essential Principle

“It is an essential tenet of Buddhism that we can begin to change the world by first changing how we look at the world.” 

The Power of Love

There is no force in the world better able to alter anything from its course than love. It is truly hard for us to see the truth that disapproval does not seem to be part of God’s DNA. God is just too busy loving us to have any time left for disappointment. 

Resilience

Sometimes resilience arrives in the moment you discover your own unshakeable goodness.

The Ultimate Truths

You are so much more than the worst thing you have done

Kindness is the only strength there is.

15 Beautiful Thoughts from Fr. Joseph Girzone:

Be a Visionary

Visionaries are not afraid to think for themselves and dare to be different. They must be willing to and prepared to endure misunderstanding and suspicion by those whose minds are too small to comprehend ideas that are beyond the ordinary

Down Time

We need to spend time alone doing a lot of thinking. That will give us the peace and quiet to sort things out and put all of life together.

Growth

Growth means change, and holiness means an ever-deepening understanding of God and what he expects of each of us.

Inner Peace

The things of this world cannot give peace. It must come from our ability to rise above material things and reach a point where we don’t crave them.

Learn to forgive

If you want to have peace of soul, learn to forgive…The world needs to understand Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, and when it does, the world will find its way to peace.

Love and Acceptance

If you want to find love and acceptance, you may first have to show love and acceptance, because love can be returned only when it is given.

Never Alone

I learned that I was never alone, that there was Someone always very close by and, indeed, within me, giving me strength in times of weakness and desolation, light in times of darkness, joy in times of great sorrow and pain, and the will to struggle on when continuing seemed futile.

Peace Comes from Within

Peace comes from within. I do not let myself be hurt by events. I realize all humanity is in a process of growing…love people for what they are.

Reaching Out

People’s complaints are often a plea for help, an expression of their caring and their craving for greater intimacy with God.

Reality

You never really know what life is all about until you have suffered and been humbled and beaten down by life.

See Beyond the Obvious

Try to understand the pain in people’s lives…and do not take personally what they do to us.

The First Step

Charity should be the first step to unity. Then, when people are worshiping together and working together as a Christian family, their love will make possible a unity of belief and a willingness to accept the guidance of Peter.

True Religion

True religion comes from the heart. It is a deep relationship with God, and should bring peace and joy and love to people, not fear, guilt and meanness.

Understand the Pain

Jesus’ secret was His ability to see into people’s hearts. Seeing their anguish and pain helped Him to understand their nastiness. So He could pity them rather than become angry with them.

World Peace

The world needs to understand Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness, and when it does, the world will find its way to peace.

We hope 2016 will be a year of good health, good fortune, inner-peace and many joyful moments for you and those you love.
Happy New Year,

Tony & Kitch

When you have a few moments, you might want to watch the program we produced about Fr. Girzone and his story about Joshua. You will find it at this secure address:
http://faceofamericawps.com/video/fr-joe-girzone-joshua/

The Picture of Fr. Joseph Girzone was taken by Kitch during his presentation in Dallas.
Fr. Greg Boyle’s picture appears on The Creighton University Online Ministries Home Page

A Christmas Message of Hope, Inspiration and Love

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

The Christmas heart is an open heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.George Matthew Adams

As Kitch and I approach Christmas Day, memories of a difficult year preoccupy our thoughts.

It’s been a year of great loss and unthinkable tragedies in America and around the world. It’s been a year of significant adjustments to forces over which we have no control. It’s been a year of growth in matters of the heart and the soul.

As a special Christmas gift, Kitch and I would like to share ten beautiful, comforting, life changing thoughts written by one of our heroes, Fr. Joseph Girzone.

On the anniversary of the Christ Child’s birth, this gift is designed to lift your spirits and give you hope.

God’s Message

1. I came into the world as a child because I wanted to teach you the things that will open the gates of heaven to you: trust, simplicity, helplessness, vulnerability, innocence, humility, patience, kindness, and forgiveness. Unless you become like the little child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

2. Most people never realize it, but I want to be your partner.

3. I judge by what I see in people’s hearts.

4. I am concerned about your love and care for others.

5. I do not hold grudges.

6. I do not have an obsession to punish people for their sins. I do not condone sin, but I see the pain that leads to sin. I am the Good Shepherd who wants to heal your broken places.

7. I want you to enjoy your humanity. I did not make you perfect. I accept you as you are, and I will give you the grace to become the best that you can be.

8. I will always be your friend. When others walk away, when others do not have the courage to stand with you, when you face opposition, crisis and failure, I will be with you.

9. I understand you even when you give into temptation.

10. If you want to be great, you must be willing to be the servant of all the rest.

These beautiful thoughts remind us that we must live the spirit of Christmas every day of the year.

They lift our spirits when we are down. They give us hope and the desire to keep moving forward. They give us comfort when we are sad. They make us grateful for the opportunities we have. They help us to better appreciate what really is important in life. They cause us to give thanks for your kindness and your friendship.
Kitch and I hope and pray that all your experiences in 2016 will have happy endings.

When you have a few moments, you might want to watch the program we produced about Fr. Girzone and his story about Joshua. You will find it at this secure address:
http://faceofamericawps.com/video/fr-joe-girzone-joshua/

Merry Christmas,
Tony & Kitch

Looking at Success Through the Eyes and Heart of Gina Yarrish

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

You cannot find peace by avoiding life. Virginia Woolf

The horrifying images of what happened in Paris flashed though my mind as I drove to the Lakeside Skillet Restaurant at Harvey’s Lake. The sun was shining, but it was dark and overcast in my heart. Again and again, I asked myself these questions: How could the tragedy happen? Why did it happen? What can we expect down the road?

When I entered the Irregulars Think Tank breakfast and meeting room, my mind cleared, and for the next two hours, I was mesmerized by the genuine feeling of community and the palpable desire for personal and professional growth. These are the characteristics of the men and women who attend these meetings.

The room is always filled with the sounds of pleasant conversation and information that is designed to help people in many different ways.

Cholly Hayes does a wonderful job as the MC of the meeting, and Bobby Zampetti, his friend and the secretary of the group, is an excellent organizer and publicist. They both share a common vision. The mission of the Irregulars Think Tank is rooted in growth, development and good will.

The atmosphere is welcoming, the speakers are well-informed, and the information they share is transformational. These are a few examples of the Irregulars Think Tank culture. Tony Ingargiola, a videographer for WBRE TV, brought his new digital camera, and he enjoyed explaining the technological marvel to anyone who asked him about it. Santo Agati, a congenial man, shared wonderful stories about his life experiences with everyone at our table. Kyle Ostopick, a young insurance salesman, engaged everyone he met in pleasant conversation about topics of mutual interest, and Rich Burkhardt, a 1970 college graduate, initiated a conversation about his college memories.

A Perfect Fit

Gina Yarrish is a perfect fit for the Irregulars’ culture. She is a successful business woman, a talented life coach and an innovative director of Equine Assisted Learning Programs and Workshops. Gina is candid, pleasant, personable, and thoughtful. On this Saturday morning, she wanted to help people better understand what it takes to create success. To do this, she began her presentation with a compelling summary of her personal history.

She was born to an unwed mother. She was adopted. She earned her real estate license during her senior year in high school. She bought her first home when she was 21 years old, and her first rental property two years later. For the next 16 years she traveled in the fast lane on the highway to success. Then it happened. She woke up one morning with severe pain in her chest. She had a cardiac catheterization, and her life changed forever.

She realized that there is more to life than accumulating wealth and taking on other people’s problems. In order to change, she had to leave what she was doing. She moved to Pennsylvania. She bought a 180 acre farm, and she built a house. The rest as they say is history.

Starred Thoughts

These are some of the starred thoughts from Gina’s insightful presentation “3 Keys to Creating Success:”

1. Ask yourself the question what is holding you back?

2. The factors that contribute to no forward movement are fear, self-sabotage, doubt, perception and excuses;

3. Understand that everything in life is about patterns and habits;

4. There is always a different way to look at something;

5. Notice what you are noticing;

6. You cannot get to where you are going without seeing it;

7. You must have a vision, and you must have a plan;

8. To create a life that produces the things that you want, you must get out of your own way;

9. Find someone who will tell you what you need to hear when you need to hear it in a compassionate way;

10. Never stop learning and growing;

11. When you know what it is you want to do, don’t stop moving forward.

Gina used her knowledge and care of horses to help her listeners better understand how her horses add value to the personal and professional teaching and coaching she does for individuals and businesses at YarCorte Acres.

These two thoughts got my attention:

1. Horses give us visual feedback;

2. Horses mirror your emotional development.

A Special Moment

During a private moment after her presentation, I asked Gina to share the most important lesson she has learned in her lifetime. Without hesitation, she replied, “The importance of unconditional love.”

That special moment can best be described by the words of Anne Frank:

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

The members of the Irregulars will come together again next month to learn about handling challenging situations in the classroom.

Gratitude

Thank you, Cholly Hayes for facilitating this wonderful meeting.

Thank you, Bobby Zampetti for all that you did to make this a very special event.

Thank you, Gina Yarrish for several memorable moments. You are a radiant Face of America on its best day. Those of us who had the privilege of hearing you speak about the essence of success are in your debt. May Providence continue to bless the important work you are doing.

Please provide feedback to: tony.mussari@gmail.com

Highlights from Jack Smalley’s Visit to Scranton

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD 2015
All Rights Reserved

The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. Albert Einstein

An Express Lead Event

Our Face of America journey took us to Scranton, Pennsylvania, on an overcast Thursday morning. Our destination was the Radisson Hotel. There we would have a reunion with two of our favorite people, Amy Clegg and Jack Smalley.

Amy owns and operates the Express Employment Professionals office in Scranton. For six years she has been helping people find employment in Northeastern Pennsylvania. She and the members of her staff are caring, competent, innovative, and willing to do whatever they can to serve the best interests of their clients. Amy is a woman of dignity and class, and everything she does reflects her many qualities.

Jack is the Director of Human Resources Learning and Development for Express Employment Professionals. He is a perfect fit for this position. He is a good person who personifies the attributes of character-based leadership. He is genuine, personable, kind and loyal. His presentations are interesting because they are thoroughly researched. He is an effective speaker who speaks to the heart, soul and mind of the people in the audience.

On this special occasion, he addressed the complex issue of attracting and retaining the best talent for the company. He called it “The Next Great Employer Challenge.”

The Recruiting War of 2015

At the appointed hour, Amy walked to the podium to begin the session. She welcomed everyone in the audience, and she introduced her staff. She introduced the MC for the event, Marty Wolf, a radio talk show host, and he introduced the featured speaker, Jack Smalley.

Jack introduced his topic with a Power Point slide that read, The Recruiting War of 2015. He followed that attention getting statement with these facts:

This is the most volatile job market in years. The retention of top talent is a CEO’s greatest fear. Eighty percent of employees will consider a job change. Forty percent will actually change jobs.

For the remainder of his presentation, Jack Smalley mesmerized everyone in the room with his low-key, fact-based, non-histrionic, storytelling style. These are some of the starred thoughts from his presentation:

The average company experiences 40 percent job turnover.

There is a great generational tsunami about to hit the American workforce. In the next few years, about 50 million employees will be transitioning out of the workplace. Most of them are baby boomers. The will be replace by 50-60 million millennials.

The millennials think and act differently. Their world is a social media intense world. Companies that want to employ and retain millennials must rethink their social media policy.

Millennials want to be judged on the work they get done. This creates a situation Jack calls the end of the 40-hour work week. Employees are no longer disconnected, and millennials want to work in companies that have and use the latest technology.

Even the signing bonus must change. Millennials prefer a technological device or an all-expense paid trip. To attract and retain millennials, the company must make the interview process and the first 90 days of employment a memorable experience. Another incentive would be a $1,000 first year anniversary gift.

One of Jack’s starred thoughts caught my attention. He put it this way, “Narrow the front door.” The cost of an unengaged employee is 150 percent of the first year salary. Because 80 percent of turnover can be attributed to poor hiring practices, he advocates a much more careful and deliberate hiring process that considers fit first and culture second.

Attitude is another critical element in the hiring process. For Jack Smalley, there is no such thing as a good worker with a bad attitude. You cannot have good external customer service until you have good internal customer service. Effective internal customer service is deeply rooted in making employees feel special. Enable them to express their opinions. Provide them with access to the boss. Understand that the employee is the first customer!

To do this, make the employee performance survey more than an exercise. Use it to communicate honestly with employees and make it a platform for growth and development. Make sure the employee fully understands the company expectations, and let employees know how important they are.

All companies have a silver bullet. Jack identified it clearly and effectively as the supervisor. He also suggested making the supervisor a participant in the hiring process.

Engaging Millennials

For millennials the top two factors are the relationship with the boss and relationships with others. In 2025, 75 percent of American employees will be millennials. They are self confident, politically savvy, experts in global communication and social media. They enjoy social interaction at work. They do not enjoy weekly meetings. They prefer collaborative leadership. They want their opinions to be solicited and heard. They enjoy a challenge. They question authority. They want transparency. They want to interact with their boss, and they want to be measured on how they get the job done.

When he discussed the Millennial Generation, Jack made a very interesting point: “Millennials challenge what I am doing. They do not threaten me. They are going to make a great contribution to American companies. They are going to take us where we have never been.” Earlier in his presentation he made this statement: “Most employees don’t quit their companies. They quit their boss.” That comment reminded me of this insightful thought, “Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.”

Jack was candid about the most obvious weakness of millennials. They need to get experience in face-to-face communication. They need to be mentored, but the mentoring process in the Millennial Era must be up and down. Jack believes that subordinates can bring you back to reality.

In his closing remarks, Jack made a very interesting point. Be the company that is on the cutting edge. Today, technology provides data, and data is the gold of the new economy.

Closing Thoughts

Jack’s presentation was interesting, informative, challenging and thought-provoking. While he was speaking, memories of relationships Kitch and I have had with superiors in the field of education, the corporate world, the small business world and the media world flashed through my mind. Then something he said triggered 7 words that provided the foundation for his presentation. We are all the same, he said. We are all looking for the same thing.

In my opinion that thought can be summarized with these seven words: Respect, Empathy, Kindness, Gratitude, Discipline, Safety and Compassion.

Yes, we want a better world for our children, but we also want a better world for ourselves.

Jack Smalley is on a mission to see to it that the construct for that better world is on the table in each of the 750 Express Employment offices across America and Canada. He is a master at communicating this message with diplomacy, dignity and tact. His presentation in Scranton left a permanent mark on my heart and soul, because it reflects the spirit of America at its very best.

Leaders like Amy Clegg and Jack Smalley give us hope. They reflect the light of the beautiful comment of President Harry S. Truman:

I doubt if there is any problem in the world today-social, political or economic- that would not find a happy solution if approached in the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount.

Thank you, Amy for your kind invitation to the event.

Thank you, Jack for your memorable presentation.

Thank you to the staff of the Scranton office for all the work you did to make this event a success

Thank you, Express Employment Professionals for the services you provide employers and people who are looking for work.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Highlights from the 24th Annual History Conference at Luzerne County Community College

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD 2015
All Rights Reserved

You can’t be a full participant in our democracy if you don’t know our history. David McCullough

Our Face of America journey took us to the Conference Center at Luzerne County Community College on October 9, to screen Four Days of Honor and Valor in Gettysburg and to learn about “Caring for Veterans in Northeastern Pennsylvania.” Little did we know when we arrived how poignant and powerful the sessions of the 24th Annual History Conference would be.

After he graciously saluted the veterans who were sitting in the audience and the faculty and staff who organized the event, Dr. Thomas P. Leary, President of Luzerne County Community College, caught everyone by surprise with his candid admission that the community college is not doing enough to acclimate veterans to the educational opportunities that are available at the school.

He thanked the veterans whose experience, perspective and wisdom enrich the classroom experience. He promised to create more opportunities for veterans to share their experiences in meaningful ways, and he promised that he and the members of his team would do more to streamline the admissions process for veterans.

Mark J. Riccetti, Jr., Director of Operations for the Luzerne County Historical Society, a co-sponsor the conference, reinforced Dr. Leary’s comments with ten words:

“This is probably the most important topic we have ever done.”

Context

John Shalanski is a licensed clinical social worker. Because of his extensive experience, he was invited to deliver the keynote address, “Caring for Our Wounded Warriors: An Historical Overview.”

He told the audience that 1,000 veterans are diagnosed with PTSD every week, and 800 veterans are diagnosed with depression. Then he asked this question:
Historically, how have we treated our returning veterans?

Before he traced the history of this issue from the Revolutionary War to the present, he made his position very clear. We have a responsibility to give our veterans the best care, and history teaches us that we have not always lived up to that challenge.

Dr. Shalanski is not a wounded warrior, but his father, a World War 11 veteran, is his hero. His relationship with his father enabled him to better understand the complexity of the problems facing returning veterans, and their need for compassionate and competent care.

These are a few of the insightful comments presented by Dr. Shalanski:

1. We need to listen to our Wounded Warriors with humility and respect;

2. We need to decompartmentalize the care and services available to them;

3. We must debunk the myths that reinforce the code of individualism that stereotype returning veterans in a negative light;

4. The horrendous experience of war for our returning veterans produces much more than exhaustion, shell shock, and combat fatigue;

5. Our veterans come home with moral injuries first described after the Civil War as Soldier’s Heart;

6. Our veterans return with “Moral Injuries” that can best be described as “bruises on the soul.”

Dr. Shalanski’s presentation was designed to present an accurate record of the past in an attempt to humanize the suffering of the 2,000,000 veterans who have gone to war since September 11, 2001.

He summarized the main point of his remarks with these words:

“We can do better. We have to do better.”

Perspective and Reality

When Dr. Bill Kashatus introduced Mark Kohn’s presentation, he made a comment that caught everyone’s attention:

620,000 soldiers died during the Civil War. For every soldier who served, there was a 25 per cent chance of not surviving the war.

Mark Kohn picked up on that statistic with an equally gruesome number:

Of the 620,000 soldiers who died during the Civil War, two-thirds died from diseases like dysentery, typhoid fever, malaria, scurvy, pneumonia and tuberculosis to name but a few.

More than 413, 000 deaths were caused by poor hygiene, overcrowding, bugs, and contaminated water.

Kohn skillfully showed the audience all of the tools of the trade for Civil War physicians. Doctors relied heavily on opium, morphine and mercury to treat injured soldiers.

The field surgeon’s kit contained chloroform for the patient and Old Crow for the doctor. The whisky enabled the doctor to survive the 45-48 operations each day! Yes, some doctors were inebriated when they were treating patients.

At one point in his presentation, Kohn asked a student to join him as he demonstrated how a procedure would have been done in a Civil War hospital. Without question, this was the high point of his session. It was graphic, but realistic. By contemporary standards, it was primitive and dangerous.

At another point, Janis Wilson Seeley, the chairperson of the history department, joined Kohn in the front of the room to help him demonstrate how blockade runners smuggled medicine to Confederate doctors.

During his session, Mark Kohn shared several interesting points about military health care.

1. He debunked the “Bite the bullet Myth.”

2. Of the 30,000 amputations on the Union side, 75 per cent of the patients survived.

3. Because the Confederate doctors used boiled horse hair to bind wounds, they had fewer deaths from operations.

4. Unable to cope with the horrific conditions, there were doctors who committed suicide.

5. Before 1863 all nurses were male. Dorothy Dix and Clara Barton disproved the myth that women would not be able to endure the graphic conditions of field hospitals.

6. In many ways, the beginning of modern medicine began after the Civil War in the 1890s.

Looking backward at the conditions wounded warriors faced during the Civil War and after reminded me of something Rudyard Kipling said a long time ago:

“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”

Current Health Care for Our Wounded Warriors

The final event of the conference featured four members of a panel discussion: Atty. Siobhan Fuller McConnell, Kevin Ferris, Alberto Morales, and James Shovlin.

James Shovlin is the Coordinator of Veterans’ Education at LCC. He talked about the services available at the community college. He was quick to point out that veterans bring a strong work ethic, discipline and a willingness to serve others to the classroom. They are great role models for young students.

In response to a question about life lessons he has learned working with veterans, he shared this thought:

Veterans have to deal with problems for their whole life so try to be there for them for the long haul and let them know that you will be there for them.

Alberto Morales is a counselor at the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Hospital. He was born and raised on the mean streets of New York. He served in the Gulf War, and when he came home he wanted to continue his service to others.

He made the necessary sacrifices to get an education, and today he has a job that requires that he be on call 24 hours a day. He is the only suicide prevention coordinator in the country that does this.

Morales believes that it takes family, friends and the community to save a life. It’s a difficult job and it takes a sense of humor to do it effectively.

Kevin Ferris is an Editor of the editorial page of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Dava Guerin and Kevin co-authored “Unbreakable Bonds: The Mighty Moms and Wounded Warriors of Walter Reed.”

Kevin introduced the audience to 10 veterans and 10 mighty moms. These 20 people come from all over the country. They have two things in common. They know in very real ways the challenges wounded warriors and their parents face. They know the services provided at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The mothers have another thing in common. They were not prepared to deal with their wounded child.

Atty. Siobhan Fuller McConnell is the mother of a wounded warrior. Without question, she provided the most compelling and poignant story of the day.

In 2011, she had two sons in the military. On July 23, 2011, she received a telephone call that changed her life forever. Her oldest son Derek was injured in Afghanistan. For several weeks the details of his injuries were sketchy. When she met him at Walter Reed, he had lost both of his legs. He had a fractured skull and a fractured jaw. His right arm was badly injured.

Derek spent 53 days in ICU. He had 36 medical procedures.

While caring for her son, Siobhan lost her job.

In March 2013, Derek was readmitted to the hospital with severe pain. One evening his body went into shock, and he never woke up.

There is much more to Siobhan and Derek’s story. A detailed account is available in ’ “Unbreakable Bonds.”

When I asked Siobhan what life lessons she learned from her experience. She did not hesitate to respond.

“Keep a sense of humor. Everyday laugh or smile about something. Always look for light and something to get out of bed for.”

In my opinion, Atty. Siobhan Fuller McConnell is a classic example of the Face of America at its very best. Her mission to tell her story and enlighten all of us about the needs of our wounded warriors personifies the beautiful message Stephen E. Ambrose shared with us when he defined history with these words:

The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future.

Before the conference came to a close, Dr. Bill Kashatus summarized the most important lessons learned during the sessions:

1. Dr. John Shalanski took us on a journey that expanded our view. He effectively made the case that woundedness is more than physical. It is psychological, moral, and emotional;

2. Mark Kohn provided a graphic picture of healthcare during the Civil War. In so doing he made a case for competent, compassionate and humane treatment for veterans;

3. Four Days of Honor and Valor in Gettysburg presents inspirational models of integrity, humility and selfless service;

4. The members of the panel shared compelling stories that prove there is a lot of work that needs to be done to help our Wounded Warriors;

5. We need to find effective ways to thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice.

The 24th Annual History Conference was a day of learning, thinking and growing in compassion for those who risked their lives for our country.

It was a reminder of the past and a blueprint for the future.

An adaptation of the words of T.H.White applies

Learning is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting.

Thank you, Luzerne County Community College for hosting the event.

Thank you, Luzerne County Historical Society for co-sponsoring the conference.

Thank you, Luzerne County Community College Food Service Department. Lunch was excellent.

Thank you, Luzerne Community College support people for all that you did to make everyone feel welcome.

Thank you Matt Hall and Matt Popecki of PCNTV for the courteous and professional way you recorded the conference.

Thank you, Dr.Bill Kashatus for continuing this wonderful tradition.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Dealing with Disappointment: America at its Best

Written by Tony Mussari,Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Kitch and Tony Mussari,Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it. Eliza Tabor Stephenson

Context

For the past six months, Kitch and I have spent a good deal of time conceptualizing and organizing an educational experience for a group of our friends and ten students who attend Misericordia University. The project was designed to acquaint the participants with the elements of what we call “The Shanksville Standard.” The capstone of the project was a visit to the new Visitor Center at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, PA.

This may sound like a very simple undertaking, but, believe me when I tell you, it demanded a great deal of time, effort and energy on our part, and cooperation from a number of our friends in Shanksville and beyond.

To give you one measure of the challenges we faced in organizing this educational experience, there is a folder on my desktop computer labeled Shanksville 2015. It contains 1,424 files in 75 folders. One of these folders contains a PowerPoint presentation Kitch and I designed to help the students better understand the history of the Flight 93 Memorial and the objectives of this experience. This presentation contains 56 slides. To help us tell the story visually, we inserted 61 archival pictures and 35 graphics on these slides.

Our Shanksville 2015 file does not include more than 200 e-mails that were sent, and dozens of telephone calls that were made.

To attend to all the little details that make an experience like this successful, Kitch and I hosted four meetings with food and beverages in our greenhouse for people who made special contributions to the project.

In September, I traveled to Shanksville for two days to meet with several people who were essential to various aspects of the trip. We also participated in a meet-and-greet session arranged by Dr. Brian Carso for his students at Misericordia University. Dr. Carso was our partner in this project, and he devoted a good deal of time and energy to make it a success.

Our dear friend Mary Jane Kiehl volunteered her time to help us with all the refinements that have been a hallmark of our visits to Shanksville over the years. She hosted a dinner at her home which was the highlight of my trip to Shanksville in September. It was a celebration of friendship, a planning session and a reunion with our friends Chuck and Jayne Wagner.

Tropical Depression 9

While I was driving home from Shanksville on September 15, a tropical depression was forming in the Atlantic Ocean. TD 9 was located about 1200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and about 1300 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. It was moving slowly with maximum winds of 30 miles per hour.

TD9 eventually became Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds.

On September 30, Kitch and I composed a note for all of the people we invited to join us in Shanksville:

Kitch and I have been researching weather conditions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

As you probably know the weather conditions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday are not good.

This morning I made contact with our coordinator in Shanksville, and she told me the prediction for Saturday is 100% rain for most of the day with high winds, cold temperatures in the low 40s, and flooding.

In the interest of safety for everyone who will be traveling to Shanksville, we have decided to cancel the trip.

In our opinion it is the right thing to do.

Please know that Kitch and I appreciate everything you did to make this trip a success.

The note produced thoughtful and encouraging responses:

“Bummer!
It’s probably for the best…if the power goes out, you’ll have even bigger problems.
Thanks for letting me know so quickly…”

“You made the right decision to cancel. This could be bad… I know you must be disappointed considering the herculean effort you put into making it happen.”

“No problem…I understand…I look forward to working with you again.”

“I know this is a disappointment when you have worked so hard to put this together, but there is always another date and time.”

“Sorry you have to change your plans after all that you have done with the preparations. I am sure you have made the correct decision when personal safety is the issue.”

“Thanks for the messages about the cancellation on the computer and by phone. You absolutely made the right decision.
It was a hard decision, but the right decision in regards to the safety of us all.”

Our dear friend Bill Gaydos added this insight:
I did want to see how much things have changed since those former years when the feelings about Flight 93 rose up from one’s soul. We had a very special bond with the people of Shanksville and family members of Flight 93. You were really in the forefront in shining a light on the heroism of Flight 93.

He ended his note with the poem he wrote for the visit:

The Shanksville Visit

We travel to Shanksville to honor the heroes of Flight 93
Their courage and action forever lives in the hearts of you and me.
Those immortal words of action "Let’s Roll" Todd Beamer was heard to say
They live forever in our hearts and minds right up to this very day.

God Bless America
God Bless the Heroes of Flight 93

Lessons Learned

One of the most important lessons I learned from this experience was best described by Henry David Thoreau:

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.

Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian lyricist and novelist, provided another insight into disappointment:

When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.

Disappointment is something all of us can expect. It’s an essential part of life. It’s how we deal with it that matters most. Focusing on the good that can be found in every situation, the lessons we learn, the kindness we experience, the people we meet and the way we can grow from what we have experienced enables us to accept what has happened and move on.

William James put disappointment in perspective with 15 words:

Accepting what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.

Beverly Knight was right: “Shoulda woulda coulda can’t change your mind.” They can’t change the situation, because in the end, disappointment teaches us to accept what is and why.

Organizing the Shanksville Experience 2015 was a wonderful opportunity with many beautiful moments of connection and confraternity. Even though Hurricane Joaquin disrupted our plans, it gave all of us a better understanding of how to deal with disappointment.

To everyone who tried to help us make this dream become a reality, we thank you. Your kindness and your friendship give us hope, and that is the best medicine for disappointment of any kind. It is also a characteristic of “The Shanksville Standard” and America at its best.

Graphics of Hurricane Joaquin were provided by the National Weather Service.

Please provide feedback to: tony.mussari@gmail.com

The Shanksville Standard: America at its Best

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Kitch and Tony Mussari
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

Memory is the mother of wisdom. Aeschylus

In the Quiet of a Garden

I spent the first part of this beautiful September day in our Angel Garden. In the quiet of the morning hours, I looked at each of the 40 angels, and I thought about their courage, their honor and their sacrifice. These are the men and women who gave their lives in a successful attempt to prevent United Flight 93 from reaching and destroying the U.S. Capitol building on September 11, 2001.

Throughout the day, my thoughts took me back to Shanksville, a place that is like a second home for Kitch and me.

Over the years, we have designed educational experiences that enabled us to take about 500 people to this sacred place. These visits gave us the opportunity to produce 16 episodes in our What Is America? Series. They provided opportunities to make friends and learn and grow in ways we never thought possible.

In so many ways, September 11 is a day of national reflection. On this the 14th anniversary of the day the earth stood still for America, my thoughts focused on what I like to call the “Shanksville Standard.” It’s a standard comprised of 15 elements that were best articulated by people we talked with at the memorial in Shanksville.

1. Reach Out:

Our friend Doug Macmillan provided a key element when he shared this thought:

“There will always be struggles… every hardship is an opportunity to reach out and make a difference in the lives of people.”

2. Remain Positive:

Janie Kiehl is the first person we met when we visited Shanksville in 2001. At the time of our meeting she was at the site volunteering as a Flight 93 Ambassador. Her contribution to the Shanksville Standard was best expressed when she spoke these words:

“Understand that life goes on. Despite the tragedies, you have to stay positive.”

3. The Power of Hope:

During one of our visits, we found a ceramic tile inscribed with five of the most beautiful and powerful words I have ever read:

“Hope is stronger than death.”

The young student who designed this work of art left a permanent mark on the hearts of everyone who saw this masterpiece.

4. Have Faith:

Chuck Wagner participated in every phase of the temporary and the permanent Flight 93 Memorial. His faithfulness to the heroes of Flight 93 earned him a special place in the history of the memorial. When I asked him to share his thoughts about his life and his volunteer work, he responded with this biblical citation:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

5. Love and Kindness:

Telk Gohn served as a Flight 93 Ambassador. She and her husband Bob did everything in their power to make people feel welcome at the site. Her beautiful contribution to the Shanksville Standard is deeply rooted in these words:

“Every day should be reserved as a day the Lord has made to do something for someone else and to share his love.”

6. Gratitude:

On a cold and damp afternoon at the site, we encountered a young man who was with a group of wilderness camp students. This teenager was so moved by what he was experiencing, he used a magic marker to express his gratitude. His message was simple:

“I thank all of you.”

I don’t know his name, but I will never forget his act of thanks-living.

7. Transformation and flexibility:

Mary Alice Mankamyer and her husband Clay highlighted the importance of transformation and flexibility. Both of these Flight 93 Ambassadors believe the Shanksville experience changes people forever. They are quick to admit it has changed them as well.

“I think the site has changed peoples’ lives forever.”

8. Peace

One of the most insightful dimensions of the Shanksville Standard was recorded in a message painted on a guardrail at the temporary memorial:

“The peace you find here is eternal.”

If ever there is one recurring theme in Shanksville, it is peace of mind and peace of spirit.

9. Memories

Joanne Galvin and her husband Steve created the National 9/11 Remembrance Flag. Joanne believes in the power of memories. When I asked her to explain her thought, she offered words that came straight from her heart:

“We have to make sure that the memory of these people stays alive.”

10. Community

Joanne’s son Dan Fitzmaurice identified an important element of the Shanksville Standard.

“The Flight 93 Memorial brings people together.”

11. Heroism

Kelsey Lee visited Shanksville with our group in 2008, She was deeply moved by the genuineness of the place and the people she met. It inspired her to share this thought:

“It really taught me don’t worship false idols when you have real heroes all around you.”

12. Perspective

During the same trip, another student Laura Lomascolo offered this poignant observation:

“Out of every bad thing that happens later on something awesome comes out of it.”

Her friend Maria Romero used the word perspective several times to explain what she had learned. Visiting Shanksville empowers people to see beyond the obvious.

13. Strength and Perseverance:

Lee Snyder was the first person we interviewed in Shanksville. She is the author of a scrapbook of memories and mementoes entitled Patriots of Peace. Her contribution to the Shanksville Standard came out of her writing and publishing experience:

“It taught me to be strong and keep moving forward.”

14. Respect

Dana Pienta was a senior at Misericordia University when she visited Shanksville in 2006.

“People respected that site. It is a place of reflection, deep thought and deep prayer. Those 40 people have so many people that love them, respect them and treat them like heroes.”

15. Don’t Take Things for Granted

Val McClatchey is the person who took the picture that captured what she called The End of Serenity. This picture and everything that happened on the day it was recorded taught Val to take nothing for granted.

“I no longer take little things for granted like a clear sunny day, because you never know when something is going to come up and cloud over those bright sunny skies.”

Anyone who is looking for a description of what America is on its best day will find it in Shanksville.

Anyone who wants to see the Face of America on its best day need only look at the pictures of the 40 men and women whose heroic acts of courage and selfless service earned them the admiration and respect of people all over our country and the world.

Anyone who wants to improve the quality of their own life and the lives of the people they interact with every day need only embrace the elements of the Shanksville Standard. That is the good that has evolved from the tragedy and suffering of September 11, 2001, when United Flight 93 ended its journey in a bucolic field in Shanksville, PA.

The way Kitch and I see it, “Memory is the Mother of Wisdom.”

God Bless the heroes of Flight 93.

God Bless all the people who worked for 14 years to make the dream of a permanent memorial become a reality.

God Bless America.

Please provide feedback to: tony.mussari@gmail.com

Kitch’s Total Knee Replacement Surgery, The Final Visit.

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Digital photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease. William Osler

The Final Visit

On a dreary August morning, Kitch and I drove to Dickson City for our final appointment at Scranton Orthopaedic Specialists. To avoid the construction on the interstate highway, we took the blue-lined roads.

Yes, we encountered construction on PA 11, but it was minor compared to what drivers encounter on I-81.

It was the first anniversary of Kitch’s total knee replacement surgery, a reunion of sorts with several people who helped her before, during and after her surgery, and an opportunity to discuss her progress and some challenges she is facing.

In our opinion, the medical professionals at Scranton Orthopaedic Specialists are first class. Dr. Harry Schmaltz and his team give special meaning to the words of the Canadian scientist, William Osler. Their treatment is deeply rooted in competence, compassion, camaraderie, caring, community and continuity.

What we experienced during this appointment reinforced our belief about the quality of care of these wonderful people.

They are interested in the person, and this creates a sense of belonging and a high degree of trust. Without trust there can be no healing. One of our greatest Olympians said it best:

The only bond worth anything between human beings is their humanness. Jesse Owens

They are pleasant and they are not in a hurry.

It is wonderful how attractive a gentle, pleasant manner is, and how much it wins hearts. St. Francis de Sales

They are willing to talk about the challenges, and they provide proven strategies for relief.

Whoever is in a hurry shows that the thing he is about is too big for him. Lord Chesterfield

Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood. William Shakespeare

A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books. Chinese Proverb

They live the principles of effective teamwork:

A group becomes a team when all members are sure enough of themselves and their contributions to praise the skill of others. (Author Unknown)

At one point during our visit, the words of Harold Kushner came to mind. They accurately describe what Kitch and I felt about the philosophy that permeates the care of Dr. Harry Schmaltz and his team at Scranton Orthopaedic Specialists .

Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.

Thank you, Stephanie Bewick.
Thank You, Jamie.
Thank you, Ken.
Thank you, Mary Dunleavy.
Thank You, Mary Ann.
Thank you, Dr. Harry Schmaltz.

You and the members of your the team at Scranton Orthopaedic Specialists exemplify the best principles and the best practices of medicine. In our opinion, you are an example of America at its very best.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Happy Birthday America, 2015

Written by Tony Mussari
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Copyright 2015, Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project
faceofamericawps.com
All Rights Reserved

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness                  
And every gain divine! Katharine Lee Bates

America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.  Alexis de Tocqueville

America Defined

More than a century has passed since Katharine Lee Bates wrote the first version of the poem that eventually became the lyric for America the Beautiful. According to those who have studied this icon of America music, the final expanded version was written in 1913.

Samuel A. Ward provided the melody for this American anthem.

This musical masterpiece defines our country in 290 words and 8 verses.

In anticipation of our national birthday, I decided to acquire a copy of the lyrics so I could read them, think about what they mean, and compare them with definitions written by men and women who cared deeply about the essence of America, hope and opportunity.

This is a summary of the messages contained in Bates’s masterpiece and interpretations of the powerful words she used to describe America at its best.

Brotherhood

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood  
From sea to shining sea!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. summarized this part of the American credo with these words:

We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.

All my adult life I have deplored violence and war as instruments for achieving solutions to mankind’s problems. I am firmly committed to the creative power of nonviolence as the force which is capable of winning lasting and meaningful brotherhood and peace

Self-Control

America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,        
Thy liberty in law!

Eleanor Roosevelt gave us a priceless aphorism about self control:

To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.

In her diary, Anais Nin gave a wonderful insight into the power of self-control:

The knowledge that we are responsible for our actions and attitudes does not need to be discouraging, because it also means that we are free to change this destiny. One is not in bondage to the past, which has shaped our feelings, to race, inheritance, background. All this can be altered if we have the courage to examine how it formed us. We can alter the chemistry provided we have the courage to dissect the elements.

Love of Country and More than Self

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!

Two men from Illinois penned words that give meaning to this insight into heroism:

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stre[t]ching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. Abraham Lincoln

When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains, and the sea.  He means that he loves an inner air, an inner light in which freedom lives and in which a man can draw the breath of self-respect.  Adlai Stevenson

Success with Nobleness

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness                 
And every gain divine!

Benjamin Franklin used 13 words to define nobleness:

To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.

Harriet Beecher Stowe told us about the duty we owe our friends:

I am speaking now of the highest duty we owe our friends, the noblest, the most sacred – that of keeping their own nobleness, goodness, pure and incorrupt. If we let our friend become cold and selfish and exacting without a remonstrance, we are no true lover, no true friend.

Perseverance

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!

President John Quincy Adams best described the magic of perseverance:

Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.

President Calvin Coolidge helps us understand the uniqueness of perseverance:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Harriet Beecher Stowe gave us a very practical insight into perseverance:

When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you couldn’t hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that’s just the place and time that the tide’ll turn.

Fairness

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air   
And music-hearted sea!

A brilliant American writer and author of Little House on the Prairie, a popular American President and two Justices of the Supreme Court provide us with personal and poignant definitions of fairness:

Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our own minds. Laura Ingalls Wilder

Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace.  President Dwight Eisenhower

Fairness is what justice really is. Justice Potter Stewart

Today’s Constitution is a realistic document of freedom only because of several corrective amendments. Those amendments speak to a sense of decency and fairness that I and other Blacks cherish. Justice Thurgood Marshall

Avoid Selfish Gain

The 26th President of the United States said just about everything that needs to be said about avoiding selfish gain

Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance. Theodore Roosevelt

The pictures in this article were taken at a Celebration of Life Ceremony hosted by our friends,Charles and Winnie Ukattah. Charles and Winnie and many of their family members immigrated from Nigeria in the 1990’s. They came to America in search of hope and opportunity. They have worked hard and long hours to achieve success in their adopted home for themselves and their children.

This celebration of life in honor of Winnie’s mother was held shortly after the horrifying events in Charleston at the Mother Emanuel AME Church.

For Kitch and me, the celebration of life in Charleston and Avoca personified everything that America is on its best day, and it gives truth to the messages in America the Beautiful.  With God’s help we can mend our every flaw, because hope is stronger than death, and hate is no match for the amazing grace of forgiveness.

Happy Birthday America.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Dr. Dan F. Kopen: A Celebration of Life

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project

Because someone we love is in heaven, there’s a little bit of heaven in our home.

Mercy Center in Dallas, Pennsylvania, founded by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, is a place Kitch and I know very well. When Kitch’s mother was in the long term care unit, we were there almost every day.

Located on the campus of Misericordia University, this facility and its staff reflect the inner light of Mother Catherine McCauley’s advice to meet people with peace and ease and to treat people with kind words, gentle and compassionate looks and a patient hearing of their sorrows.

At Mercy Center the four charisms of the Sisters of Mercy: Hospitality, Justice, Service and Mercy are practiced every day.

On this beautiful May afternoon, our destination was the chapel in Mercy Center. There we would offer condolences to Kathy Kopen, her children, her mother-in-law and her sister-in-law, and we would participate in “A Celebration of the Life and Loving Memory of Dr. Dan F. Kopen.” Both experiences produced priceless moments of admiration, friendship, gratitude and love.

What happened during the reception is private and personal, and it will remain in our hearts forever.

The celebration of life service was a beautiful and poignant tribute to a great man. This is our attempt to reconstruct the event and share several of the inspirational thoughts that put Dan Kopen’s life in perspective

A Wonderful Man

Shortly after 3 p.m., Sister Carol Gallagher welcomed everyone, and she set the tone for the service with a quotation from New York Times columnist, David Brooks: I came to the conclusion that wonderful people are made, not born – that the people I admired had achieved an unfakeable inner virtue, built slowly from specific moral and spiritual accomplishments.

She characterized Dr. Dan F. Kopen as a wonderful person. They met 30 years ago when he was a young physician at Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. According to Sister Carol, Dr. Kopen was a man of strong opinions, kindness, gentleness and compassion.

Before she finished her remarks, she thanked Dr. Kopen for his gift of energizing love. In so doing she affirmed one of the most important instructions of the woman who founded the Sisters of Mercy, Mother Catherine McAuley:

The most acceptable return a benefactor can receive from those on whom he bestows favors, is a countenance testifying the gratitude of the heart.

Sister Carol’s colleague, Sister Robert Marie, led the congregation in singing Amazing Grace.

The beautiful lyrics of this song and the magnificent voice of Sister Robert Marie caused a rush of emotions that made it impossible for me to participate in this part of the service.

After the opening prayer, Dr. Kopen’s children, Krystin, Kaytlin and Derek, read their father’s favorite poem, “If” by Rudyard Kipling. It was a very touching moment, because it reminded me of my high school graduation. On that day, my parents gave me a card inscribed with the “If” poem and a note that read: “If you follow this advice, you will be happy.”

An Ethical and Moral Man

Dr. Thomas Kelly, a distinguished college professor and administrator, has been a friend of Dr. Kopen since the 1950s. He came to the podium with a notebook and a purpose. He wanted to define his friend by sharing special moments from their lifetime friendship. They grew up in a small town, Forty Fort, Pennsylvania. They participated in Little League, football and wrestling. They were outstanding students and leaders both in high school and in college.

When he was a teenager, Tom Kelly identified several characteristics in his friend, Dan Kopen, the second baseman on the Little League team and the slender young man who had his neck broken in a wrestling match. Dan Kopen was sincere, hardworking and studious. He had grit. Tom Kelly believes that distinguished him and became the foundation for his many successes in life.

Dr. Kelly shared the main point in his reflection in words that were carefully chosen and unequivocal: “Dan Kopen was the most moral and ethical person I have ever known.” Sitting in the back of the room, I could see people nodding their heads in agreement.

Once again, the words of Mother Catherine McAuley apply:

The simplest and most practical lesson I know…is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.

A well-known scriptural reading from Ecclesiastes followed Dr. Kelly’s remarks. It began with words familiar to everyone in the congregation:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

A Compassionate Man

In 1987, a nurse named Michelle joined the medical team at Dr. Dan Kopen’s office. For the next 27 years she worked closely with Dr. Kopen and his wife Kathy to give patients excellent care. Kitch and I met Michelle when she visited our home to check Kitch’s reaction after her lumpectomy. Michelle was polite, pleasant and very supportive.

On this day she talked about the boss she loved, the patients he told her to think of first, and the members of her family whose lives were saved by Dr. Kopen’s extraordinary surgical skill.

Five times during her presentation she used the word compassion to describe Dr. Kopen and his interaction with patients. Every time she used this word she provided an example to help people better understand how Dr. Kopen’s kind and compassionate way helped patients and family members deal with the horrifying diagnosis of cancer. He knew when to give a patient a hug. A patient told Michelle, “He could deliver bad news and make you feel good about it.” A patient’s daughter was so impressed with Dr. Kopen’s care for her mother, she decided to become an oncology nurse. He knew that at some point in life we all need to be carried, and he knew how to carry people with compassion, kindness and skill. Patients sensed his quiet confidence and his compassion.

In her Cork Manuscript, Catherine McAuley wrote something that summarizes everything Michelle Rohrbeck said about her relationship with Dr. Kopen and his relationship with everyone he met:

Our charity is to be cordial. Now cordial signifies something that renews, invigorates and warms. Such should be the effect of our love for each other.

Michelle Rohrbeck’s insightful portrait of Dr. Kopen was followed by the singing of the Prayer of St. Francis and a reading from scripture, Romans 6:3-4. 8-9. Then, Sister Robert Marie sang the Alleluia, and the congregation joined her.

After this touching moment, a Catholic priest read the Gospel, John 14:1-6, 23, 27.

A Lucky Man

Sister Kate Morris is a member of the faculty at Holy Redeemer High School. In 1990, she met Dr. Kopen as a patient. During her battle with cancer, she experienced his “wonderful uniqueness.”

In a soft spoken voice, she told the congregation, my doctor was the best. He was dignified, humble, compassionate, gentle, thorough, and kind. He inconvenienced himself to get her information about her condition in a timely way.

She provided a memorable portrait of Dr. Kopen when she shared this story. On the day of her father’s surgery, her mother asked if she could bless Dr. Kopen’s hands with holy relics. Dr. Kopen responded with a comment, “I will take the holy relics with me into surgery. We will both be in God’s hands.”

After her surgery and treatment, Sister Kate became a loyal family friend of the Kopens. She recounted visits to their home and priceless moments she shared with his family. On one occasion, Dr. Kopen told her he was a lucky man. He said his most precious gift was his family, and he believed that all gifts are given by God.

Sister Kate ended her reflection with this description of her friend. Dan Kopen was a brilliant, dignified, loving, caring man. We experienced through him the love of God.
Sister Kate’s heartfelt tribute was deeply rooted in a cardinal rule of Catherine McAuley:

Confidence in God causes us to hope, for everything comes from His paternal goodness.

Community Moments

The final part of this beautiful celebration of life can best be described as a series of community moments. There was a thoughtful prayer of the faithful, in which everyone in the chapel asked a God of mercy to hear our prayer.

We sang a hymn that always evokes emotion and reflection, Let There Be Peace On Earth.

Karen Reiniger, an administrator at Mercy Center, led the congregation in a closing prayer, and Sister Robert Marie sang a passionate rendition of an Irish Blessing.

Before people left the chapel they stopped to talk with friends and acquaintances. They sought out the speakers to offer their thanks for the eloquent words they spoke about Dr. Kopen.

In the chapel at Mercy Center we gathered to celebrate Dr. Dan F. Kopen. Our hearts were burdened by the loss of this great man. Kitch and I came to this gathering with a gnawing emptiness knowing that we would never see Dan Kopen. When we left, the pain was still real, but there was also a building sense of comfort. The mosaic of his life made us certain that he is in heaven. As Kitch said so thoughtfully, “Instead of praying for him, we can now pray to him.”

“A Celebration of Life: In Loving Memory of Dr. Dan Kopen” was a perfect tribute to a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a friend and a surgeon who is loved by many. Dr. Kopen’s life gives great meaning to Mother Catherine McAuley’s words:

If we are humble and sincere, God will finish in us the work He has begun. He never refuses His grace to those who ask it.

Thank you, Dr. Kopen for showing us the way to a life of health and happiness.

Thank you, Dr. Kopen for your inspiring example of what America is at its very best.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com

Dr. Dan F. Kopen: A Radiant Face of America

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD
The Face of America Project

Great men show politeness in a particular way; a smile suffices to assure you that you are welcome, and keep about their avocations as if you were a member of the family. John James Audubon

In 2011, Kitch and I were presented with one of the biggest challenges of our life. It was the day Dr. Dan Kopen told Kitch she had breast cancer. At the time, we knew Dr. Kopen by his reputation. During the next four years, we would get to know Dr. Kopen as a member of our family.

As a physician, Dr. Dan Kopen was a perfect partner in our battle with cancer. He was caring, compassionate and competent. He was available, and he treated Kitch like a patient not a client. He gave us confidence that everything would turn out well.

He once described the cornerstone of his medical practice with these words: “Treat every patient like they are members of the family.”

Whenever we were with him in his office, his surgical center, in our garden, at Candy’s Place (The Center for Cancer Wellness) or at a local restaurant, he was the personification of gentleness, goodness and kindness. He understood and he respected the insight that a person does not get cancer. A family gets cancer. He wanted to lessen our fears and give us hope.

Henri Nouwen’s beautiful words accurately describe our medical relationship with Dr. Kopen:

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of confusion or despair… who can tolerate not knowing… not healing… not curing…who can be patient with our human imperfections and our anxieties…the person who refuses to give up on us when we are in the dark house…the person who reaches out to ease the pain and uncertainty that is a friend indeed.

We are blessed to be able to say that these priceless words also describe our friendship with Dr. Kopen.

The Measure of His Greatness

When President Harry Truman spoke these words, he was describing Dan Kopen:

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves…self discipline with all of them came first.

When Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote these words, he was describing Dan Kopen:

Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force – that thoughts rule the world.

President Dwight David Eisenhower emphasized six qualities Dan Kopen possessed:

The qualities of a great man are vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character.

Sir Winston Churchill identified another characteristic of Dan Kopen with this aphorism:

The price of greatness is responsibility.

Benjamin Franklin penned a thought that identifies the essence of Dan Kopen:

There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

Edward Gardner gave us another important insight into the life of Dan Kopen:

It’s not what you take but what you leave behind that defines greatness.

Dr. Kopen’s Legacy

On May 26, Dr. Dan Kopen made his way to heaven. After a courageous battle with ALS disease, he left behind a sterling reputation as a husband, father, physician, surgeon, author and community leader.

His inspirational example will live on in the hearts and souls of thousands of patients who will remember his kindness.

His charitable work will enable serious-minded students to become doctors.

His book, Common Sense Health Care Reform, will continue to provide a blueprint for compassionate patient-based health care.

He was part of a team that created the Welles Street Medical Arts Complex in Forty Fort. He established the breast cancer surgery component of the Welles Street Medical Arts Complex. This medical arts center is a model for integrated medical services for breast cancer patients.

For those of us who were privileged to know him, his life and legacy give truth to the words of G. K. Chesterton:

There is a great man who makes every man feel small. But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great.

Dr. Dan Kopen was a “real great man.” He was genuine, and he always gave his very best to everyone he met.

For Kitch and me, Dr. Dan Kopen gave life and meaning in actions, not words, to the admonition of Thomas Merton:

Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone- we find it with one another.

In death as in life, Dr. Dan Kopen is a radiant Face of America on its best day. He is admired, respected and loved, and he will always have a very special place in our hearts.

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

Memorial Day 2015

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause. President Abraham Lincoln

A recent trip to Fort Indiantown Gap produced a scene I will never forget. This 18,000 acre military post is a National Guard Training Center and the headquarters for the Pennsylvania Department of Military Affairs. There are several memorials that command one’s attention, appreciation and thought:

The 2nd Brigade 28ID Fallen Warrior Memorial and The Memorial to the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge are elegant in design and their impact is poignant.

The F102 Jet Fighter and the EC-103E “Commando Solo” are impressive in size and scope.

For me, the most memorable and symbolic icon is a vintage World War 1 box car. It is protected by a simple shelter very close to the administration building of the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

It is known officially as one of the 49 French railroad box cars of the Merci Train. During World War I and II, French box cars like this one carried soldiers into battle. There were no seats, no windows, no toilets, and no sleeping or dining accommodations. There were 40 soldiers in each box car.

In 1947 America volunteers shipped 700 American box cars of relief goods to French citizens who were struggling.

In 1949, the French reciprocated with a Merci Train of 49 box cars filled with more than 52,000 gratitude gifts for Americans.

As I stood in the shadow of this incredible symbol of friendship, gratitude and honor, I was mesmerized by the beauty, kindness and goodness of the people who organized this effort, and the courageous soldiers who made the most of this box car during their battle to defeat totalitarianism and protect our freedom.

It was a humbling experience, a priceless experience and a poignant experience.

On this Memorial Day, Kitch and I will give thanks for the courage and selfless service of all the men and women who stood up for America in times of great danger from our beginnings during the revolutionar war to those serving in distant lands on this day.

We will remember in a special way the 1,794,418 Americans who lost their lives or were injured in six major wars since 1917.

We will recall our Face of America visits to special memorials in California, Illinois and West Point, New York.

We will honor the service of 2d Lt. Emily Perez, an inspirational woman of dignity, class and courage.

And we will recite this beautiful prayer written by Joanna Fuchs for all those who have given their lives so that America can remain a living example of what Dr. Stephen Post called the home of the free and the land of the good.

Veteran’s Day Prayer

Dear Lord,
Today we honor our veterans,
worthy men and women
who gave their best
when they were called upon
to serve and protect their country.
We pray that you will bless them, Lord,
for their unselfish service
in the continual struggle
to preserve our freedoms, our safety,
and our country’s heritage, for all of us.
Bless them abundantly
for the hardships they faced,
for the sacrifices they made
for their many different contributions
to America’s victories
over tyranny and oppression.
We respect them, we thank them,
we honor them, we are proud of them,
and we pray that you will watch over
these special people
and bless them with peace and happiness.
In Jesus’ name we pray; Amen.

By Joanna Fuchs

On this Memorial Day, we are deeply grateful for your service to America.

Please provide feedback to: tony.mussari@gmail.com

Forewarned Is Forearmed…Nothing Is Sacred in Cyberspace

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

The essence of community, its heart and soul, is the non-monetary exchange of value; things we do and share because we care for others, and for the good of the place. Dee Hock

On a beautiful May morning, I drove to the Lakeside Skillet Restaurant. It is one my favorite places in the Back Mountain. The setting is pleasant, the food is delicious, and the people who work there are always welcoming.

The occasion for the trip was the monthly Irregulars Think Tank Breakfast. Started in 2010 by Cholly Hayes, a successful entrepreneur and long-time employee at WBRE TV, the Irregulars Think Tank is comprised of men and women who want to engage with one another in a cultural, social and friendly way.

Hayes invites presenters who have experience, expertise and knowledge they are willing to share. He creates a relaxed environment, and he encourages everyone in the group to ask thoughtful questions. His goal is simple. He wants to enable the presenter to share information that will inform, inspire and provide solutions to common and complex issues everyone faces at home, on the job and in everyday engagements with others.

On this Saturday morning, the topic for discussion was Cyber Fraud: Nothing Is Sacred Anymore.

In 2014, former Attorney General Eric Holder issued this ominous warning:

Cybercrime is one of the greatest threats facing our country, and has enormous implications for our national security, economic prosperity, and public safety.

Holder made cybercrime one of the Department of Justice’s top priorities.

Interpol reinforced Holder’s concern when it issued this statement:

Cybercrime is a fast-growing area of crime. More and more criminals are exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity of the Internet to commit a diverse range of criminal activities that know no borders, either physical or virtual.

Criminal organizations are turning increasingly to the Internet to facilitate their activities and maximize their profit in the shortest time. The crimes themselves are not necessarily new – such as theft, fraud, illegal gambling, sale of fake medicines – but they are evolving in line with the opportunities presented online and therefore becoming more widespread and damaging.

Riley Walters, a research assistant at the Heritage Foundation, published this alarming report. A recent survey by the Ponemon Institute showed the average cost of cyber crime for U.S. retail stores more than doubled from 2013 to an annual average of $8.6 million per company. In 2014, the annual average cost per company of successful cyber attacks increased to $20.8 million in financial services, $14.5 million in the technology sector, and $12.7 million in communications industries.

No one appreciates the far-reaching implications of this serious threat more than Jim Zardecki.

Jim is Senior Vice President and Director of Security/Facilities at Customers Bank. He also owns and operates Zardecki Associates. When it comes to loss prevention investigations and physical security in the public and private sector, Jim Zardecki is in a class all by himself.

Jim is a big man with a keen intellect, a wonderful heart and a great sense of humor. He is a very good man who cares about his community, and the clients he serves. He has personal knowledge of his topic. His credit card was compromised last week.

In fact before Jim began his presentation, one of the people sitting at our table told us his PayPal account had been compromised. The person sitting next to me had his private information compromised in the Anthem Blue Cross hack.

To help people better understand the magnitude of the problem, Jim reviewed a short list of some of the most widely publicized cyber attacks:

Target – 70 million customers’ contact information and 40 million customers’ credit cards and debit card information was stolen;

eBay – 145 million cards compromised;

JPMorgan/Chase – contact information for 76 million households and 7 million small businesses was compromised;

Home Depot – 56 million cards and 53 million customer e-mail addresses compromised;

Michaels – 2.5 million cards compromised;

He provided everyone in the room with a four page glossary of 30 cyber-related terms and a three page handout containing tips to prevent identity theft.

These are a few of the maxims about cyberfraud Jim shared with the audience:

1. Nothing is safe in cyberspace;

2. What is happening now is forever;

3. There are steps one can take to protect sensitive information.

Some of those steps include:

1. Avoid giving personal information to anyone;

2. Carefully check bank statements and credit card statements every month;

3. If you are using a smartphone or other digital devices, make your thumbprint your password;

4. Be very careful when using an ATM machine after bank hours. It is a favorite target of cybercriminals;

5. If you use on-line banking, carefully check your statements;

6. In restaurants, hand-held scanners are very vulnerable;

7. Gas pumps are another preferred target of cybercriminals.

According to Jim, cyberfraud is here to stay, and all of us must be vigilant.

These are the suggestions Jim made to prevent identity theft:

1. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write it on checks;

2. Protect your PIN. Never write it on your credit card or on a piece of paper kept in your wallet;

3. Be on the lookout for “shoulder surfers.” Use your free hand to shield the keypad when using pay phones and ATM’s;

4. Collect mail promptly;

5. Pay attention to your billing cycles;

6. Keep your receipts;

7. Tear up or shred unwanted receipts, credit offers and account statements;

8. Store personal information in a safe place;

9. Don’t respond to unsolicited requests;

10. Install firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computer;

11. Check your credit report once a year.

Jim Zardecki is not a crepe-hanger. He is a problem solver.

Yes, the cyber crime problem is very serious, but there are ways to reduce its impact. Again and again he emphasized personal diligence and sophisticated investigative techniques that identify cyber criminals.

Yes, millions of accounts have been compromised, but in most situations “only 3-4 percent of the cards are used by the crooks.”

During her tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano asked the American people for cooperation, patience and a commitment to vigilance in the face of a determined enemy.

Wendell Phillips reminded us that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Jim Zardecki gave those of us who attended his presentation much the same advice.

As I was leaving the Lakeside Skillet Restaurant, the words of William Reich provided a perfect description of this meeting of the Irregulars Think Tank:

We live in a community of people not so that we can suppress and dominate each other or make each other miserable but so that we can better and more reliably satisfy all life’s healthy needs. William Reich

The members of the Irregulars will come together again next month to satisfy life’s healthy needs.

Thank you, Cholly Hayes for facilitating this wonderful community group.

Thank You, Bobby Zampetti for the invitation.

Thank you, Jim Zardecki for an interesting and thought-provoking presentation.

Please provide feedback to: tony.mussari@gmail.com

Brian Greene, The Rosenn Lecture, Wilkes University: A Night of Connectedness

Written by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Edited by Kitch Loftus-Mussari
Photographs by Tony Mussari, Sr.
Copyright 2015
Mussari-Loftus Associates
The Face of America Project

I have long thought that anyone who does not regularly – or ever – gaze up and see the wonder and glory of a dark night sky filled with countless stars loses a sense of their fundamental connectedness to the universe. Brian Greene

Honoring Greatness

During his lifetime, Max Rosenn was a leader, a thinker and a reconciler. In death, the important work he did for his community and his country is remembered every year at the Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities. This event brings people from all walks of life together at Wilkes University for an evening of celebration, conversation, and connectedness.

Three hours before the lecture, a large group of invited guests attend a private reception and dinner. It is a festive occasion that enables Rosenn family members, Judge Rosenn’s law clerks and the featured speaker to interact with community leaders, teachers, students and friends of the judge. The atmosphere is welcoming. The conversations are enjoyable, and the food is delicious.

The pre-dinner speakers always share information about the judge and his contributions to the community. This year Eva Rosenn spoke about her grandfather with admiration and respect. She noted that he set the bar incredibly high. He transmitted his values by example, and he expected us to do what we can.

As Eva was speaking, I thought to myself Judge Rosenn would have enjoyed the event, because he liked to engage people in a personal way. The judge was always at his best when he was talking with a person face to face.

Judge Rosen was a quality person. When William A. Foster wrote these words, he was describing Judge Rosenn:

Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.

Reaching for the Stars

The absolutely worst thing you ever can do, in my opinion, in bringing science to the general public, is to be condescending or judgmental. It is so opposite to the way science needs to be brought forth. Brian Greene

Brian Greene is a celebrated author, a gifted speaker and a distinguished physicist who is dedicated to unraveling the secrets of the universe. These are impressive credentials to be sure, but there is another characteristic that is central to his success. He gives one the impression that he is as interested in the people he meets as he is in the research he does.

I had the good fortune to observe him interacting with people at the reception, during his presentation and afterward at a book signing. He was kind, helpful, patient and pleasant with everyone.

Brian Greene is approachable. He enjoys answering questions, and he does his very best to provide thoughtful responses to young and old alike.

In person and on stage, Brian Greene is dynamic, not histrionic. He is humorous, not ludicrous. He is friendly, but never condescending.

Before a packed house in the Dorothy Dixon Dart Center for the Performing Arts, he demonstrated his creativity as he explained String Theory, Black Holes, and Holograms.

He is a man on a mission. He wants to help people look at the universe not just as a subject of wonder, but as an opportunity for learning and gaining an understanding of “the what" and "the why" questions.

He creatively used multimedia tools to demonstrate the possibility that there are many other universes that exist parallel to our universe.

He artfully demonstrated how the universe may be a three dimensional image on a 2-D surface that surrounds us. In other words, the universe may be a hologram.

To be sure, this Rosenn lecture was much different from any of its predecessors. Yet like all the others it caused people to think about and talk about matters that they might never consider.

Now when we look up at the sky our thoughts will be more than “Oh it’s so beautiful.”

That is exactly what the Rosenn Lecture is designed to do, and that is why I believe Judge Rosenn would be very pleased with Brian Greene’s presentation.

Aphorisms for Life and Science

These are a few of the maxims Brian Green shared with his audience:

It is so hard to criticize something you don’t understand;

Cutting edge is an uncomfortable place to be;

To push forward, to innovate one must go forth not knowing whether they are right or wrong;

The art of explanation is not certainty;

A scientist must have the courage to ask the questions a five-year old would ask. How does it work? Why does this happen?

Brian Green, a brilliant Face of America, has that kind of courage.

Thank You, Erin Dupay, Lucas Domulevicz, Rebecca Kuc, and Dr. Terry Wignot, for your wonderful dinner conversation at table 7.

Thank you Rebecca Van Jura and Mildred Urban for the time, effort and energy you invested in making the 34th Max Rosenn Lecture a success.

Thank you, Craig Blakeley, Dr. Chris Bresieth, Judge Tom Burke, Judge Joe Van Jura, Iran Fahmy and Ed Transue. It was great to see you at our annual reunion.

Thank You, Brian Greene for bringing your message to our home town in an entertaining, informative and interesting way.

Thank you, Dr. Patrick Leahy and the members of the Wilkes University administration, faculty and staff for a wonderful evening of connectedness.

Please provide feedback to:
tony.mussari@gmail.com