PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE Thoughts and Reflections on Recent Phamily Achievements Happy Easter! Happy Spring! Happy Derby Day! Happiness! Yes, these are all things that should spring wonderful thoughts around your family. This is the time of year when the cold harsh winter begins to melt away and new life begins to spring eternal. This is the beginning of the year when family events and celebrations, like Easter, are celebrated. Well, at least this is how it is within my family. I come from a family of nine. My father grew up around the KY/VA border; Mother was from Lexington. They met in college and managed pharmacies, as well as a family of 7 kids thereafter. Yes, NINE people sitting around a dinner table in the 70’s/80’s and every major holiday ever since. NINE people and it was extremely dynamic with its ins and outs, but all in all, the inner workings were like the government. Yes, there were differing opinions and views to say the least; however, we were together and A FAMILY! That being said, each member of my family has vastly different personalities that range from quiet and reserved too boisterous and extroverted. I am immensely proud of all the members in my family! Not for their successes, but just because they are my siblings. I would hope at this point, each one of us could look back and say that our parents are extremely proud of what we have become and what we do for our communities and society. That's not to say that there have not been some ups and downs along the way. We all have points in our life that, when we look back, would be perceived as “interesting”. Since this article is being written by me, I, of course, was the favorite child and perfect in all ways, especially in my parents’ eyes. Some would even call me the Golden Boy, OK, maybe no one could call me the Golden Boy; however, that doesn't prevent me from continuing to aspire toward improvement.
My parents always taught us that it was much better to give than receive. I often ponder how my mother and father did it, having seven kids running amok in seven different directions. There are no two of us alike. The greatest similarities that we all contain might be around our various professions and connections in health care. As I look around at my siblings and wonder why we are what we are, I believe it goes back to watching our parents. We had a headstrong mother who was determined to fight all the odds to succeed, not only for herself but for anyone who she saw needing either a cheerleader or the support to move further. She gave us a grand sense of adventure in her ability to move from her home three hours east to an environment that was 1/10th the size and many years behind in economic development. However, she fought the odds not only as a female pharmacist, but also as a strong woman in a rural southwest Virginia community. My father was always referred to as the number’s guy. I very rarely remember my dad raising his voice; however, he was mighty with his whistle, mind, attention to detail, and subtle actions. Both parents gave us tremendous love and support; they allowed us the freedoms to explore, dream, and error. Both were optimistic in the way they approached life, even though there were difficulties surrounding the community in which I grew up. They wanted us to be the best we could be and showed that to us in their faith, not only religious, but in us as their children. They believed in us! Our |3| www.KPHANET.org
