Lou Tice - I Will Never Forget You

This is a picture of the two most influential people in my adult life.   Teenie, of course, and our long time mentor and teacher, Lou Tice.

I wrote about Lou in our TEAM headstrong Blog a few years ago upon his death…….at least his physical death.   I say this because Lou has been with me so much and so strongly the last years.   I did not see Lou for about 3 years prior to his death, but I always knew he was there for me.   He has continued to be.

Volumes have and could be written about Lou by people much more eloquent than me.  There is a story about a guy walking down a beach where thousands of starfish have washed ashore.   The guy is throwing one at time back into the water so they can live.   An on-looker asks him why it matters as there are so many?   The man throws one more back and explains, "It matters to that one."   Well, Lou threw a hell of a lot of starfish back into the ocean and I am one of them.

I have quoted him so many times it is crazy.   People close to me, have likely experienced me giving him multiple, multiple credits.  I call them Lou-isms.  These are not just chic soundbites, though.  They are much, much more.

Lou picked me up when I was about 40 years old.   No, I wasn't a poor child at the time.  I had a few things going, but Lou helped me take my life up about 3 levels.   Lou taught me some truths about myself and how my mind works.   He never taught me what to think, he just taught me how to think.  He gave me a 'tool box' with a set of tools that work anywhere, anytime, if I just use them.   I have failed at times to do so, and I can attest that the outcomes are not good.

Fortunately, I was a pretty good student.   So, things have worked out pretty darn well in general.

Don't get me wrong, I never idolized Lou.  He was just a man and he had his shortcomings as we all do.   He never walked on water or pretended that he could.

I don't know if Lou was great man or not--just that he was great for me.   If you are reading this Lou, I want you to know the difference you made and are still making.   I want you to know that I am going to keep using what you taught me as long as I breathe.  I want you to know that I am going to keep teaching it through words and example to anyone who will pay attention.

I will probably revisit this relationship in future writings but for now Lou...

Thanks for everything.

A Starfish.