Excellence and Passion Despite Difficulties
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Excellence and Passion Despite Difficulties
Excellence and passion despite difficulties. Meet Jackie. Jackie is our office manager at the Cape Coral Academy of Music- the music school that my husband and I run.
We met Jackie when she brought her son Tommy to us for guitar and saxophone lessons. Her son was then a student at the school where one of our part time music teachers, Chris, is the Band Director there. Chris recommended that she bring Tommy for private lessons as it was becoming very apparent that Tommy had a huge gift for music.
Excellence and Passion Are Obvious
From the first day I met her, I knew that there was something different about Jackie. I had many opportunities to talk with her as she sat in the waiting room of our school while Tommy had his lessons. Her optimistic attitude and passion rubbed off on everybody who was around her.
Jackie was a band parent for Tommy’s band. One day Chris came in to teach and told us that Jackie had built their parade float practically by herself. Those of us who knew her were impressed but not surprised by her excellence.
Her band parent exploits became legend. She owns two huge Great Danes and would often bring Louie to interact with the band members as she volunteered on mostly a daily basis.
Louie helping Jackie in the music school office
One day, our office manager, Pat, turned to me and told me that she was retiring and moving 100 miles away. I knew who I wanted for her replacement and was certain that Jackie was just the person we needed for the job.
Excellence and Passion in the Face of Difficulties
Now…here’s the rest of the story. Jackie has been in two very serious car accidents. Once her car was hit by a drunk driver and the second and once, her car was hit by a truck. Jackie walks with a cane, has had multiple surgeries and has an electrical implant in her back to reduce her pain.
Jackie was told that she would never walk again, but she was determined to prove the doctors wrong and she did. Jackie passion for excellence inspires everyone who meets her. Many parents of our students stay in the waiting room just to hang out with Jackie, long after their children have finished their lessons.
When I became disabled myself, Jackie became my role model. I learned that disability is never an excuse. I learned to have a passion for excellence in everything I do. I learned that excellence is always possible with the right attitude.
Oh yes…and Jackie’s son Tommy? Well, the passion for excellence rubbed off. Tommy is now a classical guitar performance major at New England Conservatory, studying with Elliot Fisk, the successor to Andres Segovia. Jackie has passed down her passion for excellence to the next generation.
We can all learn a lesson from Jackie. We must not let ourselves make any excuse for not pursuing excellence with a passion.
So today, I salute Jackie, our office manager extraordinaire who embraces life with passion and excellence. I am honored and proud to call Jackie my friend.
Blessings,
Marty