It was about 5:48 PM when I got out of this evening's closing. I arrived at 4:00 PM. It's my second of the month and boy do I have some bar water cooler stories for anyone interested. Before I go further, I should mention that each respective client at each respective closing did their due diligence in making sure no question they had was left unanswered. Kudos to you both! On one hand we have a first time home buyer. On the other, was a first time Real Estate Investor. I'll get to that in a moment though...
I found out that tomorrow is Mental Health Day. I wasn't aware that I had a three day weekend. Yet, it makes one (me) think.
My mother has spent her entire life working with and teaching those who society deems as mentally challenged. As a youngster, I saw that she brought her work home with her and I saw her passion being unrewarded with financial gain. I saw her passion to help cause a heck of a lot of stress... passion sometimes goes unrewarded along the less than merry way.
From day one, I looked at a lot of those who weren't socially compatible mentally, as persons who were closer to a higher power than the rest of us. While their intellect failed socially, at least in our culture, their hearts performed miracles of humane notions. It wasn't that ignorance was bliss; it was and is their heart that our intellect would not allow us to understand.
Tough times, damn right! I propose a simple solution to lead us to the promised land, that of one which will make our lives a bit more comfortable.
I left that closing (or so I thought) at 5:48 PM this evening but before I did... the client gave a speech that stimulated both my mind and heart. Because of that, I left much after 5:48 PM;-) Sure, they were trying to wax intellectual in saying that they want to build a team for future reference... but I saw something different every time his eyes made contact with mine. All he really wanted was a sense of trust and stability. All they really wanted was to make sure folks they worked with were really on their side.
My mother has represented folks who weren't in tune with society as we know it for her entire life. Now I represent folks who are unsure of what it takes to buy or refinance a home. While it is not easy to take on the media in mid-drift, it makes little difference if we burn out or fade away. Both options are failure. I won't concede that just yet.
Jason, I think you hit the nail on the head. The thing that people don't want us to be is sales people. They want to think of us as their friends, and we should let them be in our hearts to become our friends. Then everyone can live happily ever after. I think I got on a tangent?
Jason, what a heart your mom must have! Sorta like you.
If only I could condense my comment as cleverly as you were able to tie this together in such a cohesive fashion. I can't - (too much to drink?) - so I'll simply say that your Mom is an angel. It's to your good fortune that she's had so much practice :)
I sincerely hope your client saw what I see in your gorgeous eyes : the absolute certainly that he cannot do better than to have such an amazing, ethical, caring, responsive and brilliant lender on his team. No, I am NOT biased! I know it. And so does everyone who has ever worked with you.
Now I'd like to hear how you plan to deliver me to that promised land!
MWA & FWA!!
Jason - To many people the sky is falling right now. Fear rules the day. Hell, I glance upwards to check every once in a while. Your experience reminds me of the old story about a boy tossing starfish into the ocean after the storm. A man said, "Why bother? There are thousands of starfish on the beach, you can't possibly make a difference. The boy picked up another, tossed it back, and replied, "made a difference to that one didn't I." You can't beat the media, but you make a difference one at a time. Keep tossing 'em back.
Jason, I think people respect and want to work with people that serve them with their best interest at heart like YOU, and of course your Mom.
Jason - your mother opened the beautiful world of the "challenged" to you. I am of the opinion that the truly challenged are those that have the ability to listen to doomsayers. We have the opportunity to hold their hand or let them drift off. Listen carefully. In the still air, through the mist, you can hear the sirens calling. Do not fall prey to the song. Do not get lost in the song. There is a wonderful symphony playing in your soul. Listen for that backbeat. March to the tune of that drum. When the music stops playing, you will have danced your way through hundreds of lives. Their memories will be enhanced by the score that plays softly as they look back. We are but a minute. If we do it well, our minute lasts forever.
Jason, keep fighting the good fight my brother. Like you, my clients want to feel that we are in this together and that there is indeed TRUST. We work in an industry and time that is fraught with the lazy, the inept and the downright selfserving so it's no wonder that the public's perception is skewed! I understand your passion and see that you got a lot of it from your mother whose work demanded a personal and passionate commitment.
Bro,
Mental health day has been half the week for me but it's ok to take as many days as you need. It's hard to get in the head of a client even if they seem confident in us.
I think I need a mental halth day after this week! The bright side is that it can only get better from here...right???
Jason- Those who are mentally challenged and born with physical challenges are not put on this earth to prove anything or to pass through anything, they are already spiritually exalted and the only reason for themselves that they came here was to gain their physical body, but for us, I truly believe they came here for our growth, for our response and to test our capacity to love and accept. It is in us serving them that we show our spiritual growth and validating of our blessings, to teach us not to take our physical and mental capacitied for granted and to make sure we learn to treat others with love and dignity.
Jason, thanks for bringing it home to us.
Hopefully, this is yet another situation where your transaction abilities will go forth and multiply. Seems to me that this phrase "All they really wanted was to make sure folks they worked with were really on their side." proves itself time and time again in your transactions since the larger part of your business is former clients, and referralsfrom them. Although your head may be a tad crooked some times - your heart makes you an exceptional mortgage expert. Well Done!
Jason, your mom is an honest to God hero. I see where you get your heart from!
Jason! And talk about HAND HOLDING! I never really thought of myself as being in the "hand holding" business until lately! 2 closing so far this month! SMOKIN' HOT! You rock!
Audrey - I've always liked that 'happily ever after' concept. Sure, it's ideal. But something in me says it can be very real as well.
Patricia - A blessing and a curse...
My Jennifer - Ode to unfinished pieces of prose... another post in of itself. Gorgeous eyes? The customer in this case, googled my name and found me everywhere. (pssst... grazie AR, Trulia, & EHarmony.com... kidding on the last one my dear:-). Okay, enough of the cheap plugs. What I am getting at is they said they saw my picture (presumably the math club one) and said I didn't look the same. I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing. I don't photo well so I'll be optimistic about the situation. Love the song, by the way:-)
Erik - I've been seeing you around and am liking your contributions more and more. That written, I won't hold it against you that you comment on my stuff:-) That story of the starfish seems so simple and a tad mundane in comparison... but very little could be a better analogy to this world we live in. I adore proverbs and their off-shoots.
Gary - I don't hold a candle to my mom just yet, perhaps never will. Yet, that's a star to shoot for...
J-Mac - Is it just me or do you write some of the most provocative pieces of poetic antedotes around these parts? Color me crazy but I understood every freaking word. I've used this one before and will use it again... here's to you J-Mac!
Russell - I understand their angst and don't quite blame them. While they aren't without their fair share of guilt in the equation... it seems to me that all of this makes our responsibility and impact that much greater. You just gave me an idea...
Neal - Again, I'm sorry for your loss my man. Nothing is rudimentary when you care about that something...
Bill - Well grab a six-pack keg of beer and come on down to Allentown. It can't rain all the time man, and a lot of it is between the ears anyhow.
Katerina - Wow! Astutely put. I can't much argue with something I so agree with. I love your take and not because it is of my own...
Ponderosa - I love music, here's another favorite I will play often!
Mr. Geary - Of all the years you've known me, when has my head ever been crooked? Shoot... I loathe the imperfection that is I. As I said to Patricia above, the heart is a blessing and a curse. In the end, I'm confident it will be a blessing. Somehow I know it won't be easy getting there, though. The multitudes will come, in due time. Performance has a way of eventually making its mark.
Susan - Yes she is! There's no sense in living up to it... I just try to learn from it.
Eleanor - Good times never die:-)
Jason, people are scared. It has always been our job to educate but now it is also our job to console and to lead.
Jason - great post.... I can relate to what you say is the look in the eye... I always try to listen and teach and answer questions instead of telling and talking over. Sounds like your mother was an angel as well. Great job.
Jason, Great post. Your mother is wonderful lady.
Beth - Yes they are and somewhat rightfully so. I just knew my Psychology degree would come in handy:-)
Christopher and Stephanie - My mother is an angel, I'm surprised she admits to me being her son:-)
Gita - Thanks. And yes she is...