I take none of my blessings for granted. Believe me, my adult life has been difficult, but nothing like many, I know that.
I am blessed with good health, especially at my age, I see others my age or even younger with so many health issues. No, I am not in the shape I was before I retired and I am not able to do many of the things I have done in the past. That is entirely my own fault, for not eating right, and not keeping myself in shape.
I have been extremely blessed with opportunities to provide for myself and my four children, something I have done by myself until they were grown and even beyond adulthood. Yes, I took hold of those opportunities and I worked hard and succeeded, but I had the opportunities, many don’t, especially in other countries.
Which brings me to three people I’ve met through reading books, and what I learned of their lives, struggles, and triumphs. Let me tell you about, Lu Chi Fa (Gordon), Harry de Leyer, and Daniel Milstein.
Harry de Leyer, a Dutch immigrant came to the US with his first wife fleeing postwar Europe with only a few simple possessions. He had never been afraid to dream big dreams while growing up in St. Oedenrode, The Netherlands. His village was eventually ravaged by the Second World War, but Harry remembered the good times on his family’s farm where he learned to ride and train horses. He and his wife Johanna had lived on a very strict budget after finally being able to make it to the United States as a young couple. He worked as a sharecropper, practically a slave in the early years, then eventually landed a good job as a riding instructor at a girl’s school. In time he was able to buy his own little piece of land and home on Long Island New York. He named the place Hollandia Farms. With a growing family, he and Johanna and the children worked hard together and eventually even purchased a larger place with a nicer home. Harry was the owner of Snowman the eighty dollar champion. I love horses but this book was more to me than the story of that talented horse. It was a story of a man of perseverance, and hard work toward his dreams.
Harry is still alive at 89 and living just outside Charlottesville, on his 80 acre farm Nederland. A new revised edition of the original story of Harry and Snowman titled Snowman The True Story Of A Champion, will be published in October 2016. A documentary movie is now making the rounds and a DVD will be available soon as well. 
Visit the Harry and Snowman Facebook Page so you can stay up to date.
A story of a young boy, a young man who beat the odds because he would not give up on his dreams. You can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking the image below.
Lu Chi Fa or Gordon, the name he is known by today, was orphaned in his native China at
the age of 3. What an amazing story he has told in his book Double Luck. I can only imagine the hardship and poverty this delightful man endured there as he was passed from one family member to another and even sold at one point. Begging day after day to help feed the members of his family. Beaten, starved and mistreated, he somehow managed to be resilient and make his way to the United States in 1969 where he trained as a cook, then purchased his own restaurant, The Coffee Pot in Morro Bay California.
His name Lu Chi Fa had the meaning New Beginning. The communist couple he was sold to gave him the name Shang Shii, or Double Luck as they had purchased him to train him as their number two son. Ironically his beloved sister had always told him Lu Chi you are lucky. In the US he later took the name Gordon and he is known by that name today.
I had the fortunate pleasure of meeting Gordon in The Coffee Pot after having breakfast there in July. I purchased a copy of his book which he autographed and he also presented me with a coffee mug as well. I cannot wait to go back again next year, I would love to sit and have a chat with this remarkable man.
If you don’t get to Morro Bay to visit Gordon and purchase his book there, you can order it from Amazon by clicking the image below. The book was awarded the Parent’s Choice Gold Award and is prominent in many schools.
All proceeds from the sale of this book goes to school programs and children charities. Gordon will never forget the pain of his abuse as a child and wants to help other children to have an education and a pain free childhood.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8234-1560-1
Daniel Milstein is another immigrant to the US. Coming here as a boy with his family from the Ukraine. As Jews they were especially vulnerable to hardship and oppression. His grandparents died as a result of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear 
disaster and soon after he and his parents were able to emigrate in 1991 at the time the Ukraine was asserting it’s independence from the Soviet Union.
Daniel hated being poor, he also had no understanding of his classmates who spent their time partying instead of studying and working. He worked and went to school, helping to support his family although at times he was so exhausted he fell asleep whenever he sat down.
He looked for opportunities and made the best of them becoming educated on the job in finance and the mortgage industry. Eventually founding Gold Star Financial Group in 1999. He never forgot the lessons of honor and honesty instilled in him by his grandfather at a young age back on the family farm.
Of all of the awards and honorary degrees Dan has earned throughout the years, he his most proud of his 4 years in a row being voted one of the top workplaces in all of Michigan. He has always treated people right just like his grandfather taught him to do.
Daniel Milstein was honored at the INC 500 Awards in 2009. He has also written other books besides his autobiography 17 Cents And A Dream. His other two books are Street Smart Selling, How To Be A Sales Superstar, and The ABC of Sales. I especially enjoyed his book 17 Cents And A Dream, I found it inspiring how a kid who could not even speak English was able to accomplish what he did in such a short time. You can purchase all of his books on Amazon, just click the image below.
Learn a little about Dan and his company, you can even connect with him on Linked In as I have if you would like, he is a very approachable man.
I know how incredibly blessed I am and how I have not taken full advantage of opportunities, as my children have not. But inspiration can come at any age. Read about these amazing men and become inspired! At the very least, recognize your blessings and be grateful.
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