A good friend of mine lives and practices in L.A. Earlier this year I arranged to send him a copy of From Day to Day for his birthday. I was instructed to include an invoice with the book. Since it was his birthday I decided not to charge him, but made what I considered a clever request instead. I asked him to use his funds to purchase another copy of Nansen’s diary, and give that copy to another deserving friend. My friend agreed, and I never gave the matter another thought.
About two weeks ago I received a message from my friend which began “The time has come to pay it forward.” Turns out my friend has a long-standing custom of preparing gift baskets for friends and clients at year-end, stocked with unusual items and accompanied by a newsletter organized around a common theme. This year’s theme focused on second careers, new beginnings, and paths not taken. As my involvement in the re-publication of Nansen’s diary fell well outside of my previous career path as a real estate finance attorney, my story was included in his newsletter and my book in his gift basket.
Then came the punchline: could I deliver 44 copies of the book for the baskets? Never in my wildest imagining could I have envisioned my simple request evolving into the delivery of 44 more books to interested friends. And who knows where those 44 will in turn lead?
Nansen’s diary has shown an uncanny power to generate more and more leads, down pathways that I could never have foreseen. And inspire friends and strangers to assist me in my quest to spread his story. Merry Christmas, my friend, and Merry Christmas to all my friends and readers who have made this year the most enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding of my life.
