Maven’s, Moxie and Marathon’s

The East Coast has had a difficult week---an unprecedented storm with destruction that cannot yet be completely quantified wounded us. In the midst of loss of life, property, and businesses, we have also seen great acts of generosity, care, and civility from our neighbors. New York is tough--we’ve got moxie--and our resolve to rebuild from ashes will be clear in the days and weeks ahead.

This week also knew something quiet and personally sad to me in the passing of Leticia Baldrige---the once Social Secretary to the Kennedy White House, and woman known in the world of Etiquette as one of the true maven’s of good taste. I had the wonderful fortune to speak with Ms. Baldrige via conference call a few years ago during my Etiquette training at the Global Protocol Academy in Chicago. Her grace, her knowledge, and her willingness to allow us to bend her ear were such a joy, and an experience I will remember with great fondness for years to come.

I thought of her rather intently the past few days when it was made known that the City of New York would still be holding the annual Marathon----a huge undertaking that would literally have runners galloping in delight a few short miles away from people who are struggling to regain some sense of balance in their lives---some with no homes, no resources, whose singular focus is the procurement of food, water, heat and shelter. Oh yes, there were the arguments---“people travel from all over the world to run this race”—it builds the economy”. But that picture lacked civility, compassion and common sense---unless of course, you were going to send those runners into the damaged neighborhoods carrying meals for hungry people.

Yes, runners trained for months to run---and they should be congratulated for that. But at this moment I reserve my congratulations for those that finally made the right decision. Bravo to abandoning corporate and the self-centered interests of a few for something higher---civility and compassion. I think Ms. Baldrige would have said something quite nice about that---