Mr. Todd
Written by Ali Carr, Posted in All
“Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.”-Flavia Weedn
I am not sure what it is, but lately it seems that every time I board a flight, I meet somebody very interesting. Perhaps we are surrounded by interesting people all of the time but our busy lives keep us from meeting them.
I would like to introduce to you a friend that I made on one of my flights. His name is Joe Todd. I had the honor of sitting next to this man and his daughter on my flight from Tampa to Austin. It was a rough day as I was dealing with some personal issues just before I boarded the flight- but in that moment I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Upon sitting down next to one another, Mr. Todd immediately introduced himself to me. It is hard to explain, but this man radiated kindness. He reminded me so much of my own beloved grandfather that I lost several years ago. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness inside of me as we talked. Almost immediately, he boasted about being 92 years old. And let me tell you, this man was as sharp as a knife. (If I were this healthy at age 92 I would be pretty proud too!) I used most of my time on this flight to engage with both Mr. Todd and his daughter. After talking for just a short time, it was clear that I could learn a lot from this man. I asked a lot of probing questions about his life, and I left with three valuable lessons that I would like to share with you.
1. Everyone Is A Friend. Mr. Todd said, “Strangers are FRIENDS that we just haven’t met yet.” He emphasized the importance of seizing everyday opportunities and getting to know the people around us. Relationships are the key to life. Sometimes people may not be in the mood to be friendly, but Mr. Todd’s advice was to try to engage them in conversation and offer kindness even if others aren’t willing to offer it in return.
2. Good Health Is Everything. Growing up, Mr. Todd’s family owned a tobacco farm. Despite his upbringing and this environment, he shared with me that he has never smoked a day in his life. He credits his great health and vitality to these life choices. This was a great reminder that as long as we have our health we have everything. I’m not saying you shouldn’t indulge every once in awhile, because I certainly like to. But as with everything in life, moderation is key. “Good health is not something we can buy. However it can be an extremely valuable savings account.”-Anne Wilson Schaef
3. Give Without Expecting. During my chat with Mr. Todd, he not only offered insight into friendship and kindness, he reminded me about the importance of giving. He shared with me that he bakes four pecan pies each day and shares them with others. Many people have asked him why he does not sell his delicious pies or open up a bakery, but he said that would defeat his entire mission. He enjoys giving to others without expecting anything in return. This was perhaps the greatest lesson that I took away from our conversation. Mr. Todd even offered to share his family recipe with me as long as I agreed to share it with others as he does. After my trip, when I arrived back in Austin, I immediately bought the ingredients to make his pecan pie. Luckily, it was right before ‘Friendsgiving’ so I had plenty of people to share it with.
This airplane ride was a reminder that with age comes wisdom and experience and there is nothing in the world more valuable than the lessons that the elderly can provide. If you want add value to your life, sit down and listen to the stories of others around you, especially the elderly. There is so much knowledge for young people to gain if they just set aside all of the distractions and place more emphasis on having actual conversations with the people around them.
I will never be able to fully express the impact this man had on my life in two and a half short hours, but I will be forever grateful that he shared the stories of his life and his wisdom with me. My goal is to have the same attitude of gratitude as Mr. Todd. I hope to lead by example and be a positive influence in the lives of those around me-strangers and friends alike.
Anytime you have the opportunity to reach out to a “future friend” and introduce yourself, I strongly encourage you to do so. Take time and listen to their story. You never know how it could affect you.
Mr. Todd’s Pecan Pie
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients (except for the pie crust) in one large bowl
Pour ingredients into a pie crust (can be homemade or store bought)
Place the pie on the middle rack of the oven
Cook for 45 minutes
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
¼ Teaspoon Salt
2 eggs
½ Stick of Butter
¾ Cup Dark Caro Syrup
1 Cup Chopped Pecans (fresh pecans are key and can be a game changer for your pie)
¾ Cup of Sugar
1 pie crust
awesome and so true
Right? Reminds me so much of Poppy and the impact they had on our life. 🙂
Dear Ali,
I can’t thank you enough for being so kind and listening to my dad. He is having to live with my sister in Oklahoma and as you can imagine the trips back and forth to his home in Florida can take their toll. March 13 he lost the love of his life, Frances Todd . My stepmom was married to daddy in 1974. He has spent the last few years of his life taking care of her with such love and tender care. Another life lesson for me. He has become more frail as of late but still has an amazing zest for life and he certainly “has never met a stranger”! Thank you for honoring him with your blog. We are sometimes embarrassed by his chats with strangers and worry that he is bothering them. You are so right- there is so much to learn from everyone, if we will just listen.
Thank you again.jenny (mr.todd’s other daughter)
Hi Jenny,
Thank you for your response! I was honored and privileged to have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Todd and Joy on my plane ride! It makes me sad to hear that he recently lost his wife, I bet he could share some really great stories and wisdom about their relationship! There is so much to learn from our elders if we just take the time to listen and let them share their experiences. You all are truly bless to have Mr. Todd as your family. I found his passion for life, and people to be very contagious. I think we all can agree that we need more people like him in this world. Please send my love to Mr. Todd and the rest of your family!
Best Regards,
Ali
Thank you, Ali, for sharing your thoughts about my uncle J.E. Todd. (That is what family calls him.) He and my mom, his sister, were very close. Coming from a family of 11 children, there are a lot of us cousins and only two uncles and one aunt left.
What you may not have learned from J.E., he was one of the first, if not the first, open heart surgery patient at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has been told that he is the oldest surviving patient. God had a purpose for him to survive that surgery so long ago. My mom said that because of his heart condition growing up, he helped with the cooking for the others who worked in the fields. He is an excellent cook and the one I call to get recipes because he and my mom (deceased) cooked alike. Your blog brought back so many memories for me.
Doris Jordan Worthington
Hi Doris,
Thank you for sharing! A family with 11 children, you don’t see much of that these days. It was an honor to sit next to Mr. Todd and Joy on the plane ride, it is amazing how certain people can impact your life in such a short period of time. I no longer see pecans or pecan pie without thinking of your uncle. I am also not surprised that he is the longest surviving open heart patient at John Hopkins Hospital, his energy and vest for life is contagious. You are all blessed to have this man in your life, please send him my love from Austin!
Best Regards,
Ali
Your kind comments on my Uncle J.E. are very much appreciated. You are so right about talking with our elderly, especially our family members. There is so much that we can all learn from them.
Uncle J.E. really is amazing to be 92 and getting along so well. My mother Sallie was his sister. Unlike her brother, she suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease for at least 13 years before her death April 3, 2013. Other than Alzheimer’s she had very few health issues and was fortunate to have lived to be 93 (just 5 weeks before her 94th birthday).
Thank you again.
Hi Judy,
It was a pleasure to write about Mr. Todd! Isn’t it incredible how much we learn by listening to people who have a lifetime of experience? I was fortunate enough to share a plane ride, and have a small dose of stories and inspiration but to have a lifetime of memories with him is truly be a blessing. Please send my best to the family and tell him I say hello.
Ali
As the Founder & CEO of ATX Promos, I created alicarr.com as a resource for entrepreneurs covering everything from trials and tribulations to advice for professionals trying to grow their careers. In addition to sharing my experiences as an entrepreneur, my blog features topics related to style, travel, career, and lifestyle choices. My goal is to empower all of my readers and encourage you to always follow your dreams.
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