A Civil War Miracle

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
1828-1914

Today's article is about one of my favorite heroes from history, and a MIRACLE that occurred in the midst of his remarkable life... a miracle that, in fact, saved his life.  

You won't want to miss the story of this remarkable man and the serendipity that saved him from death, so make sure to read on to the very end of this post—even if you have to skip some details in between.  

It is worth noting that this historical article just happens to be published on a very important date in history—for it was 81 years ago today that Japan attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, ushering the United States into World War II and signalling the beginning of the end of the evil imperial aims of Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and the once-brutal Japanese Empire.

It is essential that we remember these important dates in history. As has often been said in a variety of ways: "those who fail to remember and study the past are doomed to repeat it." Variations of this quote stem from the words of George Santayana, a Spanish-American philosopher, poet, and novelist, who was born the same year the Battle of Gettysburg—featured prominently in this article—was fought. It was Santayana who originally wrote: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.  

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

—George Santayana
             (1863-1952)

This week's post is about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a Union Army Officer who fought in the American Civil War. Today's article highlights the remarkable Self-Action Leadership of General Chamberlain. But it also illustrates how we need more than just SAL to find safety, happiness, success, and inner peace in our lives. We also need SERENDIPITY, or "the felicitous aid of unseen forces" all along our way. By effectively combining SAL with SERENDIPITY, Chamberlain was able to live an incredible life of service and contribution and leave behind a legacy of greatness that has inspired millions, including Dr. JJ and others at Freedom Focused.  

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was born in Brewer, Maine in 1828. An ambitious and gifted student, he graduated with honors from Bowdoin College (pronounced "bow-dun") in Brunswick, Maine, in 1852 at the age of 24.

An abolitionist, Chamberlain had been a student of Calvin Stowe's at Bowdoin. Stowe was the husband of the famous writer, Harriet Beecher Stowe—author of a wildly popular novel of the time: Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Published in the early 1850s, Uncle Tom's Cabin was influential in precipitating the cascading historical events of the following decade, which climaxed in the American Civil War and subsequent liberation of four million black slaves.

A very religious and studious young man, Chamberlain attended Bangor Theological Seminary after graduating from Bowdoin. He studied a variety of ancient and modern languages during the three years he spent at the Seminary. Then, in 1855, he returned to his alma mater, Bowdoin, this time as a professor.

After the Civil War broke out in 1861, Chamberlain—a fiercely principled and patriotic abolitionist—deeply desired to offer his services to the Union Army, much to the chagrin of his bosses at Bowdoin College, who greatly valued his professorial contributions and would have preferred to have kept him on campus throughout the war. It was unusual for a man of Chamberlain's education and professional station to sign up for the fight. Others in his educational stratification and social milieu tended to avoid voluntary enlistment. Later on, in 1863, when conscription became law for men aged 18-45, persons in positions of prestige like Chamberlain usually found other loopholes to avoid joining the army, such as paying a substitute to take one's place in the draft. 

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a different story altogether, although his station and reputation did enable him to gain an Officer's Commission as Lieutenant Colonel (2nd in Command) of the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment of Volunteers upon his entrance into the Army in 1862. He was originally offered the Colonelship, but humbly turned down the prestigious post because he felt it was his duty to learn the art and science of soldiering himself before assuming command of an entire regiment of other soldiers. Such a move was classically emblematic of Chamberlain's unusually principled character.   

Map of the Battle lines at Fredericksburg, December 1862, where
direct Union assaults upon Confederate forces yielded colossal losses.

In December 1862, the 20th Maine fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg in Northern Virginia—one of the largest and bloodiest conflicts of the entire war. Like many of the early battles of the Civil War, Fredericksburg was a Confederate victory and a veritable disaster for the Union's Army of the Potomac.

Click HERE to watch scenes from the Battle of Fredericksburg as depicted in the 2003 movie, Gods and Generals. 

After a failed charge into the Confederate position atop Marye's Heights in Fredericksburg, Chamberlain and his men spent a miserable, freezing night hunkered down amidst piles of their comrades—both living and dead. With their primary protection being fallen soldiers, the 20th Maine tried to stay alive while Confederate minié balls flew all around them, often sinking deep into the flesh of the dead with a supersonic zip followed by a macabre "thud." (1)    

After surviving the frigid bloodletting at Fredericksburg, and within a year of enlisting in the Army, Chamberlain's outstanding military service and exemplary leadership on the battlefield prefaced his promotion to Colonel and Commander of the 20th Maine Infantry. This rise to regimental commander came just one month before the catalytic Battle of Gettysburg fought in the first three days of July 1863 in Southern Pennsylvania.

Click HERE to watch a video clip from the movie Gettysburg where Chamberlain speaks to his men about what they are fighting for.

To learn more about his battle experiences, click HERE
to buy General Chamberlain's Civil War memoirs.

In this historian's view, the video clip above effectively captures the rare singularity of Chamberlain's unique leadership capacity and style. One of Chamberlain's fellow officers in the Union Army, General Horatio G. Sickel, once remarked to Chamberlain that he had "the soul of the lion and the heart of the woman."

"General [Chamberlain], you have the soul of the lion and the heart of the woman." (2)

—General Horatio G. Sickel
To General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

at the Battle of Quaker Road, Virginia

March 29, 1865

Given my study of Chamberlain's life and career, I believe what General Sickel meant by this was that General Chamberlain had the rare ability as a soldier to combine fierce strength and steely resolve with kindness, gentleness, and mercy. When it was time to be resolute or fierce; there was none more determined and strong. But when it was time to be gentle and forgiving, Chamberlain was equally up to that task as well.

These are the kind of leaders that Freedom Focused seeks to train, coach, and develop. This is also the kind of leader that I have, however imperfectly, always strived to become as a man, husband, father, friend, neighbor, and business builder. And being a stay-at-home Dad for the past seven years has done wonders in helping me in this desired development!

At Gettysburg, the 20th Maine, under Chamberlain's command, was stationed at the famous "Little Round Top" during the second day of the battle (July 2nd). Positioned at the critical end of the Union line, the 20th Maine served as the Union's far left flank on the battlefield that vital day of the American Civil War's most important battle. Chamberlain's superior officer, General Strong Vincent, ordered him and his regiment to hold the line, come what may. Said Vincent to Chamberlain: "I place you here!  This is the left of the Union line.  You understand.  You are to hold this ground at all costs!" (3) 

Jeff Daniels—Hollywood actor and veritable Chamberlain doppelgänger
—portraying the Colonel with his 20th Maine at Little Round Top at the
Battle of Gettysburg in the 1993 movie, Gettysburg.

Chamberlain understood.

And at great cost, he and his comrades held the line!  

The soldiers of the 20th Maine exhausted all their ammunition repelling repeated advances from the attacking Confederates, at which point Chamberlain ordered a dangerous and audacious bayonet charge in a last-ditch effort to curtail the Rebel advance.

It worked. 

The 20th Maine and their supporting regiments stopped the Rebel advance.

The day was saved!

     And the legendary "Hero of Little Round Top" was born. (4)  

The undaunted courage of Chamberlain and his men at Little Round Top prevented the Union line from being flanked on that vital second day of fighting. This victory set up a third day of battle in which the Rebels were eventually routed in a famous frontal assault known as "Pickett's Charge," where Robert E. Lee ordered 15,000 Rebel soldiers to storm the Union's main position. The assault failed miserably and served as a mirror-image of the ill-fated Union attacks on Fredericksburg the previous December. Thus, as Pickett's men marched audaciously (but foolishly) into Union cannon, musket, and pistol fire, some of the Yankee soldiers shouted: "Remember Fredericksburg!" Just as the failed Union assaults upon Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg, Pickett's Charge was a colossal failure at Gettysburg. Few Rebels made it to the Union lines before being killed, wounded, taken prisoner, or backed into retreat, making the Union's revenge of Fredericksburg complete and decisive, thereby securing a Union victory in what proved to be a vital turning point in the war.   

Click HERE to watch Chamberlain and the 20th Maine defend Little Round Top on June 2, 1863, as depicted in the movie, Gettysburg.  

Click HERE to watch Chamberlain and the 20th Maine fix bayonets and charge the Rebels after exhausting their ammunition on July 2, 1863, as depicted in the movie, Gettysburg.  

Click HERE to watch Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863, as depicted in the movie, Gettysburg.  

Major General (2-star)
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Despite the Union victory at Gettysburg, and the retreat of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia back into the South following the bloodiest battle in American History, the Civil War would rage on for two more bloody years. And despite being wounded numerous times—and nearly fatally on a couple of occasions—Chamberlain remained in the thick of the action up until the very end of the war.

Along the way, his indomitable personal courage and patriotic passion for his country did not falter, flag, nor fail. As a leader, he continued to be promoted. By 1865, he had attained the full rank of Brigadier General (one star), a promotion he received from Ulysses S. Grant, commanding General of all Union forces. Soon thereafter, he received the brevet rank of Major General (two stars) from President Abraham Lincoln himself.  

By war's end, Chamberlain had become one of the most famous and venerated officers in the entire Union Army. His star had risen so high, in fact, that he was chosen by General Grant to receive the flag of the surrendering Confederate Army at Appomattox Courthouse on April 12, 1865—three days after Lee and Grant's famous meeting that officially ended the war. The grace and respect that Chamberlain demonstrated towards his defeated enemies that day would earn him further honor and respect from all corners of the newly reunited nation. This honored and revered reputation—thoroughly earned through his noble actions and consistent character demonstrated over long periods of time—would become increasingly burnished throughout his illustrious post-war life and career.

Simply stated, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was a sterling example of Self-Action Leadership long before the term SAL had ever been coined.  

After the war, Chamberlain entered politics and was elected to four 1-year terms as Governor of Maine. He later became President of his alma mater, Bowdoin College, where he served throughout the 1870s and early 1880s. After stepping down as college president, he moved to New York to practice law. After that he was appointed Surveyor of the Port of Portland in his home state of Maine.  

An aged Chamberlain in full dress uniform

Despite living a long and active life into his early 80s, Chamberlain never fully recovered from wounds he received during his service in the Civil War. In fact, his death in 1914 was the result of symptoms stemming from one of his lingering war wounds. 

Although he suffered a great deal throughout his later life because of these wounds, they did not slow him down much. He continued to travel and speak and attend reunions with his old comrades (and enemies). He played an active and visible role in the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal veteran's organization consisting of soldiers who had fought for the Union in the Civil War. In 1893, the "Hero of Little Round Top" was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Click HERE to see General Chamberlain's Medal of Honor page online.  

Chamberlain's fame grew to be universal and widespread, including among many of his old enemies in the Confederacy. The Confederate Officer (Colonel William C. Oates, commander of the 15th Alabama Regiment) who opposed him that fateful day in early July, 1863, credited Chamberlain and his regiment with saving the Union Army at Gettysburg. According to Oates, if the Alabamians had had just one more regiment, they could have flanked the Union line, which would have theoretically led to a Confederate victory rather than a Union win in that all-important battle. Oates credited Chamberlain's leadership for making the difference in the outcome of the battle. (5)

When the Spanish American War broke out in 1898, Chamberlain—ever the patriot and forever the soldier—offered his services to his Country once again—at age 70! His offer, however, was turned down due to his advancing years and ongoing health issues from previous combat wounds. Ironically, his old foe, Colonel Oates, seven years his junior and in better physical condition, received a Brigadier General's commission in the U.S. Army from President William McKinley and did serve in that later conflict.  

Dead soldiers litter the field at Gettysburg.
Character and Serendipity aided Chamberlain's escape from joining them.

The Civil War MIRACLE of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is that he lived to see the end of the Civil War. 

Between 1862 and 1865, Chamberlain fought in 20 battles and many additional skirmishes. He had six (6) horses shot out from under him, and was wounded on six (6) different occasions, two of which nearly took his life. Despite these repeated "close calls" with death, Chamberlain managed to survive the war and live for another half century. 

When you study the life and career of this unusual and singular man, it is hard not to believe in the reality of serendipity that seemingly surrounded him throughout his service in the Civil War and beyond. Some, including myself, would even chalk his miraculous survival up to direct intervention of divine Providence (the Hand of God).

Perhaps the most significant episode of this ongoing series of serendipitous events occurred at Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg during the second day of that famous battle. Chamberlain himself would not learn how close he came to dying that day until years after the war when he received a letter from a soldier who had fought in the 15th Alabama—the Rebel regiment that had opposed his 20th Maine that hot, humid, and bloody afternoon of July 2nd.

After receiving and opening up the letter, Chamberlain read its contents, as follows:  

Dear Sir:

I want to tell you of a little passage in the battle of Round Top, Gettysburg, concerning you and me, which I am now glad of.  Twice in that fight I had your life in my hands.  I got a safe place between two rocks, and drew bead fair and square on you.  You were standing in the open behind the center of your line, full exposed.  I knew your rank by your uniform and your actions, and I thought it a mighty good thing to put you out of the way.  I rested my gun on the rock and took steady aim.  I started to pull the trigger but some queer notion stopped me. Then I got ashamed of my weakness and went though the same motions again.  I had you, perfectly certain.  But that same queer something shut right down on me.  I couldn't pull the trigger, and, gave it up—that is, your life.  I am glad of it now, and hope you are.

Yours Truly,  

—A member of the Fifteenth Alabama (6)

...............

Call it what you want: Divine intervention, Providence, the grace & mercy of the Hand of God, serendipity, coincidence, caprice, luck, good fortune... whatever; but there it no doubt these kind of occurrences are real—and happen to all of us at various junctures over the course of our lives. 

And for what purpose? 

SAL's aim—today, tomorrow, and forever
is focused on your personal & professional GROWTH

The answer always relates to our long-term advantage, and by "advantage" I mean our long term happiness and GROWTH. I employ the phrase "long-term" because sometimes serendipity doesn't appear or seem to be very advantageous in the present moment. In fact, sometimes serendipity can be downright ruthless and painful in the moment; which is why Garth Brooks so ironically croons: "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers!"

Thus, in the end, self-action leaders are usually able to identify serendipitous events in their lives and careers because of the catalytic impact they ultimately have on producing positive, productive, and growth-inducing end results. 

And that is why we at Freedom Focused are so passionate about and grateful for SERENDIPITY, whatever its actual ontology may be—and self-action leaders are always free to decide for themselves the answers to that question.

Nevertheless, the fact remains: self-action leaders need more than just self-action leadership to be happy, successful, and experience inner peace in their lives. We also need the mysterious magic of Serendipity.

After reading this post, are you better understanding why I have always taken such a keen interest in history?

Second only to reading and writing, Freedom Focused holds that studying the past ranks among the most important secular subjects we can study as human beings. There are few better ways to successfully prepare for the future than to carefully study the past. As such, Freedom Focused advocates the teaching of history in schools and beyond, and calls for effective and engaging instructional methods that are consistently objective, balanced, fair, and non-partisan.  

Few things will better inform your present and future
than a careful study of your (and the) PAST.

After reading today's posts, it will not surprise you that one of my favorite periods of American history is the Civil War era. In fact, my interest in Civil War history led, in part, to my deep fascination with the American South—a curiosity that eventually influenced a cross-country move from Utah to Georgia, where I would seek my fortunes and meet my future wife.

Click HERE to read more about Dr. JJ's love of the South.

I hope that reading this article will inspire you to learn more about history, both your own personal (and family) history, and history in a more general sense, for knowledge of the past is a great gift that we are always free to open up and learn more about, if only we will.  

Will You?  

-Dr. JJ

December 7, 2022
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 295th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 124th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 292 FF Blog Articles.  

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Notes:

1. Chamberlain, J.L. (1994). "Bayonet! Forward": My Civil War Reminiscences. Stan Clark, Jr. (Ed.). Gettysburg, PA: Stan Clark Military Books. See Chapter 1: My Story of Fredericksburg, Page 9.   

2. Ibid. Page after the title page. 

3. Ibid. Page 29.  

4. Ibid. Page 268.

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_C._Oates

6. Chamberlain, J.L. (1994)... . page 31.   

You Tell on Yourself

As human beings, we are all OPEN BOOKS that continually

provide clues to others about who we are and what we value

based on what we choose to think about, say, and do in our lives.

Today's post features a cherished SAL poem from days of yore, which is, of course, where most of my favorite poems come from! 

Before I share this wonderful poem, I'd like to ask you a question:

Did you know that you are always TELLING on YOURSELF?

That's right... 

Whether you are conscious of it or not, you are continually spilling the beans about who and what you really are to everyone with whom you meet and associate. Everything you say and do—and everything you don't say and do—provides clues to others about your background, education, personality, character, desires, opinions, viewpoints, etc.    

And did you know that your attitude and actions speak more clearly, cogently, and concisely—in other words, more accurately and authentically—about YOU than your words could ever hope or dream to do—even for the slyest of silver-tongued wordsmiths? 

In other words, whether you know it or not and whether you like it or not, you are a relatively OPEN BOOK for others to read, peruse, study, and scrutinize at their leisure. And other people are always reading, perusing, studying, and or sizing-you-up from their own unique frames of reference. 

It is also true, of course, that the vantage points of others come packaged in varying degrees of accuracy based on the extent and integrity of their own unique experiences, education, and character; which is why self-action leaders are cautious and disciplined in determining whose vantage points they choose to care about and heed. They understand that YOU end up becoming like those people whose opinion you care about most!  

Who are the five people whose opinion and view of you do YOU care about most?  

This simple question is an introspective SAL query worth pondering.  

Are you more committed to a virtual (fictional) reality
about your life and career than you are to reality itself?

My purpose in exposing these truths today is not to induce within you a panic attack, or to dissuade you from ever going out into public again (SMILE). My objective is simply to encourage you to reflect upon this REALITY and then consider whether the story your current attitude and actions is telling is the tale you want to be told. 

After all, one of the single most telling hallmarks of self-action leaders is their determined and continual dedication to REALITY—no matter what. Such dedication is a strong indicator of common sense, self-security, and mental hygiene. As M. Scott Peck, M.D. so incisively declared: Mental health is dedication to reality at all costs. (1)  

"Mental health is dedication to reality at all costs."

—M. Scott Peck, M.D.  

My Grandfather Smith holding my mother,

circa 1948. Hyrum W. Smith, co-founder of

FranklinCovey Company, my Mom's older

brother, is the little boy in the bottom right.

When my mother was growing up, her father (my maternal grandfather) had a saying he used to repeat to his seven children, and it went like this:

"Don't judge other people; but remember that they will always judge you."

One of my favorite poems from yesteryear further captures and articulates this principle. This poem is sometimes labeled as "Anonymous," although Marie Losavio has also been cited as its author.  

It goes like this: 

You Tell on Yourself

You tell on yourself by the friends you seek,
    By the very manner in which you speak,

By the way you employ your leisure time,

    By the use you make of dollar and dime,

You tell what you are by the things you wear,

   By the spirit in which your burdens you bear,

By the kinds of things at which you laugh,

    By the records you play on the phonograph,

You show what you are by the way you walk,

    By the things of which you delight to talk,

By the manner in which you bear defeat,

    By so simple a thing as how you eat,

By the books you choose from the well-filled shelf:

    In these ways and more, you tell on yourself.

So, there really is no particle of sense,

    In an effort to keep up false pretense.

Despite the TRUTH and REALITY contained in this insightful and playful poem, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to try and hide the truth and cultivate pretenses in an effort to mask reality— instead of owning up to and then dealing with it.

However temporarily painful it may be to fess up—and face up—to reality and the truth, my life's experiences have taught me that it is infinitely preferable to the disastrous long-term consequences of continually dealing in deceit or sticking your head in the sand. Moreover, the achievements, growth, and joy that accompany a complete dedication to reality and truth are worth more than any monetary price you could possibly attach thereto.  

Freedom Focused is eternally dedicated to TRUTH & REALITY—about ourselves and everything else in the world and universe. The sooner we choose to dedicate ourselves more fully to such things, the sooner we can progress along our way to higher levels of Existential Growth, which is where we can access the greatest degrees of real FREEDOM.   

How dedicated are you to REALITY and the TRUTH? 

I invite you to consider this question and ponder the honest answers thereto. As you do so, I further invite you to be courageous in identifying where you may be dealing in deceit or putting your head in the sand in your own life and/or career—and what deleterious consequences you are suffering (or may yet suffer) as a result. Finally, I invite you to consider how you might make one, small, but important step towards a fuller embrace of reality and truth in your life and career—TODAY.    

I promise you will not regret making such efforts, but will rather reap the delicious fruit borne of your willingness to live more fully according to the way things really are.   

—Dr. JJ

November 30, 2022

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 294th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 123rd consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 293 FF Blog Articles.  

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Notes:

1.  Peck, M.S. (1978). The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth. New York, NY: Touchstone. Page 289. 

The Magnificent Ms. Marie

Marie Pinschmidt in her lovely home
in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

As promised, this week's blog post features Ms. Marie Pinschmidt—wife, mother, musician, business professional, painter, writer, neighbor, friend, and my unofficial Florida Godmother!

It is with great joy and enthusiasm that I share Ms. Marie's life and career story with you today. 

Part of my passion in doing so stems from the deep respect, admiration, and love I have for my dear friend; and part of it stems from the fact that her life and career have been so thoroughly marked by Self-Action Leadership practices at nearly every turn.

As you read about her adventurous, accomplished, and fascinating story below, see if you can pick out the elements of SAL principles and practices yourself... and then thoughtfully consider how you might allow Marie's truly stellar SAL example to positively influence and productively inform your own life and career.   

A sampling of some of Marie's many beautiful paintings

Marie Bush was born in 1928 in Southeastern Ohio, where she grew up one of seven children with four brothers and two sisters. Interestingly enough, I also grew up one of seven children with exactly four brothers and two sisters! This familial factoid is just one of many life experiences and interests that I share with my wonderful friend.

After graduating from high school, Marie got her first job at a medical clinic working as an "elevator girl" (an errand runner). But she didn't stay there long because she soon received a promotion to assistant receptionist. After just one month, she was promoted again, this time to secretary and stenographer, a position that required her to learn medical shorthand and terminology.

One of Marie's many masterpieces.

After working at the clinic for four years the office manager got married and vacated her position, and you can probably guess who the doctors chose to take her place! As the Office Manager, Marie took over many general duties including payroll and bookkeeping—back in the days before computers. 

She served as an office manager for a dozen years before being promoted again, this time to General Manager of the entire 10-doctor, multi-specialty group clinic, a position she would hold until a very special event in her life would take her in a new and exciting direction.  

During her ascent up the career ladder in a medical clinic, people would sometimes ask Marie: "When are you going to grab one of those doctors to marry?" But Marie never had any desire to marry a doctor. They were too busy and married to their careers. 

The elegant Marie and dapper Norm made a very handsome
couple capable of capturing the attention of an entire room
whenever they were together.  

But that was before she met and fell in love with Dr. Norman Pinschmidt—an ophthalmologist in the group. In her own words, "I did not want to marry a doctor; but Norm changed my mind!"

Thus began a beautiful love story that would endure for nearly four decades prior to Norm's passing.  

Marie and Norm were married in Southeast Ohio in 1961. They adopted two children—a son and a daughter—in their first few years of marriage.  

In 1965, Norm joined the prestigious Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans and later became a full Professor of Ophthalmology at Tulane University Medical School. It was in these favorable and prosperous circumstances in New Orleans that the Pinschmidts would live and work for the next 11 years.

More of Marie's many finished works of art.

But, as is often the case in our mortal journeys, life throws us "curve balls" that inevitably interrupt the peace and/or prosperity that we work so hard to obtain and sustain. In 1977, life threw an especially painful sinker the Pinschmidts way when Norm had a heart attack and subsequent stroke that affected his field of vision, forced his retirement, and forever changed their lives.

The next quarter century was markedly different than the first 16 years of their marriage as Marie spent the better part of her life and time looking after Norm and the children as caregiver and parent. She details this difficult, but meaningful part of her and Norm's life together in a memoir entitled, Life Interrupted: When the Doctor Becomes the Patient. 

Click HERE to visit Marie's website and buy Marie's Memoir: Life Interrupted.  

A life-size portrait of Norm, painted by
Marie, hangs in her home office.

In 1978, a year after Norm's forced retirement, the Pinschmidts moved to Gainesville, Florida, where they lived for five years. In 1983 they moved to Savannah, Georgia where they lived for several more years before relocating to North Carolina. Then, in 1998, they moved to Palm Beach Gardens, where Marie presently resides. 

Despite the challenges of caregiving in Norm's later years, Marie's love never waned, nor did it waver. To the contrary, her love actually grew deeper as they continued their unique love story in an effort to care for one another through difficult times.

Then, in 2000, Norm passed away from a rare disease called PSP (progressive supranuclear palsy). Marie never remarried, and keeps a lifesize portrait of Norm, which she painted herself, close by as she carefully guards her true love's memory deep in her heart.

Theirs was a rich and authentic love story that Marie speaks of tenderly and unapologetically. She further credits her progress as a painter and writer to Norm's loving encouragement. After all, he was the one who urged her to pursue painting lessons upon hearing Marie express interest in pursuing her talents in the field. That encouragement and support would last the rest of their lives together—and on up to the present day—as Marie continued (and continues) to blossom as an artist and author. 

In illustrating this loving support, Marie explained that it was hard to learn how to paint at first and she often considered quitting. She said one day she came home from a lesson in tears, but Norm always encouraged her to keep going. 

Pinschmidt first began taking painting lessons when she was in her mid-thirties; and she has painted ever since! She initially studied extensively under the tutelage of Cuban artist, Leopoldo Giraudy, who had served as the personal artist of Fulgencio Batista, former President of Cuba prior to the Castro Regime forcing its way into power in 1952. During her time with Giraudy, she focused on portrait painting and techniques of the Old Masters. In addition to being instructed by Giraudy, Marie further studied Modern Art Theory at the University of New Orleans and attended several portrait seminars by John Howard Sanden, an instructor at the Arts Students League in New York City.

To date, Pinschmidt's prolific and ongoing output includes scores, if not hundreds, of different paintings—many of which she has sold privately, or through public art galleries.

A cherished painting Lina and I bought from Marie, which now graces the

wall in our upstairs hallway. This piece was inspired by an article and photo

about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, published in the late 1990s.

My wife Lina and I like Marie's work so much that we recently purchased two (2) of her paintings for our own home: one for the upstairs, and one for the downstairs! These two glorious works of art now grace our home in a lovely way and add much to the overall ambiance we are aiming to create in our private living space. Every time I walk past either painting, I feel my spirit uplifted by the majestic scenes crafted with such skill, craftsmanship, and love by our dear friend.

In time, this student of art became a teacher as well. Over the years Marie has taken on a number of students as individuals or in groups. In fact, at 94, she recently took my seven-year-old daughter—who loves art—on as a new student, much to the joy of Kara, and much to the gratitude of Lina and me.     

Marie's six (6) published books

Her adventures as a writer started much later than her career as a painter. But age has never prevented or impeded Marie from making the most of her golden years. In fact, she has published six (6) books to date—all of which were written after the age of 70!

And her range as an author is impressive: she has published both fiction (novels), non-fiction prose, poetry, and memoir.  

Her journey as an author began much the same way as her career as a painter—with Norm's blessing and cheerleading in conjunction with seeking out formal instruction. In the late 1990s she enrolled in a two-year writing course in fiction and non-fiction. The course was entitled "Breaking into Print" and was taught by Karen O'Connor, a famous author with the Long Ridge Writer's Group in Connecticut. 

As was the case with her painting, Marie affectionately credits Norm's encouragement in helping her to also become accomplished as a writer. During her formal studies, she would read her assignments (including poetry) to Norm who would tear up and say: "That's beautiful." 

After passing the correspondence course, she began writing for magazines, including The Writer, The Artist, and Country Magazine. For the past 15 years, she has been a featured columnist in the PGA National Community Association Newspaper (PGA CAN).

Art books in Marie's personal library

In addition to Norm's encouragement, Marie also credits hard work, determination, consistence, and persistence to her progress as an artist and writer. When reviewing her body of work, it is obvious she has invested many thousands of hours into becoming the accomplished painter and writer she is today. And her shelves full of art books evince her passion for reading and studying in a never-ending quest to learn and improve.

Serendipity has also played its hand over the years in her overall education. For instance, one day she was in Barnes & Noble bookstore when she happily—and seemingly coincidentally—came across a book entitled, The Artist Way, by Julia Cameron—a famous writer and artist. According to Pinschmidt, reading Cameron's book helped her a lot in her creative journey. 

Click HERE to buy The Artist Way by Julia Cameron.

There is no question in my mind that such seeming coincidences occur, and are the purview of serendipity and/or Providence, or, as artists and writers often say: "The Muse."

I've experienced this metaphysical phenomenon countless times in my own journey as a writer and thinker. Indeed, on many occasions just the right resource has seemingly fallen right into my hands at just the right moment to help me start, finish, or further tie together a poem, chapter, section, article, or element of the SAL Theory or SAL Model.

Two more of Marie Pinschmidt's masterpieces

Dr. Stephen R. Covey had a similar experience while wandering through a university library in Hawaii one day back in 1979 during his time away from home on an academic sabbatical. The book that seemed to magically fall into his lap on that occasion contained a nugget of wisdom that served as a trigger-point to the development and composition of his magnum opus: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey published the 7 Habits ten years later in 1989. Since then, that one book has sold nearly 20 million copies, become one of the most influential books of the late twentieth and early 21st centuries, and directly influenced the development of the SAL Theory and SAL Model.

It has been more than two decades now since Marie lost her beloved Norm, but she has not let her loss or grief slow her down or stifle her output and joy as an artist and painter. At 94, she continues to live a vibrant life full of productivity, contribution, service, and love. And every month I look forward to reading her new column in our neighborhood newspaper, PGA CAN.    

If you are interested in perusing Marie's art or reading one of her books, you can visit her website at MariePinschmidt.net. 

Note: Her website is currently having some technical issues and is undergoing some work, so you'll want to check back soon for improvements and upgrades.  

If you would like to reach out to Marie with a specific inquiry about her work, you may email her at mariepin001@comcast.net

Oh, and one more thing...

In enumerating Marie's many accomplishments as a painter and writer, I almost forgot to mention another of her many talents—MUSIC!  At this point, it probably won't surprise you to learn that Ms. Pinschmidt also plays the piano beautifully—even at age 94.  

Click HERE to watch a video of Marie playing the piano for me during our interview last month, a few weeks after her 94th birthday.      

 

—Dr. JJ

November 23, 2022

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 293rd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 122nd consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 292 FF Blog Articles.  

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

The SAL Textbooks: A Book Review from a Wise Senior

Since I was just a little boy, I have always been drawn to Seniors and appreciated the insights and wisdom their life experiences bring to bear—something they are usually willing to share if we seek for and then draw it out through sincere relationship building.

Gardening with my Grandmother
Ruth Pingree Smith (1907-1992)
Centerville, Utah, circa 1985

I suppose my adoration of Seniors began with the quality relationships I shared with my two grandmothers, born in 1907 (maternal) and 1919 (paternal). I credit my maternal Grandmother Smith for instilling within me a love of books and great literature as I spent countless hours in her home library, which was endowed with many thousands of volumes—enough to fill an entire room on every side from floor to ceiling. She also taught me about a great many other things, including gardening, as the accompanying picture illustrates.

I acknowledge my paternal Grandmother Jensen for loving me, spoiling me (in all the best ways), and helping me learn and appreciate the art of good conversation, as over the years I enjoyed many lovely tête-à-tête's in her neat, tidy, and comfortable, yet humble home. I will never forget one conversation in particular when she shared memories of making homemade soap with her mother—as well as her experience watching the first airplane fly over our hometown in rural Utah back in the mid-1920s. The unprecedented event cleared out the entire elementary school as scores of children and their teachers and administrators ran the four miles to where they saw the plane land. It still amazes me to reflect upon the dramatic changes that have occurred in the world in just the past few generations, as evinced by the remarkable differences between my life and the lives of my grandparents. 

As a teenager, I enjoyed the friendship of Hortense Rice, a widow in her upper 80s who lived in my hometown. Hortense was a member of my local church congregation but was too old and frail to attend services regularly. I would often visit her on Sunday afternoons after church. In return, she would shower me with sugary treats; if she was trying to keep me coming back, it worked! We would visit about all sorts of things, including how much the world had changed over the course of her life. Sometimes her grandson, Mike, would join us and play the piano while the two of us would sing hymns to Hortense—something she loved very much.  

Dorothy Rasmussen Adams
1910-1998

I have written in the past about my dear Aunt Dorothy (pictured left), including my adventures working on her ranch and how she taught me the power that picturesque natural vistas possess to "restore our souls." To this day, Dorothy Rasmussen Adams (1910-1998) remains one of the loveliest and most inspiring human beings with whom I have ever had the pleasure and privilege of associating.

Later on in college, my sister and a group of friends and I would often visit a convalescence home filled with lonely Seniors. Our hearts would routinely fill with satisfaction and joy as we brought smiles to the faces of those aged citizens facing a variety of challenges and discomforts in the twilight of their mortal lives.  

Since then, I've moved several times around the North American Continent, and everywhere I've gone I've had the opportunity and privilege of meeting and associating with wonderful Seniors. Indeed, I cannot think of a time or place where I've lived or worked where I haven't made the acquaintance and/or friendship of some wonderful aged friends.

From "Dotty Mama"—a 90-something piano playing prodigy in Georgia—to our upstairs neighbors in Newfoundland whose snow I would help shovel; and from a sweet German immigrant woman in Texas— who had grown up during the dark days of the Third Reich—to one of our children's kind Sunday school teachers in New Mexico—everywhere I've been I've collected wonderful friends whose hair was gray, silver, white, or gone!   

My time in Florida has been no different. Florida, in fact, has brought me an added abundance of opportunities to associate with Seniors because Florida is such a popular destination for retirees. We actually live in a neighborhood consisting mostly of retired Seniors, and that is one of the reasons I love it... and feel right at home! 

An extra special senior friend of mine writes for our neighborhood newspaper—a monthly publication for which she serves as a columnist. Several months ago, I picked up the paper and began thumbing through it for the first time... and that was my first introduction to Ms. Marie Pinschmidt and her inspiring column, entitled: "Let Me Tell You..."

In the parlance of the famous 1990s film, Jerry McGuire, you might say that Marie "had me at" Winston Churchill because that was the subject of her article that first month I came across her work; and anyone who knows me well knows of the high regard in which I hold Britain's famous war-time hero.  

Lina and I with Marie Pinschmidt
and one of her paintings we purchased

In ensuing weeks and months, I have gotten to know this remarkable Lady who is now my dear friend. And although I'm not Catholic, I have taken the liberty to adopt her as my unofficial Florida Godmother... and am honored that she likewise considers me something akin to her godson. This new and sweet connection reminds me of my Texas Mom and Dad (Frank and Candy McLane) another Senior Couple who were like parents to me when I lived in the Lone Star State—far away from my own parents.  

Marie Pinschmidt recently turned 94. She is only a couple of years younger than Queen Elizabeth II, who recently passed away to great worldwide fame and fanfare. Avid readers of my blog are well aware of my feelings for her Majesty, the late Queen. Click HERE to read my recent tribute upon her passing.  

Like the Queen, Pinschmidt is an incredibly refined, polished, intelligent, and articulate Lady and human being. Her home is elegant and immaculate—so much so, in fact, that I feel as though I am stepping into a palace or temple whenever I visit her. As a musician, professional artist, and published author, Ms. Marie is also a very talented, driven, focused, and accomplished individual.

Next week's blog post will further highlight Ms. Marie's incredible life story and the remarkable body of artistic and literary work she has produced over the years—and mostly after the age of 70, proving that the greatest souls among us never really retire or die; they continue to work, teach, and serve until their passing day—and then their memory and legacy lives on forever in the lives of those they taught and touched.    

Volume 1 of the Self-Action Leadership Textbooks

Despite her many remarkable accomplishments, perhaps Ms. Marie's greatest achievement of all is that she actually read the entire Self-Action Leadership textbook—both volumes—over a thousand pages of personal leadership literature!

I say this, of course, with my tongue-in-cheek, but the fact is that it has been very difficult to get others to read through, much less pay attention to, my work. The reason for this is simple: the SAL texts are not quick or easy reads, and unfortunately, we live in a world where people are not only very busy with their own lives and careers, but are also quite distracted by a deluge of information and a tempting array of sensory stimuli parading all around them on social media and their cell phones. Simply stated, it's easier and more convenient to spend one's times popping in and out of a potpourri of click-bait traps than it is to undertake a serious study of anything meaningful or substantive. 

Consequently, most people don't do much of anything that is difficult or outside their comfort zones unless they are faced with some kind of external deadline or pressure to do so (e.g. a formal school or work assignment). Thus, incredibly important—but not urgent—tasks like reading and studying to develop one's own personal leadership capacity tends to fall by the wayside for all but the most proactive among us (1).

David G. Anthony, Ed.D.
Former Superintendent of Cy-Fair Independent School District
and former CEO of Raise Your Hand Texas,
outside the Texas State Capitol in Austin. 

The irony of this SAL textbook conundrum is that those rare few who actually do read the complete work have all responded in the same way: they are glad they did it, they enjoyed the texts immensely—one reviewer even compared the autobiographical sections to a "page-turner novel"—and are eager to share what they discovered and learned with others. 

In the words of Dr. David G. Anthony, a career educator and former Superintendent of one of the largest public school districts in the United States, who wrote the Afterword to the SAL Textbooks:

"When Jordan originally invited me to review an 802-page manuscript of a previous version of this two-volume set, I balked a bit, wondering when I would possibly have time to review such a tome. It is interesting to note how some of life's most important, rewarding, and ultimately enjoyable tasks initially appear so uninviting. In the end, I opted to set myself to the task, and I am so glad I did."

Like Anthony, Pinschmidt was kind enough to write up a book review for me that she plans to publish in our neighborhood's newspaper next month. She has also given me permission to further publish her words on the Freedom Focused blog today.

I have reprinted it below for your enjoyment and edification...

Marie Pinschmidt is the author of SIX (6)
books and numerous articles.

Hope for the Future through Self-Action Leadership

One of the many pleasures I have enjoyed while living in PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the past 25 years is meeting interesting and often fascinating neighbors. One of these accomplished and productive persons is JORDAN R. JENSEN, who, with his delightful wife and three young children, recently moved into a home just a few miles from my condominium. I am a columnist for our neighborhood's monthly newspaper and I met Jordan and his family through my work as a writer. 

Jordan is the Founder, CEO, and Master Facilitator of Freedom Focused LLC, The Center for Self-Action Leadership, a professional leadership training organization. He is the author of several books and hundreds of articles that have appeared in a variety of different newspapers and periodicals, including multiple academic journals. A skilled writer and educator, he has facilitated training events throughout the English-speaking world. He holds a bachelor's degree in English as well as a doctorate in Education. I have just finished reading Jordan's "Magnum Opus," which includes Volume 1: SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP—A Theoretical Framework for Existential Growth, and Volume 2: SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP—An Action Research-Based Character Development Model.

A talented musician, Ms. Marie sits
at her piano in her elegant living room.

At age 94, I am long past the stage of life for collegiate course study. Despite this fact, my friendship with Jordan motivated me to give his textbooks a shot. Somewhat to my surprise, I found the books to be fascinating from page one-on. Like many other reviewers, I find his writing masterful, even poetic. And speaking of poetry, you lovers of verse may be interested in knowing that he has also published an anthology of his own, original poems in Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection, published by authorHouse and available for sale at Amazon.com, or by clicking HERE. 

Dr. Jensen's leadership books are anchored in true principles of philosophy and human behavior. They contain not only the requirements to lead in the professional world, but also how to live successfully with dignity and honor in one's personal life. As we all know, in modern society we often find leaders who excel in their endeavors but fall short in the categories of honor and integrity. 

These books helped me revisit my long life with renewed interest and to evaluate why I succeeded in certain areas and failed in others. I'm sure most of us have those moments of introspection. I wish his teachings had been available when I was just starting out in my adult life. In these two volumes Jordan has gifted his readers with his personal and candid history of survival during many trying times, including chronic mental illness (OCD and depression), to evolve as a great educator and courageous human being.

An accomplished professional artist,
Pinschmidt is pictured here in her home studio.

His books are a combination of textbook, autobiography, memoir, and inspirational survival story, and should be in the permanent collection of every library, high school, and every other institution of learning, business, etc. Our young people would need no greater comprehensive training in their business, professional, or personal future than to read, study, and internalize the SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP textbooks. 

For those of you who have "been there and done that," you will enjoy the exceptional writing, poetry, and quotes from inspirational people throughout history who have lived exemplary lives of leadership.  

Jordan has published six books and hundreds of news and other articles and blogs. He has also worked with thousands of people in hundreds of audiences throughout the U.S., Canada, and the UK. A husband and father of three, he is also a triathlete, having completed 13 marathons and one 70.3 Ironman triathlon.

To learn more about his textbooks and professional work, visit www.freedomfocused.com. If you would like to receive his FREE weekly blog articles every Wednesday, just email him at freedomfocused@gmail.com. Lastly, if you are interested in buying his comprehensive Life Leadership textbooks yourself, you can do so by visiting www.cambridgescholars.com and searching for the words: "SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP," or by clicking HERE.  

One of Marie Pinschmidt's many masterpieces
on canvas, created entirely from her
rich and vivid imagination.

Once again, the Holidays are knocking at our doors and the above-mentioned books could be a life-changing gift, especially for the young adults on your list. Keep in mind that I have touched only briefly on the insightful lessons to be learned from Jordan's books, and the hours of joy his writing has given me.

I cordially wish all of Dr. Jensen's readers Peace and Goodwill now and throughout the New Year. Thank you, Jordan, for the opportunity to read your books and contribute this review.  

—Marie Pinschmidt
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
November 14, 2022

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Remember to tune in to next week's blog to learn more about the remarkable life story of Ms. Marie Pinschmidt.

If you would like to peruse her website in the meantime, you can access it by clicking HERE.  

—Dr. JJ

November 16, 2022

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 292nd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 121st consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 291 FF Blog Articles.  

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Notes:

1. See Stephen R. Covey's books: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First.