Thursday, March 30, 2023
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This Lady... Jan Bronstine... Wow. Jan taught me so much! It would be really easy to talk of how she guided and honed me professionally, but I have a feeling there will be plenty of that. Her professional prowess stands undisputed and on its own foundation... One that she earned. Instead I choose to take a minute to speak of her patience. I think there must have been times when as a new agent, I must have driven her crazy. I think there must have been times as a seasoned agent, I drove her batty. In either event, she would call me into her office and spend the time it took not to manage me, but to teach me, and get me on the same level as her with the idealogical understanding needed to grow to match her level of integrity.
In these motions, we became far more than Broker and agent. There may have even been a short period of time when I may have considered her a friend, but no. That wasn't enough for myself and Jan. Jan began to call me her problem child. Maybe not so much because I truly was, but probably more because in an odd way, I became her office son. (and to see us stand next to each other, It would become easily apparent that we were not of a "blood" relation.) What we had further was the same type of blood of morality flowing through our veins. While I had my own mother to teach me about ethics and morality in my early life, I lost her all too soon as well. My inheritance in that event became, "mother" Jan. In very much the same way as my blood mother, Jan could look across a room and gain my attention with the cut of her eyes or the point of her finger. All children need discipline and love, and that's what "mother" gave to me in my adult years. And honestly, a time or two, she served as a great solid shoulder for an adult man to cry on. her wisdom was immense!
It's been a few years since we had occasion to get together. Our last meeting was probably around 2014, when we went to lunch at the wash Park Grille. I tried to pick up the tab, and just like in earlier time, she cut her eyes at me, put her hand over mine that was grabbing the bill, and simply said "NO Chad." I just cant express in words how I wish I could hear her tell me no, just one more time. For multitudes of others, I know what a devastating loss this is, especially Wendy and Eddy.
I've been made aware in the Jewish faith, It is not customary to send flowers. And if I weren't her problem child, I would have toed the line, and made a donation, but what is most appropriate for Jan's and my relationship IS flowers. I brought them to her on occasion oh so many years ago, so I'm not inclined to start doing something different now. Besides that, I think I can already hear her cackle of a laugh, followed by, "Oh Chad," And all I want to hear right now is that laugh followed by, "Oh Chad."
My Dear Jan Bronstine... May I someday arrive to stand in your presence again to listen too and heed your words of wisdom. May I mostly make you proud of me here on earth, and seldom, when not, at least make you laugh at my follies. may my blood mother have the gift of now meeting you. And may you and Jim be enjoying your long awaited reunion above, riding a tandem bicycle in synchronicity.
"Mother," I will always love you.
