Note: August 12, 2019, is the tenth anniversary of my dad’s passing so I am publishing a letter to him to catch him up on our family. Jack Slater wasn’t in marketing, but he was in the business of teaching me how to be a loving, kind and compassionate human being. I learned from the best, my dad.
August 12, 2019
Dear Dad,
Has it been ten years since you passed away?
I’m writing this note to you because I want you to know all the latest news from our family. There is no doubt in my mind that you are watching and aware of all of this as I feel your presence every day. Still, writing to you calms me. And, connects me to you.
The big news, at least for Ra El and me, is that we are now grandparents. Sarah and Adam brought into the world an amazing child of light named Bodhi Kai. The “B” in Bodhi is in honor of Mom, and “Bodhi” is the Sanskrit word for “awakened”. Sarah and Adam wanted to celebrate Mom and have her get to meet her namesake. 
Mom, AKA Bea Bea, was able to meet Bodhi at a family reunion in June at Mitch and Leslie’s home, when Sarah and Adam flew in with him from Hawaii. Diane, Jerry, their children, and grandchildren were also part of the festivities. What a celebration!
I felt your presence through every one of the smiling faces who came to meet the little Hawaiian prince so they could say aloha.
Memories of You with Sarah and Fanny
I vividly remember the love and happiness I observed in your face, whenever Sarah and Fanny came to your home, or you and Mom visited with us. You were always present, generous, and compassionate. You taught us all well.
Just the other day, I told Mom that I had several moments that brought back crisp and intense memories of your love. Sparked by little things, they were memories of you – the smell of baby powder, cutting an apple with a knife, the way you used to put your hand over your heart and how you would always speak in such a calm and patient tone to everyone who was fortunate to cross your path.
Speaking of Mom, she is 92 and not a day goes by that she doesn’t say, “if only your father could see the things I’m doing.”
In the last few months, she got to introduce Steve van Zandt’s band onstage and unexpectedly hang out for some memorable moments with Bruce Springsteen backstage. Yes, that Bruce 
Springsteen with whom Mitch is so obsessed. The list of things she continues to do is remarkable.
She has slowed down a little, but still manages to see Tommy each week for her regular appointment and is in King’s tracking down some form of jello, cupcakes or small bottles of water.
Some days Mom isn’t too happy with the mail lady, who often doesn’t pick up her outgoing mail if there is no incoming mail to be delivered to her that day.
Don’t get me started.
The Five O’Clock Call with Mom
Five o’clock is one of my favorite parts of each day.
Mom and I speak daily, although we never talk about much other than the weather, what’s for dinner and the latest movie she watched. During the baseball season, she tells me details about the Mets and their struggle with relief pitching or why they shouldn’t have traded some rookie outfielder. I listen carefully, and it makes me happy that she loves her field of dreams.
With her computer on your desk in the back of the house and her iPhone in hand, she stays connected with all of your children, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
We bought her a picture frame connected to the Internet that can be constantly updated with the latest pictures of Henry, Owen, Juliet, Harper, and Bodhi. Mom texts and emails daily and can even do FaceTime – something you would have loved.
I often wish I could FaceTime with your spirit.
But it turns out I don’t need fancy, twenty-first century technology to feel your love and presence. If I sit quietly, I sense your loving presence surrounding me.
Sarah, Adam & Bodhi
Sarah is now in private practice as a licensed counselor helping children, young adults, and couples. She is on sabbatical from Punahou, where she taught for ten years and is enjoying this new schedule that gives her more time with Bodhi. Like you, she is loving, calm, patient and a spectacular parent. 
And she has learned and absorbed so much from Ra El that she brings an expansive perspective on spiritual and personal challenges, which can help the people with whom she works in her practice.
Adam, who you never met but would have loved, is a wonderful father who nurtures and nourishes 
Sarah and Bodhi through his kind and expansive, compassionate presence. He has a physical stature that reminds me of you, and you would love seeing him cook all kinds of amazing meals to keep Sarah and Bodhi full and happy.
Like you, he is a gentle soul and a sweet man who only had to love Sarah half as much as I love her to make me happy. I wish you could see him with Bodhi and how he takes care of Sarah.
Fanny & Tony
Fanny is still her sweet, silly, loving and hilarious self. And now she gets to be Fanny on TV.
Just this past week she was on The Kitchen on Food Network and has taped several episodes on The Cooking Channel for a show called The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
Imagine that! Fanny gets to be silly on TV.
She and Tony are the proud owners of a beautiful collie named Walter and two lovely cats, Charlie and Olive. And sometime soon, they are all packing up their things and moving to Chicago for a new adventure. Tony has a job based in Chicago, and their story will continue in the windy city.
Tony, her loving and wonderful husband, is also someone I wish you got to meet. He is deeply kind and attentive to 
Fanny and a perfect match for her sense of humor.
Unlike us, Tony knows how to fix things around the house and is always the first to offer to help. It is a gift to have him in our life. Plus he truly loves the happy socks that Ra El buys for him all the time, and he wears them proudly.
Tony and Adam are truly like the sons we never had.
Yes, we are so deeply blessed. Every day I start my morning, embracing my gratitude with open arms and feeling all the grace that surrounds me.
Ra El, My Courageous Galactic Superhero
Ra El continues to be love and courage personified.
She is a dazzling, scintillating collection of light, sound, and harmony. In your spirit form, I know you have more awareness of how remarkable a force of energy and love she is in every moment. Anyone who is lucky to be in presence realizes that she is a remarkable woman with many talents.
Often she will surprise me by spontaneously channeling your loving thoughts into words for Mom and me because she feels your soul nearby. She has also done this for Poppa George and Aunt Annette, but your brilliant light is the one she senses around me most often.
She inspires me every day, and her ability to channel your spirit, when I need it most, is like oxygen for me.
She has been hard at work using her spiritual gifts to write a book about divine compassion and the soul of humanity. She continues to be my spiritual guide and teacher and helps me open my heart and my eyes to the greater reality where you now exist.
And this September eleventh, we will celebrate our forty-second anniversary. Can you believe that we are married for forty-two years? It seems like yesterday we walked down the aisle at Appleford in Villanova.
Recently Ra El also opened her own online site selling jewelry and apparel with beautiful photographs and descriptions she created, on a popular website called Poshmark. She uses some of her profits to buy adorable clothes for Bodhi, which is a new source of joy and inspiration since she always shopped for little girl things for our two daughters.
Time Passes
I’m sixty-five, on Medicare, believe it or not, and during the last three years, have been growing my business consulting with clients who need help with their marketing. I think I’m working harder today than at any other time in the last decade.
It is stimulating, interesting and enjoyable work, and I get to use a range of strategic marketing skills to help different kinds of companies grow. I am pleased that my consulting company, The Marketing Sage, is doing so well.
Even today, I remember the invaluable lessons you taught me about running a business and that time you explained to Ra El and me how to read a balance sheet. I never realized then how much it would serve me later in my life.
Dad, I wish you were going to read this blog post online instead of through the ethers.
If only you were still here in the physical world, I could sit with you and show you more photographs of a adorable baby boy named Bodhi and the photo albums I started to make of him.
But, as I always see things with a positive spin, I’m thankful for every one of the moments I got to spend with you during your eighty-two years on this planet.
At the recent family reunion, I received from Jerry this grandfather cup for first-time grandfathers. We aren’t clear on the story, but I think it was first given to Poppa George from Poppa Joey when Diane was born. Then when Jaime was born, Poppa George gave it to you. And when Henry was born, you gave to Jerry. Now it is my turn.
I wonder who will get it next?
Like your father before you, I understand how important it is to fill each day with love and generosity. I try each day to be the best version of me while standing in the glow of your light.
Each day I awaken at 5:00 am. I sit and meditate for 15 minutes to center myself and find my balance.
During this quiet morning ritual, I remind myself that when they handed out the lottery tickets for fathers and compassionate teachers, Diane, Mitchell and I won.
Dad, I love you forever.
Special thanks to my wife, Ra El for help copy editing this post.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.
