It is never too late!
Welcome back!
An elderly lady Mrs. O’Mara from Canada contacted me today. Mrs. O’Mara is a reader of my blog, and she said she was compelled to contact me after reading my blog post The Opposite of Equality is Discrimination.
The first thing Mrs. O’Mara said to me was, “Do you know, if the Hotel GM didn’t fire you, you might still be working at a hotel front desk?” A sweet little voice with an Ukrainian accent, she spoke to me straight from her heart.
Mrs. O’Mara shared with me her life stories. She lived most of her life in Soviet Union under communism. Mrs. O’Mara said that her father was once marked for execution, fortunately he escaped. For her family to cover up the past, Mrs. O’Mara and her family had to lived in hiding. They lived in terror, for a long time she prayed (which was against the law) for freedom and a better future. Then her dream came true for her, when she moved to Canada.
Mrs. O’Mara told me the reason of her call. As it turns out Mrs. O’Mara is a writer and published her last book 10 years ago and she is working on her next book a Historical Memoirs. Mrs. O’Mara, she asked me if I think it is possible for her to learn how to write a blog, how to make an e-book and perhaps have an online business.
She wants to know if it is too late for her to learn. I told her “you absolutely can learn! If you are coachable and willing to do the work.” Mrs. O’Mara was so empowered and uplifted by our conversation that she said she is going to get started right now. I can feel her excitement, and I can see that she is a little fire cracker.
I cannot wait to read Mrs. O’Mara’s blog and her e-book.
Let me tell you! Mrs. O’Mara had seen a lot in her days, and I am sure she will have a lot of great stories to write about.
You go! Mrs. O’Mara! You inspired all of us. It is never too late!
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Gio .. that’s uplifting .. what a story and how wonderful Mrs O’Mara is going to write it down. If we give people time they all have amazing stories to tell, which should nudge us … re our own decisions. A 17 year old trainee is working with my mother and she is so interested to learn (she wants to be a nurse) .. from my mother re her Care Home, she had for 20 years, and from us .. as mother & daughter - how we’ve kept the fire alight = my Ma stimulated and interested and still laughing … at her own joke today - it was so funny I roared with laughter … good for us all.
When I was attending Kean Univerisy (Union, NJ) I had a 86 year old guy in some of my classes–he said that he always wanted to go to college and never had a chance to when he was younger and felt that there was sooo much he still wanted to learn and he enjoyed learning. He did very well too in class–always particiapated, perfect attendance, and was very outgoing–he loved being at Kean. So, if he can go back to school at 86, anyone can!–It’s definitly never too late!
-Nancy
Wow, that’s wonderful!!
It’s definitely NEVER to late to do anything we want in life!! She’s got Passion and Purpose as her driving force!! Mrs. O’Mara is an inspiration to us all. We look forward to seeing her success!!
Many Blessings….
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Dear Hilary
Wow, That is fantastic! The trainee came to help your mother, and your mother help teach the trainee. They make a circle
Thank you for sharing your story with us. Send me love to your mother, she sounds amazing! I enjoy reading your comment and I look forward to reading more.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Dear Nancy
It is so cool when ever we are blessed to meet people like your school mate and Mrs. O’Mare. They inspire us and remind us, anything is possible and it is truly never too late!
I wonder if your school mate love learning so much, and if he went for even higher education
I love your story, you uplifted my spirit :-).
Thank You,
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfecet Action is better than No Action
Dear Hugo & Roxanne
I know you two would love Mrs. O’Mare if you get to meet her. She is such an inspirational lady. The life she live, the things she seen…Amazing. I hope we all get to be Mrs. O’Mare when we grow up
Thank You for your comment, you two have such wonder spirits. I am blessed that we connected. I look forward to reading more of your comments.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
What a great story, Giovanna! Congratulations, Ms O’Mara. It never is too late to reach for your dreams!
Dear Dali
Thanks for your comment, I think Mrs. O’Mara is going to be so happy to read about all of support form everyone
Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you here again.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
How exciting, Gio! And to Mrs. O’Mara, if she is reading, GOOD FOR YOU for following your dreams and taking the action to make them come true. I also believe it is never too late. Sadly, so many folks feel like it is too late. I am happy for both of you.
Dear Amy
Mrs. O’Mara is reading this, and she just emailed me. She said she is speechless…
And when she write her blog, we will all be bless.
It is so awesome to meet someone like Mrs. O’Mara and to hear her stories.
I feel so blessed
Thanks for your comment, you helped to make her day
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
What an inspiring story. Please be sure to let me know when the blog and ebook are finished. I would love to read them.
Dear LOR
Thank You for your comment, Mrs. O’Mara is going to be so happy to read your comment.
Thanks for stopping by, come by any time. I love to hear form you
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
WOW! I am overwhelmed. Thank you, Giovanna, thank you my Friends for your encouragement, your kindness, for making me feel welcome. Giovanna and you, my Friends, made me feel comfortable - I feel like I am amongst Family, amongst Friends.
Please, if you speak of me or refer yourself to me, call me Olga. Ms and Mrs. sound distant and official.
I feel so blessed I found Giovanna and her Blog with all of her friendly people. When I talked with Giovanna, this caring and knowledgeable Young Lady, I felt so comfortable and welcome. Giovanna took “all the time in the world” to listen to me, asking questions, getting to know me..
But the remarkable thing was she not only listened, she remembered every word I said and
communicated it to you, my Dear Friends.
Thank be the Lord for this blessing.
After we introduced ourselves to each other and after hearing her sad story of being let go from her employment - I felt sorry for her. But then I said: There is a proverb that said::things happen for a reason and at times for a good reason. This time, it seems, like that what it was, because now you are able to help so many people using your Talent, your knowledge and your Creativity.
Yes, I decided to study with Giovanna - I feel I am in good hands.
The reason I came on the Internet was because I have written a little Book about a beautiful tree: The Old Oak Tree and some of my Friend suggested to sale it on the Internet..
This Tree is about 200 years old and is growing right on the North Shore of the Lake Ontario (in Canada) - across from Rochester, N.Y., USA. At night I can see the lights shining over that City.
The small City where I live is called AJAX. But the name did not originated from the powerful
Cleaner - actually it happened the other way around.
I am having a difficult time not to think about the Cleaning Powder when I mention the city I live in. This place is rather Historical. Yet I can’t help myself but visualize the Powder when
this name comes up.
In 1808 there were not even 200 people living in this area but after the arrival of the railway the population rose to about 8,000.
In 1939, at the outbreak of the Second World War the gigantic Defence Industries Limited (D.I.L.) was built.in this area. This Plant was manufacturing ammunition for the Allies. It was a great contribution to the war efforts.
Thousands of people came here to work from across Canada. The plant, as well as houses, shops, churches, schools and rails were constructed in record time. This area did not have a name - the mailing system operated under a Post Office Number and due to the nature of the operation of the Plant things were kept confidential.
As it happened, in December of 1939, the feared German Battleship “Graff Spee” with its 51/2″ armour plates and huge 11″ guns was sighted in the Atlantic by the British Light Cruisers: HMS AJAX, (6″ guns),HMS EXETER (8″GUNS) and HMNZS ACHILLES from New Zealand, (6″ guns).
A battle broke out. One would be inclined to think that the three Cruisers with much shorter gun range were no match for the Battleship, but the courageous Crews of the three Cruisers fought bravely.
All three Cruisers received direct hits, but kept on firing. “Graff Spee”" received 17 hits and pulled back into neutral waters, where (according to the International Laws) the Battleship did undergo some repairs.
After that the Captain of the German Battleship ordered the Crew to abandon the ship and he personally took it out into the deeper waters of the River Plate (Rio De La Plata) in Uruguay, South America and scuttled it.
In the year 1942 the Inhabitants of the new Community, which grew around the D.I.L. Plant decided to honour the Cruiser H.M.S. AJAX and its courageous Crew and named their new town after it.
And this is how this town got its name.
Please, my Dear Friends, let me know if you like the post and would you like me to continue.
By the way, I personally met (and have a picture of it) the daughter of the Captain of the Battleship, who came to Ajax from Europe about two years ago to attend a Social Gathering offered by the War Veterans of Ajax.
Olga O’Mara, but you can call me Olga
Dear Olga
What a honor to have here. I am so happy you came and read eveything. You have such an amazing story. I am so blessed to have met you on the internet
I can see you have a lot to say, I can’t wait! A lot of us can’t wait to read what you have to share in your blog.
Love,
Giovanna Garcia
Impefect Action is better than No Action
Dear Olga & Gio .. it will be so brilliant to be able to read more of your stories, and to get your personal memories of those times .. your schooling, your family, your history and your Oak Tree .. so valuable to us following on. SO YES PLEASE = MORE!!
I expect the name AJAX was developed as a byproduct from the ammunition industry .. am I right? I look forward to more .. with love Hilary
Hi Olga,
Yes, I enjoy reading your post and would like you to continue. I look forward to reading more posts from you soon!
TGOF! (The Gifts of Friends)
Have a nice day, Olga!
-Nancy
Hi Olga — yes, please keep them coming!
Hi Olga!!
We’d LOVE to read more!!
We, too, have been blessed with having Giovanna in our lives. We’re ever so grateful for her friendship. You certainly are in good hands….between Giovanna and her wonderful husband, Craig, marketing your wonderful stories will be the first of your great successes. We look forward to reading more and seeing our friendship bloom.
Many Blessings….
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Hello, My Dear Friends,
To close the “Chapter” on naming this Town and get to “The Old Oak Tree” Book I need to back-step to the Battle of the River Plate.
As we all know most inhuman brutalities were committed during the Second World War. But there were some people who tried to save lives during those terrible times. The Commander of the Ship Graf Spee, Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff, was fighting the War and was trying to save lives when ever he could. When the enemy’s ship was damaged during the battle he would transfer the crew of the sinking ship to his ship - avoiding casualties.
When I met his daughter and other people who accompanied her when she visited AJAX I learned that Captain Langsdorff used to irritate Hitler by never saluting him with stretched-out arm and the “Hitler Salute” as it was demanded at the time.
The Captain would salute with his hand touching his cap - using the military custom, and casually saying: “Gruess Gott” . This type of gritting is used in Germany amongst civilians when they would casually greet each other.
So, here was the Ship in the Uruguay Harbour for the 72 hours so the necessary repairs could be made. The Captain had to decide whether to fight or scuttle the ship. To save soldier’s lives he decided to proceed with the latter. He had the crew leave the Ship in Argentina, he himself was taken to a Hotel for the night to write some letters to his family. Next day he took the ship out and destroyed - scuttled it.
He is buried in the German Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I presume that the reason why Her Majesty Ship’s (HMS) AJAX name was chosen rather than one of the other two ships that were taking part in the Battle as well, was because the Commodore of the HMS Ajax, Henry Harwood, was commanding the fight.
In Montevideo’s Harbour one anchor is set up on the quay as a memorial. The remnants of the ship are visible only during the fall of the surface of the ocean - the ebb tide.
So, after the Town of Ajax began to grow and the streets needed to be named, the Names of the Ships, as well as the Names of the Ship’s Crew, were used.
The main street carries the name of the Commodore HENRY HARWOOD.
In 2006 the Veterans of Town of Ajax decided to commemorate the German Commander and name a street after him. Captain’s Langsdorff daughter, Elizabeth, came to Town to attend the ceremony and that was where I met her.
(Unfortinately I don’t have the photos of the occasion at this time because I moved recently and most things are still in boxes.When I find them I’ll post some of them on this Blog.)
Many years passed - the Town grew. You, my Dear Friend, are probably remember that the Town is situated “by the Lake”.
About 200 feet from the shore of the Lake Ontario grows a magificent, about 200 year old Oak Tree.
And as I said in the book:
“A happy and beautiful place it came to be,
Until some Town Planers failed to mind their manners
In treating the GRAND OLD TREE respectfully
And decided to change the scenery…”
To honor the memory of the past the “City Hall” came up with a plan to remove, get rid of this OLD TREE and plant shrubs and small-young trees instead.
But while this TREE was growing it became a LANDMARK - a prominent feature of the landscape, where people for generations were celebrating weddings, birthdays and other special ocassions.
Children could play and run in this open are, fly kites commercials and home made of diffrent shapes, etc.
“But thousands of people,
who saw in this tree an example of
endurance and permanency,
came to its rescue….”
And here began the “Battle of AJAX”. Letters to the Editor of the local Newspaper (and to the Mayor of Ajax) were sent by the Residents asking, demanding that the Oak Tree be left be… be left ALONE.
When I was collecting signatures for the Petition people were showing me Photos, Scatches and Paintings taken and painted during Sommer, Fall and Winter.
At the time I lived in the Apartment Buiding facing the Lake Ontario and having unobstracted few of the Tree. I loved to watch it move and change ITS colors. I enjoyed looking at it. The TREE was projecting healthful-invogorating rays - it Is difficult to write down, to discribe the feelings that this TREE evoked.
About 3,000 signatures were presented to the Councellors and the Mayor of Ajax
” And that is why
The mighty OAK
Still stands today
ALONE
Against the sky”.
And that what the book is about and some more.
[...] reader’s comment and support we became a community. We together have inspire Mrs. O’Mara from It is never too late! to go after her dream. Help a little girl feels better about her chicken pox, Ivory Gerasta’s [...]
Hello, My Dear Friends,
I have been thinking about my new “Family” and when I came across this Inspirational Thought I decided to post it here for all to see:
The Gift of Life
I love the gift of life, Dear God,
with all it’s beauty everywhere…
blue skies, white fluffy clouds,
green trees, rocky mountains,
open meadows,
the restless timeless sea,
the black bird on my window sill,
but most of all I love dear friends,
and if you will, please give to me
a greater love for you—
my dearest friend of all.
– Dick Innes
© Copyright
Dear Olga
Great to see you
That is a beautiful! I am sending you all my love!!
Thanks for this gift. I love it.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hello Olga,
That was truly heart-warming and thoughtful of you. We look forward to our friendship bloomng. Welcome to the Family.
Many Blessings….
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Hello EVERYBODY,
and thank you Giovanna, Hugo and Roxanne for your warm Welcome.
Just to wish you a very HAPPY and very HEALTHY THABKSGIVING and also God’s Blessings
to EACH ONE of YOU and YOURS.
Give thanks to God, our CREATOR as often as you can for being here on this wonderful CREATION of HIS, for be able to see the Sunshine and hear the Birds. and more.
Because when an illness or a tragedy strikes there is no time to give THANKS FIRST for there is the urgency to PRAY to the ALLMIGHTY to get us better.
My husband is in the Hospital and is being urged to go on Life Support. LIFE SUPPORT - a fancy wordding to indicate that the real LIFE is sleeping away and there is only that much time
left…
My Dear newly acquired Family, please pray for his recovery - Miracles happen all the time.
While it’s never to late to learn, to undertake something new - it’s alway much too early when such news come along…
Thank you… and God Bless America!
Dear Olga
I will add you and your family in my pray. Olga keep the faith - miracles do happen all the time. Take good care.
Love, Giovanna Garcia
Thank you Giovanna,
I greatly appreciate it.
Yes, God is merciful, miracle happen all the time.
I deeply appreciate your prayers.
Love, Olga
Take care Olga. I wish you husband has a full recovery
and a speedy one at that.
Much Love,
Giovanna Garcia
[...] Other related post by Giovanna It is never too late! [...]
Hello Olga,
My name is Rita and I am really interested in your work, specifically your historical memoirs that you are working on. Your life stories are very moving. I am a Canadian and my father’s family is from Ukraine and I thus I have a particular interest in Ukrainian history, specifically 20th century Ukraine.
I would love it if you could keep me updated on your work.
I pray for your husband’s speedy recovery and he is in my prayers.
All the best,
Rita
[...] It is never too late! [...]
[...] It is never too late! [...]