A brief candle, both ends burning
An endless smile, a bus wheel turning
A friend to share a lonesome time
A handshake and a sip of wine
So say it proud and let it ring
That we are all part of everything
The future, present and the past
Fly on proud bird, you’re free at last. —Charlie Daniels
Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation (NAPC) suffered a devastating loss with the sudden passing of company president and chief operating officer (COO) Larry Levine.
Larry was born and raised right here in Levittown. A graduate of Division Avenue High School and C.W. Post College, he later moved to Florida (as we Long Islanders seem to do), became a COO, a husband and, most importantly, a father. Larry was also enlightened. Oh, I am certain that some of you reading this just chuckled or sneered. Enlightenment is a journey, not a destination you might be thinking—“except when it isn’t!”
Larry viewed most events as evolving and changing—often saying, “It is until it isn’t” to any complaint. “I am broke!” “You are until you aren’t.” “I am sad!” “You are until you aren’t.” Larry possessed a keen awareness that struggle of any kind can often evolve into a blessing. Late to work? Larry’s answer: “You will be here at the time you are supposed to be here, and it will be perfect!” One of my favorite “Larryisms” is his response to me when I would complain about being angry with a co-worker (you would be surprised the silly things we may argue about 😉 ). He would say: “Kelly, you are who you are and that’s so amazing, and they are amazing, too, right?” How do your argue with that? Yes, all of humanity is amazing, even the people I may be angry with. Larry would end our phone calls by saying, “Kelly, I love you.” It was so unbelievably foreign to me to hear this from a person in business that I swear those first few months working with him, after hanging up I would stare at my phone in confusion.
Serial entrepreneur Yanik Silver mentions in this month’s featured interview the importance of keeping a gratitude journal. Want to change your outlook? Upon waking, list the things in life you are grateful for.
Coincidently (or not), gratitude and gratitude journaling were something Larry had been spearheading recently for NAPC. He would hold publisher calls specifically aimed at living a life of gratitude. The calls were optional, and, unfortunately, I never made the time to partake in them. Had I known my access to Larry’s wisdom would be finite, I would have made the time. The day Larry passed, I started my gratitude journal. Here are a few things I wrote: I am grateful for Larry. Having known him was a blessing. I am grateful for the wisdom he imparted on me and the impact his wisdom will forever have on me. I am grateful for my health and the health of my family. I am grateful for the courage to surf bigger and bigger waves. I am grateful for this magazine. This magazine is a blessing to me, and I am grateful for the readers who seek me out on the beach or on lacrosse fields and tell me they too are grateful for it. I am grateful for Larry. :_(
Rest in peace, Levittown Larry. I am blessed to have known you, and grateful that your guidance and wisdom will continue to impact my life.
Malama Pono!
Kelly Martinsen, Publisher
