Warmth First, Then Light of Thought

“Harrison left a well-paid, high-profile sales manager job working with one of Canada’s business giants. No job, no salary, and a wife and new- born son and daughter at home. No business to go to, just an obses- sive desire to start one. The problem – he had no idea what to start. ­Harrison’s chutzpah once again rose to meet the occasion. Joining the family business was not an option. The potato business”

“after ­Harrison and raising her newborn son Mark and daughter Ann. But Harrison was growing restless and could not let go of his desire to start his own business. He explained, “You know, I thought I was going to walk into a place and see a place to buy some day or a place I could offer to buy, and lo and behold I’d be in business. And it dawned on me one day that I was too busy doing too many things for that to happen, and that I had to make it happen. So I quit the job. So I had no job and no money, and I had to find a business.” K.C. Irving pressed”

“That’s exactly what it’s about: One must make oneself aware—of the people and the world around oneself. It requires an interest in people and an interest in the world. And it requires warmth and light. First, one must develop interest in other people and in the world. One must be able to warm oneself to what comes one’s way. Then, to the warmth comes the light, by illuminating the world and people with one’s thinking—the light of the spirit, the light of thought.”

“You can’t say: I want to do something really great now, I’ll just lie in the freezer for a day. A cool guy doesn’t take initiative. He has to be encouraged first. Only when a spark flies or passion is ignited does action follow.”