Saturday, June 19, 2010

The Club No One Wanted To Join - Madoff Victims In Their Own Words

Yesterday I met Mary Thomajan, one of the 29 authors who share their stories in the newly released book "The Club Nobody Wanted To Join - Madoff Victims In Their Own Words". She is a delightful woman who lost everything because of the scams of Bernie Madoff, and she still has a positive message for the world.

Mary Thomajan was looking forward to retirement in Santa Fe, focusing on funding The Center for Community and Courageous Change. She lost everything. But she learned that "none of the stuff was me-not my money, nor my home, nor my clothes, my jaguar, my sassy red hair, my identity." The truth she came to recognize is that "we don't own anything...We are just tenants here, little columns of energy." But she has learned from a wise teacher in India who answered the question: “What does a man have when he has lost everything?” The answer was “Freedom.

I have not yet read the book, but my copy is on order from Amazon. We have all heard the stories of Madoff's victims, but it is not everyday you sit at a dinner with a dozen people who share their stories..... and have one as powerful as this! In keeping with my efforts to read the books of the interesting people I meet, I just had to buy this book. You should too.

Have A Great Day.

thom

1 comment:

Eugene Sepulveda said...

Wow, I didn't know Mary had lost everything. So sorry to hear. And, so not surprised how she's dealing with it. thanks for sharing