The Right Place at the Right Time?

News from my family in Australia with the usual Christmas reminder that they will be BBQ'ing on the beach on Christmas day arrive in my in box today.

It was this news from Australia that reminded me of the Elian Gonzalez fiasco some years ago that I featured in an article earlier this year. I sure you remember the young Cuban boy photographed with a machine gun in his face.
This picture brought home to me a very great truth, shared with me by a fellow radio personality in Australia a few years ago. His name is John Laws, and the comment he made has stuck in my mind as one of the great truths that affect our lives.

I was Associated Press's photographer in Malta at the time that an international dispute broke out between the government of Malta and the British government. More importantly I was the only international journalist on the spot. The morning following the outbreak of riots my pictures appeared on the front page of every daily newspaper in the world! My total compensation however, back in 1957 was under $100.00.

I dare say the Associated Press photographer who entered the Florida home and caught the chilling shot of a machine gun in the face of the young Gonzalez would comfortably be able to retire on the proceeds.

John was asked if he attributed his success to being in the right place at the right time?

John replied that "everyone is in the right place at the right time at sometime in his or her lives - the true secret of success was in recognizing the fact that you were there!"

There is little doubt that my opportunity to assist in the development of China's foremost timeshare development some years later, was due to being in the right aircraft seat on my return to Hong Kong from Malaysia, Fortunately I recognized the opportunity; but that's another story for another time.

So often in our lives we are placed in a position to accept or reject an opportunity but fail to make the move because of the comfort zone that we have built up around us.

I want to encourage you in the coming year of 2011 to reach out and explore this amazing world that surrounds us. The ease of transport and the flow of information that is available to us today with the use of the internet make exploration of the opportunities around the globe so much easier than they were during my generation.

Even for me as a senior; I continue to explore the options for a more fruitful retirement in far away destinations like South America, Belize and Central America and even the islands of the Caribbean offer retirement opportunities that stretch a small pension such as I enjoy, making for a more comfortable retirement.

My coming trip back to my beloved Malta, is just such an expedition. Next week I fly out from my home of nearly 20 years, here in Las Vegas, back to the land that introduced me to my calling as an archaeologist over 50 years ago. This time my focus will be on the tiny neighboring island of Gozo, where the cost of living is lower than even that of its much larger sister island of Malta.

You can count on pictures and an article to follow.

As to being in the right place at the right time -Take a look at your present surrounds - perhaps you're in the right place, at the right time, right now!

Seasons Greetings
Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD (http://pjshield.com)