Judith Dudley
It’s Not How You Start, it’s How You Finish!
When people ask me where I am from, I always say New York. But my life really started 9 years prior to landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, New York!
I was born in Cluj, Romania. When people hear Romania, they usually think of President Nicolae Ceauşescu’s reign, which was characterized by an erratic cult, nationalism and deterioration in foreign relations. Often, what people remember most is when Ceauşescu’s government was overthrown in December 1989 by a military coup, and he was shot following a televised two-hour session of judicial proceedings that denied due process rights in the name of expediency.
That certainly does not characterize my life, although it was not always easy for my family. I have a vivid memory of standing in a long line for bread; I was about 2-3 years old. I was holding my Mom’s hand and when I looked up at her, she said, “I hope they still have some left by the time we get there.” How I longed for that bread! As I got older, I understood the facade that was put on by President Ceauşescu’s when world media toured the country. He wanted to show the world how plentiful Romania was. With the media, came goodness and plenty of food everywhere. When they left, it was gone.
As a child, I didn’t know anything about video games, skateboards or shopping malls. I didn’t have a bike, although I did learn to ride on an adult one; that was interesting! I went to school 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday. When any of us did poorly on a test, we were lined up in front of the room and one by one were asked to place our hands out, fingers up. Then WHACK! The force of that ruler hitting the tips of our fingernails ALWAYS brought tears!
The one thing I did have was a lot of love from my Mom and her side of the family. For fun, there were two things always loved to do as a child. One was walk to the Black Sea with my sister and brother. My sister took it upon herself to teach me multiplication tables all the way there. No wonder I have always loved math – there was always goodness after learning it! The second was to climb the immense Cherry tree in my Aunts yard; I would sit in there and spy on people while eating cherries! When I wanted to reach the higher limbs, I actually went through the attic, walked on the roof and climbed on the tree from there! It makes me smile just to think about those times. Different. Simple.
Flash forward 9 years later. My plane lands in John F. Kennedy airport. New York City Yellow cabs! everywhere We didn’t need a garden. There were stores…that had food…all the time! It was the coolest thing I had ever seen! I remember that first drive in New York City and looking at that skyline! I remember walking into our apartment. The thing that amazed me the most was…wall to wall SHAG carpeting. I asked my Mom if I could sleep on the carpet that night. She said, “You are absolutely NOT sleeping on the floor your first night in New York!”
WOW. A different world. A better world. A new life. The city, Manhattan, a.k.a. “The Big Apple..” A true melting pot. A fusion of nationalities, cultures and ethnicity’s. I loved it!
My first career was with a small practice where I was a Chiropractic Assistant. I realized early that one of my strengths was empathy. My insight often helped me know what to say and do when I interacted with others. By nature, I easily tuned in to each person’s unique situation and instinctively could comprehend their thoughts and feelings. As a result, it was easy to help others feel optimistic about their (sometimes poor) circumstance! As most, I changed careers a couple of more times, first into the shipping business and then working for 10+ years at Fortune 50 technology company. Today, I own my own business.
So who am I and what have I learned since I stepped off that plane at JFK International?
I’m not the little girl hungry for bread anymore.
I welcome all different types of people into my life. I believe there is something good in each person I meet. I am intrigued by people who carry on conversations about theories, concepts, or philosophies. I thrive on taking on challenges and completing the tasks necessary to get results. I regularly look for opportunities. I celebrate accomplishments, whether they are mine or others! My passion for life and people has led me to be a fundraising crusader supporting families, non-profits and cancer research.
We truly live in the land of opportunity. Take advantage of all life has to offer and remember: It’s Not How You Start, its How You Finish!
To Your Success,
Judith Dudley
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