There are times in life that we as human beings have to put aside our differences and come together as one race. Whether it be a difference in political beliefs, race, culture, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status, we as people need to embrace the fact that each and every one of us leaves behind a footprint and lasting impact on humanity.  In the wake of the earthquakes in Italy and devastation that was left behind in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew, I found myself trying to encapsulate perspective on the events, humanity and where we are going as a civilization of PEOPLE. In 64 years on this Earth, I’ve worked tirelessly to build a brand that bares my name, employ and work with people from all over the globe and value each individual as a HUMAN BEING.  I’ve learned along that journey that I find something beautiful about each person I meet. Whether I agree or disagree with them, I search for the “good” in every person.  Each of these people have a story, and behind that story lies a foundation that was built on life’s experiences and learned behaviors. These stories are built around footprints that were left with them. I received a call today from a partner that I’ve been working with for 30 years in Italy. He told me how half his plant was destroyed due to the earthquake. The only thing that crossed my mind during that conversation was that he was alive to speak to me and his family was okay.

When you walk out your door today, realize that everyone around you isn’t experiencing life in the same manner you are. It’s the differences that make our world a beautiful place to live, work and exist in. People are not robots built by a factory. People’s emotions are not programmed. People have families. People go through problems that sometimes are no fault of their own but come about as a simple, random act of chance. This is life, but us as people all from the HUMAN RACE need to focus on growing more than just our wallets, our egos and our legacies. We need to work on growing our empathy and compassion towards our fellow MAN.

I pray for the families of all my Italian brethren and Haitian brothers and sisters in the wake of all that has devastated their lives in the recent months.  May God bless you with a brighter day.

Be Human,

John Flora, President & Founder Flora Fine Foods