Not because I’m drowning myself in bleach, wearing masks on planes or covering my hands in surgical gloves like the family I saw at Denver International Airport when I returned from my business trip. (Yes, I’m still getting on planes and traveling all across the country to produce stories about victims of medical malpractice, wrongful death, personal injury, wrongful death, product liability–I have to and more importantly, I want to–it’s still my life’s calling.) The reason I won’t get Coronavirus –is the same reason I don’t get the Flu (and never had a flu shot). I’m healthy. I get up everyday –even if that means 4am –and I sweat. I workout hard. I eat healthy food. Instead of hoarding pasta and packaged sausages, I go to the grocery store and pick out my fresh produce and select my meat, chicken or fish. I prepare healthy, home cooked meals for my family. I turn off the news when I start to feel fearful, or sad, or depressed or discouraged. I avoid people who bring me down. I pray, I meditate. I live in faith, not fear. The most important story I saw yesterday –in the midst of the Coronavirus coverage–that I caught by accident as I was flipping to Disney channel (where there is always a happy ending) was a quick blurb about Alex Trebek, the host of Jeopardy. He was diagnosed last year with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The 1 year survival rate is just 18 percent. He thinks he’s alive today because of his positive attitude. Not kidding. He believes thinking positively beat pancreatic cancer. That’s what I am going to –be positive. Have faith not fear. Be kind and compassionate. If I see someone sick or hurting, I won’t turn away–I’ll ask if they need help and help them -even if it means touching their hand. That’s how I’ve always lived my life and that’s why I believe I am blessed with a loving family, successful business and most of all, happiness. I encourage you to do the same, use the homeopathic remedies to boost your immunity (of course, wash your hands and don’t go out and cough on people if you are sick–that’s a no brainer), but do something for your health –meditate, climb a mountain, try alternate therapies, work out, sweat, eat healthy and be positive.
Tag: wtla
Lawyers are good people too
I know what you are thinking, “what? I hate lawyers, what do you mean, lawyers are good people?” Well, they are.
I am just returning from the Western trial lawyers association convention in Park City, Utah. I sponsor this convention because it’s a great way to market Heidi Hemmat Productions. As many of you already know, when I left my investigative reporter position at KDVR/KWGN, I started my own business–producing documentaries about severely injured people that help settle their legal cases out of court.
When I attend these conventions, I often listen to the lawyer’s presentations. If you hate lawyers, you probably assume the attorneys are talking about their biggest cases, the ones where they made the most money. So, you might be surprised to learn, most often, they are talking about the cases they took on because it was the right thing to do–cases about old people abused in nursing homes (usually–no money in that), or little kids molested by catholic priests–(hard to believe, but there’s no money in that either). I listen to their stories with awe and amazement, especially when I see grown men, tough attorneys, choking back the tears. Many of their presentations make me want to cry because, I too, have spent most of my life looking into the eyes of people who have been through enormous pain. I’ve cried with them, I cry afterwards, sometimes I think about them in the middle of the night. I never, ever forget them. I pray for them and everyday I thank God–that there but for the grace of God go I.
So trust me when I say, lawyers are good people. Yes, there are jerks in every profession. A lot of people hate reporters too, but when I think about all the good I was able to do for people by simply telling their stories with compassion and empathy–I know I was helping people. Now I feel like I am doing my life’s work–because the people I do documentaries about–their stories aren’t “newsworthy” but what happened to them is every bit as bad and many of them live in a private hell–unable to even tell their own stories. Those people need me, and they need their lawyers, especially the ones who aren’t afraid to cry.
