FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 22, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
Victoria’s
SECRETS
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@schnepsmedia.com
Sharing words of wisdom
Words are powerful
things and I was
moved by them at a
dear friend’s funeral, then at the
opening of the Southampton
African American Museum and
then reading from special books.
Last week, old friend John
“Senior” Koufakis, a true
Horatio Alger success story, left
us at 94. His brilliant son Michael
shared his father’s lifelong guide
to success at his funeral. Th ey are
worth repeating:
• Live within your means
• Do your best
• Hard work pays off
• Keep your word
• Don’t steal
• Don’t waste money
• Be selfl ess
• Fight for what you believe in
• Have fun
• Reach for the stars
• Have faith and miracles can
happen
His life lessons are a roadmap
for all our lives!
I was delighted to meet Natalie
S. Walker at the opening of the
Southampton African American
Museum. I was very moved as
she recited her powerful poem,
which you can read below.
As a Woman I have
the Power
As a woman I have the power
Th e power to feel compassion for
those who would never acknowledge my plea
Th e power to grieve & pray for
even the ones who wish to destroy me
Th e power of an unending aff ection
for my race and distinctively for my family
Th e power of a pure love
that can build our people’s unity
Th e power that can endure
and surpass all you can conceive
Th e power to deny restraints
that I won’t let keep me from what I’m meant to be
Th e power that can rise to
overcome any type of adversity
Th e power with the knack to
make real what was once just a fantasy
As a Woman I have the Power
Th e power of an acute intuition
that can anticipate a mysterious sentiment
Th e power of a keen insight
that can transpose your true intent
I have the power to exhibit a profound poise
that pushes away any insecurity
Th e power that makes you overlook my surface allure
and makes you focus on my inner most beauty
I have the God given power to handle
all the enemy can contrive
Th e power to devise a plan
that will continue to elevate my stride
Th e power to be a vehicle for the unborn
and to be the proverbs 31 virtuous wife
because I have the power to reach towards
God’s full purpose for my life
As a Woman, I have the Power
SUMMER READING
Summer has always been a
time to catch up on my reading.
Even though my work keeps me
busy, I cherish my “play” time,
which is reading by the ocean.
Here are some books I want to
share with you.
A new person in my life,
Bernard Bushell, a retired public
relations man but also a philosopher,
shared his book, “Th e
Formula: How I Found It and
What It Can Do For You.” He
hopes it infl uences people to
“lower our soaring divorce rate
and remedy the damage it causes
to relationships, families and
children.”
Bernie includes some of his
favorite sayings that I love and
fi nd to be marvels of truth. Here
are a few wise words:
Albert Einstein: “Th e defi nition
of insanity is doing the same
thing over and over again and
expecting diff erent results.”
Werner Erhard: “Do not dwell
on the past — live in the moment
of now.”
Joseph Campbell: “Follow
your bliss.”
Many other
words of wisdom
follow. You
can give the book
a read to learn
more!
Later in the
week, I ventured
to Southold to
meet the builder,
entrepreneur and
phi lanthropist
Jonathan Tibett.
I had the pleasure
of meeting
him at the Taste
of the North
Fork dinner in
Riverhead. He is
the proud owner
of the East End’s greatest restaurants:
North Fork Table & Inn,
a farm-to-table restaurant and
inn with Michelen-starred Chef
John Fraser as his partner.
As a Westhampton resident
and cheerleader of the spectacularly
changing Riverhead,
I was delighted when Jon said
he would give me a tour of
Southold, the town he cherishes
and is working hard to develop.
Remarkably, his best friend
Joseph Petrocelli is devoting
himself to Riverhead’s development,
just as Jon Tibett is to
Southold.
We began at his latest development
Th e Shoals, a stunning
hotel, convention center
and marina that is set on the
shore overlooking the harbor. It
is close to completion.
I loved walking on the thick,
luscious grass lawn outside the
Jon Tibett with his son Krystian in front
of one of the many pieces of art found
all over his properties.
reception center.
John shared with me
that he “loves kicking
off my shoes at
the end of a day and
walking in the grass.
I want my clients to
feel that this getaway
is created for that
feeling.”
It’s an impressive,
well-thought out
destination! I hope
to visit when it opens
in August.
From there, we
drove to his Southold
General store, which boasts an
outdoor dining square featuring
a bust of Albert Einstein in the
center. One may wonder why,
but Jon is a student of history
and respects it.
He bought the property that
had, for decades, been the
Rothman Department Store.
Th e proprietor David Rothman
had remarkably developed a
friendship with Albert Einstein
in 1939 when the great man
spent a summer in Southold.
Einstein came into the store
looking for a pair of sandals. But
the only sandals left were a pair
of women’s size 11. He bought
them anyway! He struck up a
conversation with David, marking
the beginning of an intimate
friendship.
When I visited, sitting in the
square was David Rothman’s
grandson Ron, who I asked to
Ron and Jon posing as
in the painting.
pose with Jon just like his grandfather
in the portrait that had
been commissioned by Jon. Ron
gave me a copy of the book he
wrote, “My Grandfather and
Albert Einstein.”
Ironically my beloved friend
Dan Rattiner also wrote about
that famous summer in his book
“Albert Einstein’s Summer
Vacation.” It is a wonderful
short story about this unique
time in Southold’s history and
the untold story of the two great
men meeting and bonding.
Both books are great reads.
If you want to become more
successful, read Leesa Rowland’s
“Th e Charisma Factor: Unlock
the Secrets of Magnetic Charm
and Personal Infl uence in Your
Life.” It’s chock-full of ideas that
“unlock the secrets of magnetic
charm and its infl uence in
your life.”
To learn her secrets, take time
to read her insightful book!
Natalie Walker
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