Brian Anderson (photo: By Tony Schreck, Dml - Anthony Brett Schreck)
Over the weekend I attended a memorial service for Brian Anderson, the former editor of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, who died last week after a difficult battle with Leukemia. It was a beautiful service and a fitting tribute to a remarkable man.
Brian touched my life in numerous ways. He was my neighbor when my wife and I first got married and lived on the river in the Minneapolis milling district. He was a strong supporter when my wife was diagnosed with Leukemia nearly five years ago, long before he would engage in his own fight with the disease. He was a source of encouragement when I would talk to him about my aspirations as a writer. And he was a role model for what I believe is true leadership: He led by example. He didn’t feel the need to call attention to himself or his actions. He was authentic, and passionate, and he knew what was really important in life.
Brian served as editor of Mpls.St.Paul for more than three decades. He loved Minnesota, and he did his best to shine a light on what makes our community special. His columns in the magazine showed off his sense of humor, and his sense of perspective about what makes this a great place to live.
When Brian’s illness took a turn for the worse a few months ago, he started writing eloquent updates on his CaringBridge site, giving his thoughts about facing his own mortality. One of the most memorable entries talked about receiving a proclamation from Gov. Pawlenty, declaring February 13 as “Brian Anderson Day” in Minnesota.
Brian said as a journalist, he was often cynical about these proclamations, but receiving this recognition made him reconsider this opinion.
He wrote:
”… at least once in our lifetime we all should have ‘our own day,’ a day in which friends feel comfortable congratulating us on the good that we’ve done and what we’ve meant to their lives, a day in which we can feel good about ourselves. So grab a calendar, pick out a day and announce to the world Your Day.”
There are many theories about how to be a good leader, and how to make a difference in the community. I think sometimes the best way to learn is to observe, and to try to live up to the standards set by people you admire.
As a tribute to Brian’s legacy, I hope you will consider claiming your “own day.” A day to not necessarily to have everyone say nice things about you, but rather to take a step back and think about your priorities, your role in the community, and how you can lead by example.
Then, next February 13, maybe we can all stop and remember Brian again, and take personal stock of how we are living up to the goals we set for ourselves, and the ideals he represented.
Beautifully said, Brian.