Goodbye, Benson, The Inspirational Pet Fish.

We had to flush Benson this week...

Benson was a silver-colored gourami fish that was included in a used tank we bought off Craigslist about four years ago.  We picked up the tank in Hollywood and brought him home.  He was named after a street we lived off of in Upland.

Benson was not much to look at.  This became the case, more and more, as we purchased more attractive fish for the tank.  He blended into the background the year that I was diagnosed with cancer.  A surgery and a few months later, I was healed and he was still around.

The next year brought a move to Torrance- a trip that many of our fish did not survive, but the silver gourami kept rolling, going about his quiet, bubble-filled business.  We purchased a giant 90-gallon tank that was filled with ciclids and placlostamis and gave Benson tons of Real Estate to play in.

A ministry trip with our church to Tennessee brought fish-filled tragedy...  a frantic phone call from our parents, telling us that the fish tank had grown over with algae and "all the fish are floating on top!"  We returned to find the entire tank dark and green and lost over 20 fish.  Three fish survived.  Benson...

Yup.  Still going.

Benson was there when I found out the cancer was back.  The 6 trying months of chemotherapy were rough, but you'd always see our little fighter cruising around, reminding us that God would again take us through this challenge.  The miracle news of being cancer-free brought lots of celebration in our house, but Benson seemed to know all along.  That year, our fish tank exploded with ciclids having huge amounts of babies and causing the glass enclosure to be filled with color and movement.

A final move to Ladera Heights this year brought another loss of fish.  Unfortunately, only 6 fish survived.  Now, everyone say it along with me, "Benson...  Yup.  Still going.

In the past few months, Benson slowed down.  The other fish caught on and one day we noticed that Benson was missing an eye.  He would be hovering near the top of the tank and you would think he was gone, but all of a sudden, he would dart away, turning to one side to see where he was going.  What a fighter!  Other fish tried over and over again to attack him and he would have bite marks on his fins, gills and side.  But a one-eyed survivor is tougher than most.  Benson lived for months and months in this condition, showing us once again what it means to keep going.  Finally, a few days ago, his story was over.

The real estate and mortgage markets are in chaos.  Homeowners are scared, confused and sometimes angry.  It's harder to get financing.  There are tons of homes sitting on the market. 

People need someone who will fight for them.  In my two bouts with cancer and in watching my inspirational fish's life, I have realized that sometimes you just have to keep fighting and you will eventually come out on top.  Realtors and Mortgage Professionals need to be those who will fight for their client.  Reassure them.  Educate them.  Love them.  Put their specific needs ahead of ours.  Let them know that eventually the markets will turn again, but for now, we are in their corner...

Yup.  Still going.

JB Brookman and Castle Homes and Estates provide Real Estate and Mortgage Services and specialize in Ladera Heights and Westchester and the surrounding areas.  He can be reached directly at 310-502-9877 and found online at www.castlehomesandestates.com