Day: June 6, 2012

friendship, humor, inspiration, life lessons

And The Sunshine Belongs To….Everybody

mimijk

I know what you’re thinking, “duh, Mimi – we are all adults with varying degrees of intelligence, but if this is first occurring to you now, then there is perhaps more wrong with you than you have been sharing.”  Ok – I was just hoping to get your attention.  I received a Sunshine Blogger Award today from a blogger who truly brings the sunshine with her every time she writes.  I love that she felt that I was deserving of such praise from her.  Her blog – ‘blessedwithastarontheforehead.wordpress.com – is a delight and I send her many thank yous for being so generous with me.

I’m going to be compliant..I will follow the rules.  Ten things about me –

1.  I was the first Jewish cheerleader at Hobart & William Smith Colleges during my sophomore year there.  Retrospectively, this is a bit of an embarrassment.  They chose me because they needed a really vertically challenged girl and I fit that bill at 5’o”.  I’m now a whopping 4’11”.

2.  My sister and I were in the opening clip of  a ‘blue’ movie when I was five and she was eight and half.  Our uncle was a film director specializing in the types of movies that used to be reviewed by Playboy.  We played passengers on a plane.  I got $2.00 for sitting on a plane in a hangar at LaGuardia Airport.  I didn’t understand why my mother so vehemently discouraged me from trying to get autographs.

3.  I have very long conversations with my dogs.  They always see things my way.

4.  Although my kids loved Mr. Rogers, there was something about him I found a little scary (with no disrespect intended to any of his family)

5.  After visiting and singing at The New Canaan Baptist Church in Harlem, I wanted to become a Baptist.  I also wanted Mahalia Jackson to be my mom (along with my own mom of course).

6.  I am religious about saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and meaning it.  The good news is, I get remembered a lot.  The meh news is that people like to tell me a lot about themselves, even if I’m in the ladies room.

7.  I name my cars.  I just got a new one – her name is Darcy.

8.  I believe that I must have been a very good person in another life, because as tough as some times have been in this one, I have been so flippin’ blessed, it blows my mind.

9.  I taught myself how to knit by watching YouTube.  I’m about as good as one would be who self-teaches by watching 4 minute videos.

10. I really believe that the care and  nurturing of our connection to each other is the key to our professional, personal, individual, familial, social and whatever-other-kind-of-success you can think of.

Ten nominees…I’m hesitating here, only because I got a little burnt before with a couple of responses of ‘thanks-but-no-thanks’.  I may be reiterative – I’m sorry.  And I’ll add Mimi’s rule – if you don’t like it, don’t acknowledge it.  But know that I think the world of what you’re putting out there and your willingness to share your talent and your journey.  In some cases it’s the writing, in others it’s the photography, others tell a story I want to understand…

Missunderstood Genius

Manage.Better.Now

Dr. Bill Wooten

Lifeyum

Help Me Rhonda

Donna & Diablo

Adventures In Borderline Land

A Door To The Past

Girl On The Contrary

News Of The Times

Ok…as you know, I have no skill with posting these awards on my site, but that doesn’t diminish my appreciation one iota.  Thank you..I love the idea that somehow to some people, I’m associated with sunshine.  That makes me very happy.

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anxiety, friendship, humor, inspiration, leadership, life lessons, love, management, mindfulness, motivation

What’s Love Got To Do With It? Probably Everything

mimijk

I don’t think anyone gets to hit their thirties without carrying some baggage.  The twenties are a period where we practice at adulthood, and when we screw up (as we are all wont to do), we have the most reasonable explanation in the world – “I’ve never been an adult before, this whole on-your-own thing is new to me.”   Basically the twenties are life’s Mulligan (no I don’t play golf, but my husband does and I love the idea that someone can get a do-over  just by asking for it).

The blessing and curse of growing up is the amount of luggage you need to carry.  The smaller suitcase from childhood holds irrational insecurities, the first glimpses of the unfairness of life and the undergarments of self-doubt (has to be underwear, cause it’s light and carrying something too heavy is very tough on a child’s back).  The valise packed to capacity with the hurts of adolescence, the pain of unrequited love and the romance of love that involves back seats (unless you’re from NYC – no back seats available because no one drives), passed notes in class and hallways, whispers and every love song written with your love in mind and promises that typically get broken.  The passionate belief that you know who you are and the equally jarring awareness that you have no idea what-the-hell-you’re-talking-about.  By the time we enter our late teens and early twenties, we’re probably carrying at least one  suitcase, a couple of carry-ons and a backpack.  And that’s presuming that life hasn’t over-burdened us.  I won’t belabor the decades that follow, for each brings another piece of luggage with a personalized I.D. tag.  I’m not even sure if we get a pair of wheelies.

At the end of the day, we’re all juggling an awful lot of baggage.  Whether you are a life partner, friend, or a supervisor of other people – recognize this fact.  I have had the unparalleled joy of working with bosses who picked up a suitcase for me on occasion, so that I could bust through a challenge that I was struggling to successfully meet.  I have been the supervisor who happily let my colleagues know where they could store their luggage so that they had freedom of movement and a chance to feel lighter.  Sometimes they never came back to claim their stuff – and that was just fine with me.  I have also had bosses who  intentionally opened my baggage to see if they could add to its weight (I’ve since bought some luggage locks) – or gave me one more piece to hold.

So from where I sit this morning (in the kitchen at the round table, btw) after a tough night with little sleep and the vulnerability that comes from feeling a little too uncomfortable, I think how lucky I am that my husband helps with my luggage.  How much I try to help him lighten his load.  There is a point in all of our lives when we realize that we’re holding on to more than we need to – and if you have people around who can help you unpack a little, sort through the worn out stuff that no longer fits and discard that with historic expiration dates – offer up a thank you and just think how much lighter you feel.  Happy Wednesday my friends – smile.