I have learned a lot over the years, and some of the most
powerful lessons I have learned have been outside of a classroom. Many times, I
didn’t even realize I was learning a lesson until much later when I reflected
back on it.
Shower Rods and Apologies
The lessons started when I was very young. I was blessed
to learn about unconditional love and friendship and laughter and respect all
in one place, which was the home of my best friends. I’ve mentioned Jackie and
Janet before, and I probably will again, because I don’t have many memories of
my childhood that don’t involve them, and so very many memories involving them
are happy ones.
For reasons I never really knew, but for which I’ll always
be grateful, I was treated like a member of their family. I can picture their
home as if I were in it yesterday. One particular memory stayed with me always,
and it came rushing back to me years later when I had to discipline my own girls.
Jackie and Janet and I were horsing around in the bathroom
one day, and I’m guessing we were probably swinging on the shower curtain rod,
because it came down in our hands. Their mom, Dee, came rushing in, and once
she saw we were okay, I could see she was very angry. I braced myself for the
screaming and the yelling and the horrible things we would be called, and to my
great surprise, none of that happened. In response to our apology (actually
their apology because that was a foreign concept to me), she said she accepted it
(also shocking to me), but she was very angry and she needed some time to cool
down, so she asked us to go outside and play. What? Where was the yelling and the
screaming? I actually felt good about myself after helping to break their
house. This was entirely new to me.
Years later, my girls and a number of other neighborhood
kids were rollerblading out on the forbidden busy road behind our house, and I
happened to drive down the road and busted them all (good lesson here: don’t
misbehave on a busy road that happens to be within spitting distance of your
mom’s work). To say I was angry was an understatement, but I thought back to
that shower rod day, and not only did I not kill my children, I told them I was
so angry I needed some time to calm down and talk to their dad before we
determined their consequences. So I said I was going back to work, and we would
deal with it later, which we did. I totally channeled my inner Dee that day,
and not only did I appreciate what she unknowingly taught me, but my children
should always be grateful to her as well.
Babies in Car Seats
Not long before I had children, I read a letter in one of
the newspaper advice columns. It was from a mother whose baby had died in a car
accident. Car seats were still relatively new, and she had chosen not to put
her baby in one because she was just going to the post office, which was very
close to her house. As she was driving, another car ran a stop sign, crashing
into her car, and she described her baby daughter as bouncing around the car “like
a ping pong ball.” I can picture that horrible image even now as I write this, and
because of her, I never went anywhere without buckling up my children. I can
only imagine how many children she probably saved by writing that letter in the
midst of her grief. I’ve often wished I could thank her.
Making Molehills out of Mountains
I’ve had a number of bosses over the years, and I learned things
from all of them. Some of what I learned from some of them was how I would not
want to do something. Actually I learned a lot of that, but I won’t mention
those lessons here…..at least not now. I will relay one from a boss who was a
great mentor and is still a good friend.
When I worked for the Forest Preserve District, an issue arose
when neighbors were up in arms because the power company was trimming trees
under power lines, and a number of the trees were on forest preserve property.
We have learned from a few nasty ice storms that trees under power lines cause
major problems when the power lines are weighed down by ice, but at the time I
don’t think we were as aware, and the idea of cutting down trees was very upsetting
to some people, which is actually a good thing most of the time. So they called
the Forest Preserve District to enlist our help. This quickly went up the chain
to the top because of the potential public relations issue.
As the PR person for the agency, I sat in on our director’s
call to the power company, not knowing what to expect except that I guessed it
would be heated. What I heard surprised me, as my boss said into the phone,
“What can you and I do to keep both of us off the front page?” I clearly was
not the only surprised person, as the power company executive was stunned as
well.
They went on to discuss their reasons for needing to cut or
not cut various trees. My boss, John, said there were a few trees that were
particularly valuable and worth fighting for, but he could give in on some of
the others. The power company guy did the same, and lo and behold, they worked
out a successful compromise that solved the problem and ended the controversy,
which kept us out of the news because there was no story to tell. I sat there
in awe as I watched this play out, and I learned that a lot of problems can be
resolved by simply talking to opponents with respect and then working to reach
a compromise. What a simple concept that I wish all people, especially our
elected officials, would embrace.
Beautiful, Amazing Ashley
And then there’s Ashley. Ashley B. has become one of the
greatest inspirations I think I’ve ever known. She used to play softball with
my girls, and I didn’t know her extremely well during those years, but I liked
her and was glad she was on their teams. I actually was better friends with her
mother.
Ashley is now 30 years old and the mother of a beautiful little girl. Not long after her baby was born, Ashley was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, obviously an incredible shock to her and everyone in her world.
Ashley is now 30 years old and the mother of a beautiful little girl. Not long after her baby was born, Ashley was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, obviously an incredible shock to her and everyone in her world.
The amazing part of this story is how she has responded.
It’s hard for me to even find the words to describe the fight and strength she
has shown the world. I’m sure she has difficult days, and I know she worries
about her daughter, but there is no sitting and crying for this girl. She has
wrapped herself in a huge support network and is choosing to live her life.
Every day. She does this with grace, with humor, and with tremendous strength. She’s
even speaking to student groups about finding inner strength when life gives you
a nasty blow. For a better introduction to her, you should read her blog “I
Dressed Cute 4 Cancer” at http://cute4cancer.blogspot.com. It’s so well written
and heartfelt and funny and inspiring. Everyone needs to know this woman.
This is the thing that makes me admire her the most. On her
daughter’s first birthday, she posted this: “Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet,
sweet girl! You make every day worth living, and this has truly been the best
year of my life because of you!!!”
There was no mention of cancer or sadness. She doesn’t dwell
on pain or fear. Ashley doesn’t know what her future holds any more than the
rest of us know ours, so she’s choosing to live her life. And she has inspired
everyone who knows her, and even many people who don’t know her, to do the
same.
So my goal, in honor of Ashley, is to try to live every day
of my life as she has chosen to live hers. We all can learn a lot from this strong
and amazing woman.
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