Another Week, Another Challenge
Hello Everyone,
Yes late again!!! It's interesting doing this newsletter. I look at the things that have happened
during the week and try and draw from them to write about. But sometimes, it seems my head is so flooded
that I end up writing about 2 or 3 different things, and it still isn't what I
want to say. That is what happened this
week. I try to keep a balance between
being preachy and helping us all think about life and how we treat the world
and those in it.
So this week one of the
things I began to write about was A Daughter's Love. I witnessed several acts this week between
Mothers and Children that touched me greatly.
Sometimes it is hard for me
because of the relationship with my own mother and family. I know I am a Daughter of God, I try to be a
good friend to others, and when opportunity arises I can feel a small bit of
nurturing playing with children and keeping them entertained. This past Sunday Little Violet who is 8
months old sat in front of me. She
becomes fascinated with my cane for some reason. I admit I like to tease her a bit with it,
but she seems to be entertained. So she
keeps at it and so do I. But this Sunday
she got a hold of it and would not let go.
I had to struggle to get it from her grip all the while she was
giggling. Those moments melt my heart. I don't get them very often and it helps me
put things into perspective of what life is really about.
Earlier in the week I was
told I was too catty, negative and judgmental because I choose to back away
from those when I see a pattern. I just
don't see why it is necessary to be negative or derogatory towards others. It is one of my biggest pet peeves and I
could not figure out why. It made me
step back and think am I all these things they say or is there something else I
am not seeing.
So this morning (Tuesday)
I was watching The Voice that airs on Monday Night and it struck me. Back in the days when I used to watch TV
alot, one of my favorite shows was American Idol. I remember the first time I heard Carrie
Underwood in her audition, I knew she was going to be a star. The same with Kelly Clarkson and others. As the show became more popular everyone
wanted to try out and have their 15 minutes of fame. Understandable. But then I heard of friend's children who
auditioned and were turned down and never got to the producers, yet others with
obviously no talent made it all the way to the televised portion. That was the reason I stopped watching
American Idol. I didn't feel the
necessity to make fun of someone and be cruel to them at the expense of
ratings, revenue or entertainment. It
also turned me off from all other singing reality shows. They were all singing shows and I figured
there would be that humiliation and negativity I was trying to rid my life of.
Enter my friend
Sondra. She is getting ready for a trip
to Nashville and we have discussed the "must See's and Do's" while
she is there. One night she is going to
the Opry (A must See and Do if you are ever in Nashville!) and was seeing the
Swon Brothers. I had never even heard of
them, and I think I know Country Music.
She explained they were on The Voice and really liked them. That led me to looking them up and finding
performances on YouTube which in turn made me watch The Voice to see what it
was all about. So my friend Sondra has not gotten me into TWO
HABITS....watching The Voice and BYU Creamery Ice Cream. Trust me, I am working on a payback! <g>
It really hit me while
watching The Voice this morning. We all
see things so differently. This is due
to our background, how we are taught, our values or even words said to us. As I
watched the singers come out and do their battles I was amazed at what the
coaches saw as professionals and what I saw as an outside observer. I seem to go by those who can capture me on
stage with their presence. Every once in
a while I hear a missed note, but it is nothing that stands out to me because I
look for different things than the coaches do. To me they were all good and to
pick a "winner" you might as well put their name in a hat and draw
one.
And I realized that is
what I expect of people and especially my friends. I have tried to set my
standards to a certain point and I automatically ASSUME everyone else will fall
into that place that is acceptable to me and they will do the same. But we don't.
Then I get frustrated, and hurt and it makes me want to run back to my
shell only occasionally poking my head out for a look. But I can't. Because we
are not all the same. That is something that can't be changed, nor do I want to
change it. I like the uniqueness of my
friends. Going back to my friend Sondra,
there are times when she supports me in my chocolate endeavors and other times
when she needed to give me her professional advice, but she was able to do it
constructively and not criticizing. And
that is where I hope we can all strive to be.
I don't do well with negative or criticism. I get frustrated with it. It reminds me I how I feel my family only
sees me as a failure.
I am reminded of a story I
once heard. A new wife went to cook a
roast, and cut off both ends of the roast, put it in a pan and came out
beautifully. Her husband asked her,
"Why did you cut off the ends of the roast?" Not criticizing, just
curious. The wife answered "Because
my mom always did." "Why did
your mother cut it off?" the husband asked? The wife in turned asked her
mother why she cut off the ends of the roast before cooking it. The mother replied, "Because my mother
made it that way." They then went
to the grandmother to find out why she cut off the ends of the roast before
cooking it. "To fit in the
pan" she said.
So I think it is important
to ask questions, to lend support but be careful of our words and actions. If you begin your comment or sentence with
"I know I shouldn't say this" or "You probably don't want to
hear this" then you should probably find a more positive way to say what
is on your mind or not say it at all.
It's not going to change that person from what they are doing by
offering harsh or critical words. If
anything it will drive them further to that negative road. If you lay the hint,
they will get the hint and come around in THEIR TIME not yours.
I have learned when I was
doing evaluations on others, there is always good about people. I would list a few good things and then
approach them with things that needed to be worked on. We got much further with
improvement than just pointing out the bad.
This week I am going to
try and remember to give all a chance.
So often the red flag goes up and I automatically dismiss that person
for one reason or another. But maybe
just like me, they have worked on improving that habit or annoyance they have
and deserve another chance. I often
wonder where I would be had I not had that second chance in life.
Life is Good my
friends!! We may not be where we want to
be, but we are just where we are most likely supposed to be. Hope you all have a good week and watch out
for those pranks. Remember to keep those
in your circles in your prayers...we all could use them!!
Hugs Laura
PS The picture of the
flowers are just because I liked them and thought they were SPRINGY!
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