Important

Important. 

I used to think that it was important to be important. Each compliment, accolade or recognition just validated the idea that I must be important. 

Except one day as I was hurrying down to the front office at my school it hit me that it wasn't BEING important that was important, but rather DOING something of importance that really mattered. 

Being important is all about you, while doing something of importance puts the focus on others rather than yourself. 

Sometimes in doing something of importance your work may be over looked. You may not feel that it has value at the time. However, you never know what influence you might have. One of my former students posted a picture of herself overlooking Machu Picchu in Peru. She went on to tell about her love of travel and adventure. 

It hit me that we had studied about Machu Picchu when she was a student in my sixth grade social studies class. Now I'm certainly not taking full credit for her choice to travel there, but I couldn't help but wonder if that lesson back in sixth grade might have sparked something in her desire to visit such a far away place?

In chasing important you might find yourself on a never ending quest for recognition. However, in looking for ways to do something of importance you might find yourself pleasantly surprised when you see how well someone else is doing and knowing you might have had a small part in their success. 

Predictable

Predictable. 

Is being predictable good or bad?  I suppose if you are predictable when it comes to fulfilling your obligations then that is a good thing. However, is a totally predictable life the way to go?

I think some of our predictability is due to our temperament. Dr. Phil likes to say, "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior." As much as we might want to change, it might not be completely possible. We may have an innate default setting that keeps pulling us back to predictability. 

As I anticipate this new move, I keep thinking that I want to shake things up a bit. I want to push myself out of the predictability of my comfort zone. Author Annie Dillard believes, " How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." How predictable are you?

Housewife Wisdom

Housewife wisdom. 

One of my guilty pleasures is watching the Housewives series. The other day Lisa Vanderpump made a comment in reference to Lisa Rinna's habit of saying something hurtful, and thinking that a simple apology somehow absolved her from her actions. 

Her comment pointed out that if you broke a dish, and tried to repair it, would it ever really be the same? Of course, she had a point because the damage was already done. You can't unring a bell. 

In hearing this it reminded me of something I'd read about recently called kintsugi, which is the Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery with gold. When a dish or cup is broken, rather than throwing it away it is "patched with gold," resulting in something more beautiful.

Is it possible to "patch with gold" our words that might result in a broken relationship? I'm not sure that is always possible. It just reminds me to be more careful with the words that I say. 

The Butterfly and the Bird

The butterfly and the bird. 

I was watching a video of a butterfly release the other day by a friend of mine who is an art teacher at one of our local middle schools. I couldn't help but be reminded of a butterfly release that happened at my school. 

One of my sweet students proudly brought a butterfly to school that she had raised from a caterpillar. She was excited to share its release with her classmates. 

We headed out to the playground jar in hand and gathered around for the big event. I couldn't help but take advantage of the teachable moment as we discussed the metamorphosis of the now beautiful butterfly. 

As my student unscrewed the lid of the jar my class cheered as the butterfly flew off. Our glee turned to dismay as we witnessed a large bird swoop in for an untimely meal. All at once in unison we all yelled, "Nooo!" and ran toward the winged fiend. 

Luckily, the butterfly made it away safely to live another day, and the bird flew away hungry. Again, another teachable moment about the food chain and the circle of life. 

Mom's Hands

Mom's hands. 

When I was a teenager there was a dishwashing liquid commercial where a young teen girl like myself compared her hands to the extremely young hands of her mother. Because of her mother's continued use of the product it was impossible to tell the difference between the two. 

I used to take great pleasure comparing my mother's hands to mine, except my Mom's hard working hands showed their age. I would pretend to be in the commercial and playfully ask, 'Whose hands are whose?"

Because my Mom passed away so early, I never really witnessed her aging.  I wasn't prepared for dimply thighs, creepy skin, spider veins, age spots, and the pull of gravity which basically leaves you saying, "What the heck?"

I was in line at Walmart the other day, and I looked down at the age spots on my arm. I always have to remind myself that that arm is really mine. I couldn't help but remember my mother. It's interesting that over forty years have passed, and I can still find myself with a lump in my throat when I think about her. The bond between a mother and a daughter knows no bounds. I sure feel lucky today sharing that with my own daughter. 

Beauty

Beauty. 

This  title caught my eye the other day when I ran across the book Chasing Slow written by blogger Erin Loechner. As I read I came across these words, "Beauty is not found in the after. It's in the during."

How many times have we been so engrossed in the finished product, that we have been oblivious to the process? When my daughter became engaged I counseled her not to get so caught up in the stress wedding planning can bring, and really enjoy the process. I can honestly say we enjoyed preparing for that beautiful day, as well as make life-long memories of our time doing so. 

I am a very results oriented person, and although there is value in that, many times I don't allow myself to slow down enough to smell the roses. 

In failing to acknowledge the beauty along the way, I may not actually fulły appreciate the end result. In fact, sometimes I'm left with the nagging sensation that I could have done more? 

So rather than only focusing on the "after," maybe we should just slow down the "during" to truly capture the beauty it may bring.

Moving On

Moving on. 

I'm finding myself with mixed emotions when it comes to selling our house. It has been a part of our lives for the last eighteen years and holds so many memories. 

Our daughter was not quite ten when we moved here, and now she is married and a mother 
herself. We have seen her through elementary school, middle school, high school, college, her first real job, and her wedding. Wow, so many wonderful memories. We have loved this house, and have felt so blessed to own it. It was perfect in every way for our family. 

As I write this I am tearing up, but I know in my heart that it is time to move on, and pass this house on to another family. Many years ago I remember reading Eric Carle's A House for Hermit Crab to a class of wiggly first graders. In the story the crab's beloved home becomes too small and he knows it is time to move on. 

Coincidentally, at the time we were moving from our too small house to another larger home. I found myself touched by the story as I struggled to read it tear-free to my students. 

Today we find our home to be too big, and more than we actually need. I guess just like the hermit crab it's all about finding that right fit for the season of your life. So as I return to getting our home ready to sell I won't forget how blessed we were to live here.