“Like what I like.”
“Think how I think.”
“Do what I do (and how I do it).”
“Be who I am.”
For years, this was my life’s mantra.
Husband. Kids. Friends. Coworkers. Strangers.
“Make decisions quickly.”
“Enjoy watching football.”
“Be an extrovert.”
“Believe every doctrine I espouse about God.”
On and on the list went, my goal to transform everyone into the spitting image of myself. It wasn’t ill-intentioned, but it was just plain old yuck (for lack of a better word).
I was missing out on the beauty of diversity and the celebration of our mutual differentness.
What a gift when the “scales” fell off my eyes and I could see the truth of this crucial life lesson: these people are NOT me NOR should they be.
WHAT A GIFT of the OTHER!!
It’s where life can be truly enjoyed in all its fullness.
It’s where love’s root can dig deep and blossom into a bouquet of grace.
*********************************
It means discovering the life-giving rhythms of silence and solitude from my introvert husband. (This Esthergizer Bunny needs these desperately.)
It means processing math lessons with my teacher daughter, along with unearthing the compassion she has for the struggling student, allowing for my own heart to come alive in ways I would never have known on my own.
It means hearing stories about the latest sales strategies from my second-born and possibly implementing them into my own little life’s goals of writing.
It means asking (and then actually listening to the response) about the latest headphones on the market from my tech-savvy recent college graduate. (The current sound system in our family room is to die for.)
It means getting a late-night text from my California-dreaming daughter about how her dreams are coming true, which means mine are too.
It means allowing each of my friends to be perfectly themselves, right where they are, without an agenda in my back pocket. They bring gifts every single time I am with them, gifts I would never receive if they were just like me.
It means leaning in and learning from all of you beautiful souls who are so incredibly different from me. I thank God for YOU!
*********************************
“Like what YOU like.
“Think how YOU think.”
“Do what YOU do (and how YOU do it).”
“Be who YOU are.”
I will be much richer and fuller and happier because of YOU.
The Dolly Mama 