Proud Peacock

Sorry for the late post today, the bear and I have been going non-stop.   My oldest sister Shelia is a teacher and today we took Terr-bear in as "show and tell" to her first grade class.  It was 18 or so girls and when we walked into the classroom it was like Hannah Montana had surprised them, they went ballistic!   My sister wrangled the girls and herded them all into a circle with Terrance in the middle and they sang his favorite songs, he was such a charmer!  He was holding Shelia's hands and dancing around while the girls sang, he was in his element.  Is there anything more satisfying than a baby smiling and dancing?  All the students were delightful , totally sweet and well behaved.   It was an amazing experience, not only for Terrance and the students but also for my sisters and me.

Almost as wonderful as it was to see the girls and Terrance interact was seeing my sister in her element.  I've never seen her in "teacher" mode.  We see our siblings in a certain way, usually the way we perceive them is tied up in that the family dynamic was when we were growing up.  If they were a rebel as a child we may still label them as a rebel, even if the title no longer fits.  To see them in action in the life they have created for themselves is amazing.  I recommend we instill a take your family to work day!  I was impressed and proud to see how she handled her students with such grace and love, each child seemed to have some sort of connection to her and it was lovely to see.  

I am contemplating becoming a teacher.  Number 13 on my list is applying to Grad schools, I want to go back for my Masters in Education and eventually become a middle or high school english teacher.  Growing up I had more than my fair share of really bad and inept teachers.  I remember at one point my sister Robin telling me perhaps my calling was to become a teacher, and all these awful teachers were just showing me how not to do it.  When I entered college instead of majoring in education I was an English major and after graduation I decided teaching wasn't glamorous enough and I wanted to make the big bucks.  Well that worked out well.  Now I am jobless and for all intents and purposes homeless so clearly, at some point, this train came off the tracks.  So now I am revisiting the whole idea of becoming a teacher.  I'm not a 100% there yet, I still need to figure out if that is where my passion lies, if that is where I will be able to give back the most.  Today when introducing us to the class Shelia introduced me as a writer and I laughed out loud.  But then I thought, "I like that!"  I was like a proud peacock strutting around in my head, yeah, WRITER!  Check me out!  At lunch I made a joke out of the fact that my family is far too generous and kind, all I had to do was write a blog for a week and now I'm a writer and Shelia said, "You are a writer!  You're writing every day, right?  You love it, right? You're a writer now."  And I thought, Wow, that's all it takes?  Doing it and loving it? And I do love it.  Since I started this blog a week ago,  I feel like I have stretched muscles in my mind that I no longer believed I had.  I feel excited each day when I think about what I will possibly write about.  Not knowing what I will write or what will inspire me infuses me with this energy and urgency I haven't felt since college.  And as I had hoped,  people reading it is keeping me focused, motivated, and accountable.  I walk every day no less than 30 minutes, I think before I put anything in my body, I am contemplating  the effect all my actions and decisions will have on my list and the time line I have given myself.   I know that I have people keeping me honest, and the feedback and support via people leaving comments here on the blog and on Facebook has been beyond my wildest dreams.  Some are completely hilarious, some touching, I love that people are now thinking of starting their own lists and people are relating to what I am writing.  Everyone was picked on as a kid!  What a revelation!  I honestly didn't know this!  Being able to write my desires, my wishes, and even some of my doubts and fears down in a public forum and have people write back and say they've felt the same way or they can relate is so comforting.  We are all in this together!  

Thursday of last week when I finally sat down to start a blog, after the universe had sent so many people to ask me why I didn't have a blog, I opened my computer, joined typepad and thought, "Uhm, now what?"  I hadn't the faintest idea as to what I would write about. I didn't research other blogs, I didn't read any of the articles about starting a blog my loving Mother had sent me, I didn't do any sort of outline or planning, I didn't even tell anyone I intended to do it.  I just did it.  I thought, "I'll write about Terrance and my time with him, babies are funny.  Everyone loves babies, right?" So, I just started typing.  And a list emerged.  I have always had a list in my head, I have always set time lines for myself, and because I was the only one who knew they existed they kept rolling over from one year to the next.  Now I was going to make it real.  And suddenly, I had a blog!   And with it came a feeling of purpose, and goals, and challenges.  Suddenly I felt like I was living, I felt like I had hope and that my best years weren't behind me, everything I wanted was ahead of me, I just had to make it happen.  And best of all, I had wonderful, kind, amazing people telling me this, telling me it was all out there for me, waiting for me, that they believed in me, that they were inspired by me!  What a wonderful thing.  What a precious gift!  Thank you! Thank you all for making me feel like anything is possible.  And hey, if I can become a writer in only one week, surely I can achieve whatever I set my mind to in this lifetime.  Thank you for all of your support and encouragement.  Please keep the hilarious anecdotes coming and I would love for anyone who so wishes to share their "lists" here too!  This weekend I am going to try to figure out how I can post my "Life List" so it is a permanent and growing part of the blog.  Have an amazing weekend party people! 

Comments

[stephanie]

Another great blog today! I really enjoy reading what you write. I said it before you have inspired me to start a blog. I don't know anything about blogging or how to go about doing it. I was thinking of doing research..etc but i think I will do like you did and just write and take it from there. I have always liked writing,especially in high school. but that was a loooooooooooong time ago and im not sure if i can write as well as I did and that is a fear of mine that i am going to try and get over thanks to you! :) keep up the great work

[Tara]

I've loved reading your entries, Mandy. Just over a year ago, I wrote my own sort of "List" and I guess a "Life List" too in a special journal that I planned to keep. Only lasted a short while, but you are inspiring me to re-visit it! Anything is possible, we just have to take those first steps.

[jennifer blomstrann]

It's about time you posted your genius for the world to read...I'm proud of you sister XOXO Blommer

[Jamie]

You're amazing, I really REALY look forward to reading this each day. I was sad today when it didn't arrive while I was at work! You have "IT," and by it I mean charisma, and dare I say it - moxie! I had to throw in a little bit of aunt Claire ;)! Keep it going! You've always been the kind of person that seems like they were meant for great things. I hope this is the first step in that direction. You deserve it! It's so great to "hear" you so happy. I can't wait to SEE you this weekend. Love you!

[Missy]

I completely agree with everything Jamie said.(I truly believed you would become the next Oprah & I could be your lowly assistant, along for the ride.) Your enthusiasm is plain to see. I can even feel it as I read! I can't tell you how happy this makes me to get a glimpse of that old Mandy!

Becoming a teacher is perhaps the greatest way you could ever give back. I honestly think teachers have the most important job in the world. I know you would be a wonderful teacher if that is what you decide to do. The relationships you would form with your students, the constant challenge, the ability to share your love of literature, the opportunity to continue with your writing...how much better could it get really?

And, I agree,how fun would it be to go to work with all your siblings for one day! An eye opener for sure!

[Eileen McCorry]

I agree with what Jamie and Missy said,they said it so well that I won't reiterate. I must repeat that I do so look forward to reading this, and that I am very proud of you.