All right, now that we are
well into the new year…”Ok, only a week”…I was sitting back pondering the other
day of some of the wonderful childhood experiences I had while growing up. One experience, in particular, stood out in
my mind. This reflection process started when I received a book I had ordered
that wasn’t quite what it seemed.
I was in 9th grade
at the time and had a lot of wonderful friends and family to support me. I also
was playing football and baseball that year at school. I never was, nor ever will be, the “QUIET”
guy. I’m a guy that likes to talk, likes
to have fun and likes to be the “off-center “of attention guy. The center of attention just is too much
pressure. …I’m kinda more like the side act that people are glad to have there
because it makes the act more funny and entertaining. …the “HAM” (no pun intended) without the
“CHEESE” doesn’t sound so good does
it?
I was “advised” by my parents
and “pushed” this particular year to take chorus from Mr. Rich in Junior High School
by someone, who will remain nameless, because they were one of my best friends
at the time. …Let it just be said that I
really can’t sing and am more of an American Idol audition BEFORE the
cuts! Yes I can, or used to sing ok, but
I would always have to add in some comedic relief to enhance my poor vocal
performance. For those of you who are not familiar with American Idol, go to
Google and type in “Pants on the ground” and watch the first video that pops
up. …This would be a similar audition I
would give but probably not as good!
So with the year flying by,
as they always seem to do, there was one girl in our choir that was just a
little bit "different" and “slow”. …As kids we never
think before we act, do we? I must say
that I was guilty a time or two, in an indirect way, helping with teasing this poor girl. I was never mean verbally; however, making a dandelion chain necklace or picking a bouquet of dandelions
from our schoolyard and presenting it to her in class and because of my intent,
wasn’t a very nice thing to do either.
…I must say that I was always taken back by how she received the “gifts”
that I had just given to her. She always
had a twinkle in her eye, the warmest smile that stretched from ear to ear and
would always say, “Thank you very much Jim.”
I found out as I got to know
her over the years that she didn’t come from the “best” of situations. She came from a broken home and her Mother
left her Father due to domestic violence issues. This domestic violence also
didn’t stop with the Mother. As I talked to this young woman, I found out that
this also incorporated her as a young girl. Was this part of the reason why
this young woman was also now afflicted and deemed a "different" or a “slow” person by those
around her?
Now that I look back on it,
she really wasn’t the “slow” one at all. After all, here I am several YEARS later reflecting on this and FINALLY realizing whom the “SLOW” one really
is. Maybe she was the one that was
playing along with our childhood jokes and thought to herself, “I’ll make their
day better by saying, ‘thank you’ and allow them to have fun.” …I am happy to
report that I was able to make amends with this young woman several years ago
in my early twenties and was grateful for that opportunity to do so because she was so much more than expected on the outside as well as on the inside.
Which brings me back to this
book I ordered that started this whole reflection process. Earlier this past year and in my efforts to
help my Mom with her blog and her exposure, I had “In A Nutshell Volume I”
published and gifted that to her, my family and some of my Mother’s close
friends. Every copy that arrived was
flawless and looked beautiful. As my Mom
continued to write, I then thought, “Of course there is going to be a Volume
II, Volume III and so on.” So for
Christmas gifts this past year I also published Volume II. As I was inspecting the shipment and browsing
through all of the books to make sure the books were just perfect before I presented
them to those that were to receive them, I noticed one copy that was a bit
thicker and heavier than the rest of the copies. As I opened this copy, I was impressed to see
that they had transformed my Mother’s blogs and her collages into vibrant displays
of East Indian culture. …Beautiful, creative, inventive but "different" than what was expected.
I already had my laugh Mom when I opened your "different" book..."THANKS and I LOVE you too!"
And the “life lesson?” ...I will offer you this simple quote...
And the “life lesson?” ...I will offer you this simple quote...
“Never judge someone by
the way he looks or a book by the way it's covered; For inside
those tattered pages, There's a lot to be discovered”― Stephen
Crosgrove
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