Monday, January 27, 2014

On Becoming My Mother...

It happens to us all... You get settled into a charmingly animated discussion when all of a sudden your mother comes out of your mouth to word-bomb you! There is no way to control it, she's just there. Your friends have no idea that inside you are panicking a bit bc your brain has just been high-jacked by someone two states away! It's highly unsettling and more than a little frightening.

 

I love my mommily.

 

But still frightening.

 

A lot has happened in my most recent past:

The loss off my dearest Piggy

The adoption of Bingley the sweetest puppy ever.
My amazing little TJ-niece.

And not least a new job in a new state. The search and acceptance of my position at the University of Montana has brought new light to my life. I could not imagine a better fit for this point in my career. On top of that, this week I acheived a huge career goal. Something I have been planning and pining for since I was a lowly undergraduate. I was on the medical staff for the Winter X-Games in Aspen.

It was an incredible week

 

Major left turn -- my mommily talks to everyone. It used to embarrass me SO MUCH, everyone in the grocery store line knew way too many details about me. However, when I got to Aspen I made a conscious decision, I was going to talk. To everyone. And I did! I talked to course workers and door-folks, cameramen, photographers, coaches, athletes, even the Columbian musician next to me on my flight (free CD.. Woo!). I heard some amazing stories and learned so much. I'm still sorting and storing things in my brain.

All of this talking helped me to finally realize why my mommily was the neighborhood mom. And why EVERYONE that meets her loves her. She is genuinely happy and interested in everyone she meets. She doesn't have to listen to people's stories, she chooses to. Her interaction with so many unknown faces has enriched and deepened her connection with humanity. She is the most empathetic person I know, sometimes much to my frustration, it's her nature.

The point of all of this is that I CHOSE to be happy, I CHOSE to be friendly and outgoing. These are new decisions for me. Decisions I just recently, at 29 years old, realized that I can make. I choose every day how to react to life. I am still much more reserved than my mommily, but when I hear her pop out of my mouth it's not so scary. And most surprising to me is how positively people respond, I'm no longer embarrassed when random people know some of my life details.

I am very happy with 2014 so far. And I will continue to be, because I say so. This year my resolution is to be HAPPY. It took people soaring over my head on skis and snowboards to realize it, but it's the best resolution I've ever made. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be the easiest to keep. Though I still have frustration, boredom, illness, exhaustion, and all of those other life stressors they won't deter me. I will go into my 30's (EEEK!) happy.

 

 

 

P.s... I knitted the Red Riding Hood on my adorable niece!

No comments:

Post a Comment