Monday Musings... Birthdays just keep coming

February 01, 2016

Yesterday during Sunday school, we had a speaker who presented 5 Wishes- a great brochure meant to spark questions and convey wishes about one's last life journey. Reading about end of life decisions I should make was a little too heavy on the day before my birthday. But I believe that things pop up at certain times for a reason. Between this and getting called a grandmother twice in the last 2 months, I've realized that time keeps ticking and moving forward. And isn't it a blessing that it is? I love that Pixar short, Boundin'. This little sheep is upset that his beautiful coat has been shorn. The jackalope comes bounding along and suggests he has a 'pink kink in his think' and needs to see life in a more positive way.

I often tell my kids to rethink their pink or change their attitude. As I look at my 6 year old daughter's missing front, yes, I can be sad that time is moving on and I'm getting older. Or I can realize how blessed I am to have this little girl who under any other kind of medical care would have been stillborn. I can lament how hard it is to be in separate states from our relatives and how hard it is to get them to see our children. Or I can celebrate the wonderful friendship network we've built in Atlanta complete with many "cousins" and wonderful gatherings.

[In all her toothlessness glory; the entourage helping me drop off work for Spotlight on Art]

I often realize how fortunate I am to be an artist and do what I love every day. While managing invoices, accounting, and all the other tedious task of small business ownership, I still get to paint or craft things with my hands and that brings me great joy. Before graduate school in Community Psychology (I'm really putting that to great use, aren't I?), I was a foster care case worker for several years. I'll never forget having to gently reframe to 3 siblings why they couldn't go back to their aunt's home (because she didn't want them anymore), or picking up a child to move to yet another foster home, or dropping a child off at a group home, or ending a parent/child visitation that didn't go well... The stories go on and on. I spent years in graduate school working with the Child Policy Institute at Georgia State trying to figure out how to revamp the broken system. I became an advocate for kids and volunteered down at the state capital during the legislative sessions. But after becoming a parent myself, it was just too difficult to balance a family and emotionally challenging work, especially with state government leaders who don't value using scientific research in their decisions... I applaud the people who can do handle these hard jobs working with children and families. Instead, I realized I could be a much better contributor to society by going back to my artistic roots and giving my time, talent, and "treasure" in other ways.

So as I merrily skip along past my mid 40's, I am grateful for so many things- my family, career, and health. I just ordered Marie Kondo's book on the art of tidying up. And am about to pop in one of my workout DVDs. Years ago, I remember seeing that Brad Pitt was turning 35. And that seemed SO OLD. Ha!! Life really is about rethinking your pink and seeing the positive. And I will always be younger than Brad Pitt. (But he looks so good without all that facial hair, doesn't he?!)

1 Response

Mom

February 01, 2016

Hi English!

I always enjoy your posts and I think you should add ‘writing’ to your resume of talents! I remember so well the February 1
that you were born! I think about this time in the day, I realized that my first child would enter the world today! What a wonderful day it was and what a wonderful child was born to me and your Dad. You were and still are beautiful and you were the most fabulously good baby! Enjoy your years because they do go by so quickly. You are so blessed that you have explored your God given talents and they have given so much joy to so many!

Happy Birthday and may your year be filled with love and joy!

Love, Mom

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