Here Comes Angry Annie… Run!

If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?  ~Sydney J. Harris

This morning I had a Resident call me, who we are going to call Annie in this blog. Despite my morning routine being interrupted by my husband who decided to wake up early (which could be another blog in itself), I was having a good day. Annie called to speak with me about her pollen allergies. I can totally relate to her allergies, I have been battling with the nasty yellow stuff for about three weeks now. I was completely taken back when instead of starting our conversation off with a friendly “Hi, how are you,” (as most of my Residents do), I was greeted with Angry Annie who started our conversation at about 180 decibels. Keep in mind a jet engine is about 140 decibels.  I wanted to tell her “Let me connect you to Mother Nature, she’ll be happy to help you from there,” but instead I continued to listen at a distance of about 18” from my ear for 10 minutes because I knew eventually, she and I would part ways. As the time manifested, I got the last words in… “Thanks and have a great day!”

Unbelievable.  I know that impossible people do exist. They make it hard to believe that it’s not your fault because they have completely mastered blaming skills. Maybe those outbursts of wrath, bitterness, or malice give people a sense of power.  But whatever happened to being nice? Doesn’t that get you anywhere anymore? According to Green Day, it doesn’t.  At least that is what they were singing about in their song “Nice Guys Finish Last” as I’m driving a few minutes after this flare up. Despite what they sing about, I promise you one thing, bad attitudes are going to get you NOWHERE with me. 

I had a fortune cookie once that read “Due to your overwhelming kindness, good fortune will surely come your way.” I still believe that there is power behind kindness.  Sometimes being nice works, and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m not saying you should refrain from ever blowing your top, a person can only take so much, but shouldn’t it at least start there?  Nice is a small word but it’s got a big impact.

~Nancy~

The Next Cristiano Ronaldo?

For those of you who don’t know (and why would you), by the age of 12, Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the best soccer players on his island, Madeira.  Today, at age 21, he is the highest paid soccer player that there is.   He is also a role model to both of my boys. I think it’s so wonderful that Eric and Jacob look at him as a role model. He took those first few tricks he learned on the dusty back streets of a small island and turned them into a passion and a profession. His drive for his passion has my boys believing that it is possible to be a born superstar and if you love something, you go with it.  Both Eric and Jacob started playing recreational soccer at Polo Road Complex at a young age, and surprisingly (as a lot of kids do), they haven’t lost interest in their love for the sport.  Last soccer season they left Polo Road Complex and began to play South Carolina UFC Academy and Select Soccer.  This involves intense training schedules, pressure to win and be the best. A lot of down time to enjoy being a kid is given up because of the many hours of commitment to the league. Parents on the sidelines, along with coaches are “playing to win,” because after all, winning means opportunities for college scholarships, or a shot at the pros… or a chance to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo.

It just isn’t fun anymore…I remember the very first soccer tournament of this current season, Jacob and I went to Savannah, and he turned to me and said “this just isn’t fun anymore.”  Even though he has a strong internal drive to be competitive, the pressure of everything I mentioned above hit him that weekend like a ton of bricks.  When did parents all over the country make this an obsession all of a sudden? And so you know, for the record, I am NOT one of the prime culprits (aka parents) who push my children to the limits… Whatever happened to being able to ride his bike for hours upon hours? Is it really necessary to push our kids so hard? Eric and Jacob both are very talented in soccer, and I love that they are… but will this competition crazed intensity eventually cause them to have an emotional break down?

Today I got a phone call from Eric around 2:00. He was calling to tell me about his Algebra grade. He is in 7^th grade and has had an A in Honors Algebra all year. I recently saw where his grade had started to slip and it was a C. “We don’t go from A’s to C’s, Eric.” His studies are far more important than spending late nights on the soccer field. I worried that the pressure of playing not only for select soccer, but the addition of playing soccer at his middle school might be coming down on him.  So after Algebra class ended, he snuck in a phone call to tell me that his grade had gone from an 82 (C) to a 90 (B). I was so happy for him. He just “couldn’t wait” another 25 minutes until school got out to tell me. He HAD to call because he was so excited and proud of his grade coming up. And you know what? I am so proud of him.   

I truly have two amazing little boys that not only have goals, dreams and ambition but work so hard to get what they want. I will never push them beyond their limits, and I will always support whatever decision they make with any dreams that they may have. The next Cristiano Ronaldo? Maybe. The next Alexander Graham Bell or Jonas Salk? Maybe.  Or maybe a good ol’ boy who manages a Chick-Fil-A. Either way, reach for the stars and I will be there to remind you of the flowers at your feet.  

~Nancy~

Jacob at the St. Patrick's Day Cup- 1st Place

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff...

I've decided to start a blog..."A Little Dose of Life As I Know It”, mostly as a home for the gratitude I feel for all of the little things in my life that mean so much, as a safe haven for all of the times when I want to express feelings, and most importantly, the truly joyous (and often comical) moments that my family and I share together, as our life is genuinely filled with laughter.

For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe.  ~Author Unknown

Think back over all the years of your life. Think about the things that you worried about, anguished over, and mulled over for days, or even weeks. Think about the time, energy, and negative emotion spent on these situations and the disruption they caused for you and those close to you.  So often we take on so much, and we spend so much time trying to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, the perfect friend, the perfect employee, the perfect daughter, the perfect sister...we eventually crash and start to really sweat the small stuff. But guess what, it's just STUFF. So we didn't make it to that soccer practice right at 6:00 because we were held up at work. So we dressed our child this morning and we didn't notice until we are dropping him off that he had on one blue sock and one white one. So we get home and forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer for dinner tonight, so we are all heading to McDonald's.  So what if we neglected to answer a work email on our blackberry and it went unnoticed until Monday because we were on the sidelines of the soccer field rooting our kids on as they score that perfect goal. It's okay to say, "I can't do it all!" But we'll certainly continue to try :)

I am investing time in this blog because I love weaving words and images together to tell a story, one that may be of inspiration to others or one that may just give someone a good laugh... And in doing so, I find myself looking more deeply for the beauty in life and consequently finding it in more places.

~Nancy~