News Alert: Lunch & Learn causes MK to reflect!

I just had a lunch & learn at work. It’s an executive panel type thing – where 2 of our ‘higher ups’ talk about their career, their start, their mentors, their goals, etc. The 2 today were so god damn inspiring. And it’s not even “rah rah siss boom bah” Corporate shit. It’s their story and their struggles. One woman is the current diversity director – her life tale started w/ her being born in NYC and her father was blacklisted during the McCarthy era and was fired from his job so they had to move to Philly. I’m totally going to be googling “the McCarthy era” and what the fuck went down in those days. To be fired just for “potential government beliefs”? jeez. And she is the daughter of a Jew who married a Christian – so she couldn’t hang w/ lots of families who didn’t want a Jew in their house and others who didn’t want a Christian in their house.

And she had a heart defect when she was born, that should have killed her, but there was this surgery invented to fix it, but she had to wait till she was like 4 to have the operation. She was the “dying child” and in a wheelchair during that last year before surgery. She remembered all the kids who’s mom said “don’t stare” or “don’t ask” – and all she wanted was to talk to someone or play w/ someone, so she’d have loved to have a kid ask her what was wrong.

This TOTALLY hit home with me…in that I’ve already let Big Kiss be curious when we see others w/ disabilities…I let him ask me and tell him it’s OK if he wants to ask the person. He’s 3 and a half – he has no ill will at all, he’s just curious and how’s he going to learn?

And she was a teacher, preschool, first and second grade. And when she explained how much she loved that age, the magic of teaching a child to read – when they go from a word not making sense at all to having meaning – CHRIST, I almost started bawling! How amazing is that? And again – how amazing are teachers??

And she decided to go to law school to make some changes, 1970’s – while pregnant and then took her baby son with her to classes…and had 2 men physically push her up against a wall and tell her to quit and leave room for “men who need good jobs.” Pushed her against the wall while her BABY WAS IN A SNUGGLY ON HER CHEST! Christ?! Turns out? She graduated #1 in her class of 300+. Shows them.

She was also the first member of the US Attorney’s office to work part time. She was a single mom (twatwaffle husband left her during law school) and wanted to balance her work load. They told her no. Said “it’s never happened.” So she said Why? And they asked the US Attorney General and it was approved.

And the guy, it was amazing to hear a man discuss work-life balance. He was in a job working 70+ hour weeks. He recalled the day he realized he wanted more, needed more – he broke down telling how he remembered the day his wife called and said she was’t feeling well. He got home at like 8pm that night – only to realize she had miscarried. And soon after, he found a job w/ our Corporation. A Man. Promoting “work life balance” GAH! Why would a lunch & learn make me want to cry so much!

Anyway – I’m typing so fast I know it, but I just don’t ever want to forget the “take home” from today:

• Never give up.
  
• Ask for help.
  
• See the magic in every day things.
  
• Your attitude is 100% in your control.
  
• Seek mentors.
  
• Find a schedule that works for you – to get it DONE – within your means.
  
• Realize this shit isn’t rocket science. We’re not curing cancer. Relax and take a step back. There’s more to life.
  
• And finally, “The only measure of your words and your deeds
  Will be the love you leave behind when you're done"

Fred Small: "Everything Possible"