On This Day: 18 Years Ago

I remember where I was 18 years ago today. I was working in a central secretarial area for a some executive suites. I answered phones, typed, and did other office type jobs for the businesses that rented space there. On the morning of 9/11 one of the clients who rented an office in the building came in the front door and said, “A plane just ran into one of the twin towers. I heard it on the radio”. I honestly thought it was someone with a single engine plane who miscalculated.

“That’s terrible!” I said, “Are they ok”? The woman who delivered the news looked at me and realized I did not understand the magnitude of the situation. “It was a jet,” she said.

I was stunned. There was a second girl who worked the desk with me and as more and more people came in with updates I turned to her and said, “I have a portable black and white TV at home. Do you want me to go get it?” “Yes.” she said.

About twenty minutes later we were watching it all on an 11” black and white tv.

Another of the suite renters came in as we talked about the people jumping from the tower. “That’s impossible,” he announced. “I was just there and there is absolutely no way anyone could jump from those towers. Impossible, absolutely impossible!! The media is just pumping this up.” The rest of us in the office were all silent as he explained to us why he had knowledge of this.

The towers went down. The pentagon was hit. People were… gone.

Silence.

Where were you on this day 18 years ago?

Living Every Day

My husband and I were in a car accident on Saturday. Steven is doing well, just a little stiff. I was at the point of impact. Let me say, "OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!!!” We will be ok, just need to heal for a while and then there is, of course, hunting for a new car (it was totaled), medical bills, paperwork, insurance, etc. to have to take care of. It will take a while.

I mention this because a surprise situation like this gets you thinking: no one really knows the twists and turns life will take. I want to wake up in the morning joyful and go to bed knowing I did my very best that day. I want to connect with someone every day; make a phone call and chat, go for tea with a friend, or stand in the front yard and talk to a neighbor. I  have a bookmark that I keep in my calendar with a quote I love:

That’s what I want, to live every single day of my life.  I also wish the same for you.

Tonight I will call each of my children, I will welcome my husband home from work and hug him (gently, because I am all bruised up and sore) and I will choose to be thankful for the pain because it means I am alive.

The Times, They Are A Changin’

I’ve spent my morning pondering a story that I have told on stage for several years now. In general, it seems to have connected well with my audiences but it now needs an update, a remodel, a redo. I’m not changing the story – the core of a good tale remains relevant. I am working on the delivery of the story.

I have some new things happening in my life: my husband has a new job, our son is getting married in November, our first grandchild is on the way, some people have left my circle of influence and new friends have come in. Change brings different perspectives that I appreciate. Bob Dylan sings a song about change. It is not always easy, in fact it hurts sometimes – but it is all so necessary.

I have a friend who I collaborate with from time to time and who has also helped me refine some of my stories. When there is too much in a story she says, “You’ve got to cut your darlings.” How stinkin’ hard that is! I don’t want to leave my darlings out, but The Times They are a Changin’!!

What do you need to change to make the delivery of your story better?

Give a listen to Bob Dylan as he sings:

It's a Girl!

Our daughter Genette is 24 weeks pregnant and the nickname of the baby is Little Foot. (Remember that movie, The Land before Time? One of the dinosaurs in that movie was named Little Foot).  She and her husband decided to do a gender reveal party with a dinosaur theme, of course. At the ultrasound when the gender of Little Foot was discovered, they had the technician write it down and seal it in an envelope. Genette and Abe had no idea if the baby was a boy or a girl. Genette gave the envelope to her very good friend, Alyssa, and she planned the “reveal” for the party.

I have to hand it to them for having patience; they waited a week and a half after the ultrasound to get the news and Alyssa waited that week and a half keeping the secret from Genette and Abe! I’m not sure I would have able to be so patient.

At the gender reveal party, Alyssa put colored sand in two red glass bottles to keep the colors a secret. At the appointed moment, Genette and Abe poured the sand into a clear glass cube which revealed the gender of Little Foot: pink and purple for a girl or blue and red for a boy. We all counted down, “One, two, three!” and the sand flowed pink and purple.

A GIRL!! Our family is having a girl!! How exciting!

Little Foot’s story has a great beginning. I look forward to being able to tell her about the excitement we felt when we found out that she was coming into our lives.  I’m going to write it down, too, so when she is older, Little Foot will be able to read about how very much she is loved. 

I encourage you to write down your stories too and share them with the little ones in your life.

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Good Year

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The past couple of years have been very challenging and frankly, scary for this Bartlett family; things are never boring at our house. The situations we have faced have challenged us emotionally, spiritually, physically, financially… ok, in every way possible. But it all seems to be turning out ok.

Steven and I are on the way to Lynchburg, VA to our daughter Genette and bonus son Abe's house. As we were driving along Steven got my attention by saying, "blimp!" I looked up and there was the Good Year blimp resting in the sky.

Seeing the blimp served as an encouraging reminder – through it all it has been a good year. Bryon is in remission and will be marrying the adorable Amber in November, Carmen continues on life adventures, and Steven, Abe, and I have all recovered well from our surgeries, Steven also has some leads on a new job, Genette is pregnant, and we are on the way to Lynchburg to attend the gender reveal party for our first grandchild due to arrive at the end of November.

Yep, that's our story and we are sticking to it – it's been a Good Year.