(5 Weeks)
A right of passage to adulthood is realizing that you are starting to sound like your parents. You may resist it at first, but usually by the time you become a parent yourself, you fully embrace it. Sometimes, mom’s or dad’s words are the only right words for a given situation.
I have become infamous for starting a sentence with “like my mom always used to say” before sharing a “Maureen-ism.” I am quite certain that my mom got a lot of her sayings from her own Mom. Much of it perhaps coming from Irish folklore passed down for many generations.
If I itched my nose, my mom would say that was a sign of a fight. “Anyone mad at you?” she might ask. Irish folklore claims that an itchy nose is a sign of impending conflict. This could be an argument with someone or even a physical fight. The itchier your nose is, the worse the conflict will likely be.
My mom also insisted that an itchy palm is a sign you’re going to come into money, although I am still waiting on that. Maybe my mom had it wrong. My research suggests that the Irish keep it a bit complicated when it comes to the itching palms and the superstitions related to them. As they say, left to receive, right to give.
I’ve lived my life via my mom’s axioms.
Waste not, want not coupled with her stories of the Great Depression made me very conscious of wasting anything and probably why I have huge collections of little things that I made be able use again.
It takes two to tango was a nice way of her telling me that I was at least partially to blame for whatever trouble I had gotten myself into. Takes one to know one was implied to be the ultimate comeback when someone called me a name. To each his own gave me the understanding of different perspectives and the right for others to see and do things their way.
She also taught me that the peacemakers will see God and maybe that’s why I often saw it as my role to solve conflict among others. Now I believe more along the lines of no good deed goes unpunished and have learned as an older adult it’s best to M.Y.O.B. (mind your own business), which is also something she reminded me of in numerous situations.
I remember a dinner at my friend’s when I dared to challenge her very-religious mother’s stand on abortion. “You can’t expect someone to have a baby they don’t want and can’t afford,” I told her. “God will provide,” was he response. “God helps those who help themselves is what my mother always says.” I shot back.
The one “Maureen-ism” that slips from my lips, fairly unconsciously, almost on a daily basis is six of one; half dozen of the other. Which is often now a polite way of saying something more along the lines of “make a freaking decision, this is not that difficult. It literally does not make a difference.”
My mom was also big on etiquette. I’m not sure if she just read Miss Manners or wrote it. As adult I appreciate knowing the proper way to set a table, which fork to use, how to dress or behave. She taught me to always introduce myself at social gatherings, even if you think the person knows who you are. She gave me confidence in social situations on my own. Although she believed ladies should never drink beer from the bottle, and I may have disappointed her in that regard, she also taught me to never be photographed with a drink in hand. This is a good one and I’ve shared that with colleagues.
My dad wasn’t without his own maxims. His seemed made for the moment, and yet I have often reflected on them as parallels for situations much larger.
Practice makes perfect and keep your eye on the ball, were perfect advice on the softball diamond or basketball court but were good analogies for making it in business.
If you can read, you can cook seemed like an odd thing to say when I wanted to try my hand at cooking a favorite dish, but now – especially with Google at our fingertips – the truth is reading is powerful and opens the door for us to achieve almost anything.
When tucking me into bed after a particularly difficult day, Dad would always remind me, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. And he was right, each new day is an opportunity to try again, start over. And now I know at almost 60, we are never too old to reinvent ourselves.
And if all else fails, grin and bear it.
Please help me support Mercy Home for Boys & Girls with my 60th Birthday Fundraiser. I will be running the United Airlines NYC Half on March 16th. This will be Half Marathon #54. My goal is to reach Half Marathon #60 before the end of the year. Please help me stay motivated, and make sure the children of Mercy Home are provided the care they need. To learn more about Mercy Home and my why, please visit my fundraising page. Thank you.
