Maizy's Lessons Part 4: Shoes!

Maizy has a new favorite word: Shoes. She doesn't wear shoes so this isn't an Imelda Marcos thing by any stretch of the imagination.

Whenever I go to put my running shoes on, Maizy thinks one thing: I am going out! There are very few things Maizy likes more than going out so when she sees me start to put on my running shoes she gets very excited!

Now when I am putting on my shoes, I say the word "shoes" to her in an excited voice and she begins pawing my feet to encourage me to hurry up.

I started thinking about how a simple word can carry so much meaning based on how we express that word. Maizy now associates the word "shoes" with an excited voice which equals we get to go out. I think we can do this very thing with humans also.

It is not words that make the difference but how we express those words.

Certain words trigger reactions based on what we have experienced. In Maizy's case this is a good thing but in other cases it is not so good. As humans we have to be careful how we communicate because the most innocuous word can spark so many emotions. We need to think about how our words can be used to get people excited and motivated or upset and demotivated just by how we say them not what the word is.

Thanks Maizy, today I will not use that same voice I use with you but I will try to use one that will hopefully excite and inspire other humans to be better just like you inspire me. I promise when I get home you will hear the word shoes and we will go out!

I have much to learn......

Guest Lesson from a Dog: Dug in Up

Last Saturday Marybeth and I went to see the movie Up. It had gotten great reviews and because it featured a dog we both were interested in seeing it. It did not disappoint, the whole theater clapped at the end of the movie!

I enjoyed its accurate portrayal of dogs especially my favorite character, Dug. I won't ruin the movie for those of you who haven't seen it but Dug finally finds a family in the end and becomes a hero.

One of the best parts of the movie is that Dug's "owner" created a collar that would translate his thoughts into a voice. I would pay thousands of dollars for something like this for my dogs Grant and Maizy. It would be much better than watching television!

One of the first things that comes out of Dug's mouth is "Hi there! I dont' know you very well but I love you!"

Can you imagine anyone saying that the first time they meet someone? A funny look and a quick movement away might be normal reaction if we said something like this early on in the coversation.

But what a better world it would be....I am not saying I am going to try it but it would be very interesting to tell people I don't know you very well yet but I love you!

Tell everyone you know that you love them if for no other reason to see their reaction. Dug is one of my new heroes. His love gives me an example to follow.....thanks Dug I have much to learn.

Beak, Beav, and Slick

In the fall of 1987, I left my home state of Maryland for college in Missouri. A big step for someone who was still 17 and didn't turn 18 until November.

Arriving at school not knowing a soul, I didn't know how I would fit in. My roommate was from Michigan and I had never talked to him. The next two people I met after I dawned the door of my room have changed my life dramatically.

Beav was 16 from Connecticut. He lived in the room next to mine and his parents had just dropped him off in his room and drove back home. The first thing that he did when he came in my room was look at my tape collection and we immediately hit it off. We became best friends pretty quickly after that point. Because of his age, he was originally called Beaver which got shortened to Beav. We ate over 750 meals together in college and have a cadre of private jokes that could fill a vault.

Beak was 17 from New Jersey and my suitemate. His laugh and other physical attributes eventually led us to call him Beaker from the muppet show which was then shortened to Beak. We were probably the only two on our floor who studied regularly so we bonded over academics, sports, and not-so-great food in the cafeteria that Beak lauded for its quantity not quality!

Then there was me, 17 from Maryland, who got nicknamed Slick early our freshman year. I was scared and excited out of my mind for that first week. What I didn't know is that I found two of the best friends in my life in one day.

They told us at New Student Orientation that the people we were hanging around with that day would likely not be there when we graduated. Not so for me. I have been in both of their weddings. I feel very fortunate that in the last two days I have talked to both of them.

The older I get, the more thankful I am for friends who have known me through the ups and downs of life, who have the long view of my life.

My guess is most of us have a Beak, Beav and Slick in our lives. We would not be the same nor would our lives be as rich without them.

So to Beak and Beav, I owe you a debt I can never repay. But I get the feeling payment isn't necessary. The inside jokes and the moments of laughter are enough.....