Let’s imagine a world where the only possible first impressions are showing love. Where one meets someone and the only thing that comes to one’s mind is kindness. Walking down the street one acknowledges people they see with a warm gesture and are mentally thinking good thoughts about them. Someone who is visibly different is then welcomed into the circle of friends. As the conversation starts, it all builds on being happy with people’s accomplishments and learning from each other’s strengths. These first impressions could also be labeled judgments. I am guilty of making…
I had never swum 100 yards in less than a minute in my entire high school career. One might say that was impossible for Laura Damiano. I was not a freestyle swimmer. I only swam freestyle when competing in the individual medley, which includes all 4 strokes. In college, I went to apply for a job as a lifeguard. One of the requirements was swimming a hundred yards in less than a minute. I knew I had never swum that fast of a time. I distinctly remember praying as I dove into the pool, “Please Lord, provide me the speed…
I recently was sent a newspaper article from my mentor. The article was by Joe Rexrode, Nashville TN, entitled, “Pat Summitt’s remedy for Kara Lawson: uncomfortable situations”. The article highlights Kara Lawson and how her college basketball coach and mentor, Pat Summitt, provided her with opportunities to work through her discomfort with public speaking. Summit recognized Lawson’s potential but knew she needed to become comfortable speaking in public. Summitt continually exposed Lawson to public speaking opportunities. Currently, Lawson coaches and is an analyst on television for the NBA. Lawson credits Summitt for pushing her past her comfort…
More often than I would like to admit, I find myself needing a shift in attitude. A more positive, productive, and kind redirection of my thoughts. Every morning I am purposeful about starting my day with a grateful heart. However, I find that it doesn’t take much to get me off track, particularly when I am physically or mentally tired. I am disappointed with myself when I respond to someone using the same harsh voice tone or actions as they used with me. Most of the time I am able to recognize the need for a shift in my…
I recently read a social media post from an unknown source that read, “…Don’t let a building confine your faith because we will never change the world by just going to church, we need to be the church.” What inspires me about this quote, is that it encourages us to take action. For me, being the church means spreading spiritual love and kindness. It is living with a servant’s heart and being helpful. It is praying for opportunities to bless those around you. It is living by faith. Now here is the contradiction… My girls and I…
I can think of so many times when one person has made a major difference in my life. Times when someone gave me an opportunity or opened the door to something I would have never thought about or envisioned; igniting my drive to reach for something greater than I had imagined. I remember when an English teacher gave me an opportunity to advance to an honors class. I thought he was crazy, but I took the opportunity. The class was a huge challenge for me, but it taught me that with hard work, I was capable academically. Another teacher provided…
Remembering during this Independence Day holiday, how proud my husband was to be an American! Italian-born, proud of his heritage, but an American. Living in Boston, engrossed in the Italian culture and heritage, it was clear to me that although this group of Italians held a strong love for their home country, they were all very proud to be Americans. After immigrating to the United States, the Italians that I have come to know and love, are hard-working people who came to America for the opportunity. They came over not knowing the language, culture, or anything about the…
This weekend I was reminded of the importance of being patient and of not being too quick to judge. I need to remind myself daily about giving people the benefit of the doubt. I am most impatient when I believe someone is fully capable of handling a job more quickly and with more passion than they are working at the time. I find myself counting backward from 10 and praying that I am able to smile and ward off any negative judgments. The use of handicapped parking spaces is another situation where I have caught myself judging people without knowing…
For those that I hold closest to my heart, there is little left unsaid, no regrets. They know what they mean to me, they know that I love them, and they know that every moment I spend with them is important. I knew when my husband was in a coma that it was my opportunity to say any last words to him, bringing closure to our time together here on earth. Oddly, I also knew in my heart that he knew everything that I felt. He knew everything I knew. He knew how much I adored him, how he made…
Finding courage is difficult and simple all at the same time. It is difficult because stepping outside one’s comfort zone and having faith that things will all work out is ambiguous and undefined. There is no guarantee that one will not fail. I have failed at so many things so many times, but for me, the key is learning from those failures. Having the courage to step out again using the information learned from past mistakes. For me, not repeating the same mistake is key. Finding courage is simple, in that I rely on my faith, but it…