Five Truths Challenge
Some friends I’m lucky to work with have challenged each
other to write about their Five Truths.
I’m not a blogger, yet. (Well, ok, this will be my first post.) Hard to
admit when I work where I work, with whom I work. No one actually tagged me for this
Challenge. But, after reading the Five Truths
of my best bosses ever, Raj Choudhury and Jeff Hilimire, as well as those of
Kaitlyn Dennihy and Drew Hawkins, well, I couldn’t help myself. So, here goes…
Truth #1: I Am First,
Foremost and Forever Southern and (most of the time) Proud of All That That Implies
I am a girl raised in the South. I mean, the deep south…born in Savannah, GA
in the glorious “Summer of ’69.” As a
result, no New Years Day will ever be complete without hoppin’ johns, collard
greens and a pork roast. Sweet tea is the
“house wine“ and was consumed by the gallon (literally at least one per day) in
the peaceful home of four I grew up in. There is no other cola besides a Coke. Bacon (cheese, mayonnaise & sour cream) makes
any dish better. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes
and mac and cheese work wonders when I’m homesick (or for that matter, anytime
comfort food is called for). And, yes, I
presume I will always be a yo-yo dieter because (truthfully, they don’t make
Lilly P shifts larger than a size 12 and) I’m a southern soul food addict and
the stuff certainly does a number on the old waistline. I long for a strong warm breeze in my face, sand
stuck to everything, the smell of Coppertone, marsh mud and a low-country
boil. Throw in a deep suntan and an
acoustic guitar and if you were trying to genetically engineer me in a lab,
you’d have all your ingredients right there.
Football is the only thing that makes a fading summer at all bearable
for me. The SEC reigns in our home and
yes, the UGA/Tennessee game was playing on a big screen (intentionally) at my
wedding reception. Just before we cut
the cake, the Dawgs returned a punt for an amazing “he’s-going-to-go-all-the-way”
full field touchdown. It brought the
house down. I’ll never forget it or the
date on which my anniversary falls, because all I have to do is check Georgia’s
schedule for the GA/TN game weekend. I
met my sweet husband at the Chop Shop (Turner Field – my Daddy introduced us,
true story), so it goes without saying a Tomahawk is in my hand and the call of
the Whoa-oh-oh raises the hair on my arms every time. We’ve celebrated the day we met (in June)
every year since by tailgating at a Braves game. Usually with a large crowd, occasionally just
the two of us. It was “a moment” the
first time my husband kissed our daughter on the same spot he kissed me for the
very first time on the 327-yard marker inside the stadium. Yes, I believe in God the Father, God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit. I love tradition and rituals and the mystery of things
that make you go hmmmmm…like bagpipes, the zodiac (I’m a Leo), and fortune-telling. I’m southern… from Savannah, remember.
Truth #2: You’ll Meet
Your Lifelong Friends In College
My momma always told me this and I remember not agreeing
with her when I was in high school. But,
as usual, momma was right. I don’t regularly
keep in touch with my high school friends now.
But, I was so fortunate to meet a group of 10 girls in college that I (and
my whole family) now consider my sisters.
My kids call them their aunts.
We’ve all known each other 24 years now, have been there thru all the weddings
(bachelorette parties!), births, divorces, loss of loved ones, you name it. It’s an incredible feeling to have remained
so connected for so many years. I say
they are my memory. When I can’t
remember who I was before being a wife and mother, just spending 10 minutes on
a group text or 7 days on a beach in Santa Rosa with my girls who “knew me when”
connects me with my past in a way no one and nothing else can. These friendships ground me. It makes me feel sad for people who don’t
have a constant, committed, dependable friendship that has survived for so many
years. I think its pretty remarkable
this many girls have stayed so close for so long. In addition to my wonderful husband and two
precious daughters, I consider these friendships one of my greatest
accomplishments and treasures of my life.
Truth #3: I Love a Tailgate
I can’t be “real friends” with anyone who’s not ready at a
moments notice to pop open a tailgate (or trunk, whatever ya have), turn up the
radio, and swap stories while enjoying a cold drink. I’ve tailgated in some strange places, yes,
even at a funeral home, believe it or not. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.
Truth #4: You Can’t
Do It Wrong If You Tried
This phrase gives me so much comfort. A fairly random person came into my life for
a very brief minute at a strange time in my late twenties. She had written a book, was sure Oprah was
going to call her to be on The Show, and she did these “healing/ meditative”
sessions. I got talked into going to one
of these. Yes, it was as strange (and
harmless) as it sounds, but one good thing came out of it. The woman told me, “You can’t do it wrong if
you tried.” I don’t know if she intended
for the message I actually received. But,
it has stuck with me ever since. I
interpret it to mean, it’s my life, I always try so hard to do the right thing and
have the best intentions. When I’m
stressed or struggling, this phrase usually comes back to me…I can’t do it (my
life, my story, my adventure, my choices) wrong if I tried. It reminds me to have a little faith. Everything
unfolds exactly as it is meant to. For someone who’s a little “control-freakish”
in my brain about life sometimes, this helps me relax when I’m agonizing over
big (and little) decisions.
Truth #5: If We Don’t
Learn From Our Mistakes We Are Destined to Repeat Them Until We Do.
Making the same choices over and over and
expecting a different result…it's the definition of insanity for a reason. Tattoo it on your forehead. Shoulda’ got a T-shirt...'nuff said.
While it was fun to begin, now it’s hard to finish. I couldn’t stop thinking about The Five
Truths Challenge, now, I’m finding it hard to stop wanting to add just one more
to the list. Guess that’s why I'm supposed to stop at 5.
Now, it’s your turn…
