My husband and I have a complementary relationship in the kitchen. There are some dishes that only he makes for family get-togethers (crab cakes), and there are others that only I make (lasagna).
We compete over just two items, both holiday related: stuffing and pies.
My cornbread stuffing is, of course, vastly superior over my husband’s traditional stuffing. But I’ll give his apple pie dibs over my pumpkin pie. A balanced life is beautiful.
I can’t think about pies without recalling a favorite story about my niece Sandy. She was a teen and had landed her first school’s-out-for-the-summer job. A well-to-do gentleman who had abandoned the city and rented a lodge in the country hired her as a part-time housekeeper and cook.
Sandy came home after the job interview and was excitedly telling her mom about her upcoming duties: vacuum, dust, clean the bathrooms, do laundry, iron, cook one meal a day, and oh yes…bake a fresh pie every other day.
My sister looked at her daughter and said, “Uh, you have never baked a pie.” My niece’s response was classic for her “can-do” attitude. “Yes, but he doesn’t know that, and I have a week to learn.”
I have told that story many times. It still inspires me.
And it reminds me of a similar lesson I learned from Dr. Julie White when I was in my early 30s. Hers was the very first seminar I ever attended. She was such a vibrant, optimistically challenging, and here’s-another-way-to-look-at-that speaker that I remember not wanting her presentation to end. THAT was a tremendous experience and likely influenced my own speaking style.
Women in the business world in the 80s faced many challenges that young women in today’s American workplace (thankfully) do not. But from listening to both men and women, some career issues remain the same. Many of those have to do with our self-image.
Just what do we believe we are capable of?
Have you ever noticed that some of the wisest advice is spoken in plain English? Here was Julie White’s comment about stepping up to take on the challenge of a new position: “No one knows how to do anything until he’s done it.”
We hold back from taking on a new role because we’ve never been “that” before. Well, guess what? That’s true for each of us!
My young friend didn’t know how to be a mom until she became one. A former co-worker didn’t know how to transition from customer service to become a sales person until he started the sales training class. Every single person who has been elected United States President didn’t know how to be President until he found himself in the role. I didn’t know how to be a blogger until the first time I hit the “publish” button.
So don’t stay inside that very comfortable box if you know you want to do something different. Step outside with that I have a week to learn how to make pies attitude. And oh yes, would that be apple or pumpkin?
To my readers: Share a story of how you stepped outside your comfort zone.
In 1984 my ex husband and I (and 2 daughters ) were stationed at an accompanied remote Air Force site in central Spain. It was extremely challenging for me as a young wife & mother to live on the economy (2 hrs from the nearest AF base), in a foreign country, without a support group. One day my ex informed me that the commander (a general) from Patrick Air Force Base in Florida was coming to dinner to talk with us about the assignment and it’s challenges. I’d never prepared dinner for anyone (other than family), let alone a “general” ! Not only did our dinner & discussion go well, that “general” is none other than (retired) General James Clapper, the recently retired Director of National Intelligence in the Obama Administration! That was quite a way for me to step out of my comfort zone. Thanks to that big step, I find hosting dinners for guests a joy and a privilege.
Happy Thanksgiving, Norma, to you and your family!
So basically you went from ZERO to SIXTY as a hostess! What a great story, Joan. Thanks for sharing. And you ARE an impeccable hostess.
After teaching first and second grade for nearly 20 years, I wanted desperately to relieve my stress by getting out of the classroom. I had the idea to go back to school to get a degree in library science because I felt I could enjoy working with literature and reading (my loves) with a whole lot less responsibility. But how could I ever do it when the universitiy granting the library science degree was two hours away and I was working full time while raising two children? Somehow I had the courage to fill out the application. I remember at the time thinking, “Are you crazy, Linda”? Every indication and ounce of common sense told me that it was impossible, yet I plowed on telling myself that I could always “change my mind”. That thought crossed my mind a thousand times over the next two years as I determinedly, three credits at a time, proceeded in obtaining a second Master’s Degree and my certification in Library Science. It was the hardest, most challenging thing I ever did. Luckily, schools make you register for the next semester in the middle of the one you are in. By the end of each semester, I was ready to give it up, but I always told myself that since I was already registered and had paid my tuition, I should keep going. I know it was hard on my family, but I truly believe that it was a good example to my children to watch “Mom go back to college”.
I had not ever heard this full story…it’s quite inspirational. And your children learned more from your actions than lectures about “sticking with” something. Thanks so much for sharing.