School Daze
My mother gave me an article out of the newspaper the other day. The article described a woman with four kids who, because of her blog, is now being touted as the next Erma Bombeck. (www.mom2my6pack.blogspot.com/ ) She is receiving book offers, movie deals, even agent solicitations. Mom is one of my raving fans. (And I do not add, “of course”. I no longer take for granted that all mothers are raving fans of their children. Over the years, I’ve learned that one of the happiest occurrences of my life has been my soul’s selection of parents - if one holds to such notions as being possible.) So, she gave me the article in the spirit of, “Well, if she can do it - why not you?” Why not indeed? And there is the secret little ambition that we all hold - our “15 minutes of fame”; to be acknowledged by the world as scintillating, funny, clever, unique - and, in short, utterly remarkable. As if we aren’t all unique to begin with and as if the world’s validation of such things really makes it so.
Which brings to mind my latest visit to the witch doctor. Dr. Matt has initials following his name that identify him as a trained and certified chiropractor, but as many chiropractors do these days, he practices alternative healing methods - much of it based on Eastern medicine. In other words, he’s my witch doctor. (BTW- Everyone needs one.) I started seeing him in the Spring when I couldn’t get off the floor one morning because of a bad back. In no time at all, he had me up and going again. I’ve learned from Dr. Matt that many of our ailments are a result of unconscious memories or traumas that we store in our bodies - they may be physical or emotional traumas. In my case - as I am sure is true with most people - many of the “traumas” are emotional.
This last visit, the issue that came up dealt with an eighth grade incident of being hazed by one of my classmates - an experience I hadn’t given any conscious thought to in something like 40 years! As Dr. Matt was trying to solicit from me the memory that was “locking me up”, I replied, “Are you kidding? I was 14 years old! The whole school hated me!” He replied, “You just think that because you’re a girl.” Oh, right, Mr. Captain of Your High School Football Team. He probably had to (and no doubt still does!) beat the girls off with a stick!
The incident involved this particular girl (whose name I don’t recall) making fun of me because - wait for it! - I was having a good time and clowning around. Looking back with adult eyes, I now understand that she must have been desperately unhappy for whatever reason - who knows what was going on in her home? She probably wasn’t as lucky as I was in her soul’s selection of parents. And here I was: 5′11″ gawky, weird, a little too bright for my own good, with none of the 14 year old’s emblems of success. What right did I have being happy? (I guess even then I did all things with exuberance!) And she just couldn’t stand it anymore. So, she decided to take me down a peg.
And what happens to those rarified few that were hugely popular in high school - the ones that the rest of us aspired, in our heart of hearts, to be like? The ones voted “most likely to succeed?” I can’t help but wonder if they, like the rest of us, suffer the same existential angst that we all share - assuming, of course, that they even ponder such things - which I concede is a pretty big assumption.
On the one hand, we want to be considered unique; we want to stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, if we do not conform to what is considered “normal”, we are painfully ostracized by our peers. All I can say is, “Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.”
“All Things With Exuberance!”
mary!
Nice post. I am wondering who the woman is or what her blog site is… could you post it??
I also agree about the holding memory in our bodies…it sounds odd but really not odd at all.
Mansuetude,
Thanks! I misplaced the article with the address.(I knew someone was going to ask!)I’ve since rectified the situation. Apparently, the woman has 6 kids, not 4!
mary!