jo burgess hannon

fit for today, fit for life

How large is your life?

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I am feeling a little sentimental today as my short-lived term as a grandma has come to a close. Don’t get too excited. It’s not my daughter who blessed my life with young ones. Nope, it was a pair of chickadees. I had mamma bird build a nest in the flowerpot right outside my kitchen window. It was kind of surprising as I am often around my patio taking care of the garden, watering the pots, deadheading flowers and generally keeping the yard tidy. Gardening is one of my great pleasures. I can spend hours outside moving from one small project to another.

I thought I had scared her off as I was checking every few hours to see the progress. It’s fascinating to watch a bird carry sticks and grass twice their body size and then to watch those bits of debris turn into a round 4-inch deep nest built among my geraniums.

There might be a lesson or two I can learn from this little bird. I admire her tenacity to get the job done, her ability to make something special out of something discarded. Over the course of two weeks she sat on those eggs keeping them warm. The hours of boredom she must have endured. What patience she showed. I have trouble sitting still for 10 minutes. Side note: my first yoga class was torture, as I had to lay still and silent on my mat.

The birds have already flown the nest. They have been well fed, protected and are ready to be on their own. I think my last peek was the final push they needed. Mamma rousted them all up and, in a flurry as my shadow darkened her home,  out mamma and her 3 offspring came, flying into the surrounding trees. I raced into the house to announce our birdies were flying. Honey and I watched as they clacked loudly and flew from lawn chair to branch, to fence. They haven’t been back. In the course of 3 weeks a house was built, used to raise a family and abandoned for a life larger.

Though it may take a lifetime, what kind of home will you build with the resources you have? And, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is always someone in your life that probably can’t wait to lend you a hand. Just ask Honey: he spent time each day making sure our little outdoor family had fresh worms within easy reach.

PS: if you happen to be in our backyard over the next few weeks look out for the student drivers. They are a little shaky on their new wings.

 

071016newbirdie

 

 

Hello, hello can anyone hear me?!

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Have you ever yelled that from the top of a cliff or hill to have it echoed back to you? As kids we tested the echo factor of the sand pit by our house.  Since The Pit was horseshoe shaped we never heard our words bounce back. (More HERE on The Pit) as a childhood vacation to the Grand Canyon I remember shouting through the chain link fence at a look out point. The summer I worked in Yellowstone National Park we would often give a shout at the highest peak on our 2 and 3 day hikes. Sometimes I wonder if anyone hears what I say on this blog or if my words are just bouncing back to me.

Which brings me to the echo chamber we can often surround ourselves with.   Don’t get me wrong: I love to be in a crowd where we all voted for the same president. However, I have a collection of friends that on the surface would indicate I probably would not fit in.  Our original source of connection was fitness classes. Now, we often text as a group to check in with each other as well as meet up when it works. This is a company of women I have come to cherish.

Here’s the thing: we don’t have the same religious or political beliefs.  Our choice for TV programming varies widely.  Outside of fitness our other common denominator might be that we have all been married over 25 years.  We don’t choose the same foods: one hates Mexican style, a couple don’t eat meat. Well, except one veggie girl eats bacon. And is Jewish. You might ponder that later. As a side note I really like bacon.

So why does the friendship work?  We respect each other. There is value in being different. It has  to do with us absorbing what we hear, and not just bouncing back answers in agreement. Love of Jesus doesn’t over shadow a lack of believe in God. Meditation is accepted as prayer.  There is value knowing that a contrary opinion might be spoken.

A broader perspective can be gained when we listen to others who think differently. That’s a good thing, right?

And back to the bacon, it can be just as controversial as Trump.  Nitrites, no nitrates.  Cured, uncured. Turkey or pork? And, can we really call pressed turkey meat bacon?

keepcalm
just saying

Where does your carnival ride stop?

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One night early in our marriage Honey and I ended up on the Fast Food Merry-go-round. What’s that you ask? Well, it’s not a ride in an amusement park, and I was anything but amused. It was late and we hadn’t had dinner. We pulled off the freeway to grab a quick bite to eat. The area had 4 or 5 fast food choices from tacos and burgers to fish and chips. Now, those that know me well, know I rarely am without an opinion. This night however I was tired and it did not matter where we ate. Honey asked. “Where would you like to go?” My quick response, “ I don’t care.” And I didn’t. He patiently waiting for my personality to show through and be decisive.

About the same time as the F. F. Merry-go-round, I read the book ‘Your Personality Tree’. It was eye opening. Up until this book I held a strong belief that everyone thought like I did. Boy was I wrong. I was surprised to realize temperament, family, life experience all play a big part in our response to life.

Honey, however, thought he had me figured out. Unfortunately he had not factored in the hangry variable. He asked again, I gave him the same answer. By the 3rd query I was agitated and still did not have a choice for him. The tension in the car started to rise. Honey, always quick with humor, started driving around the perimeter of the strip mall in a big circle. By the second lap around the parking lot I asked him what he doing. His reply? “Just waiting to get off the Fast Food Merry-go-round.”

By the 3rd lap I was laughing.

There is a lot of research on personalities and a slew of online tests to help you determine yours. The older I get more experience I gain, the more I don’t want to live in an echo chamber and have my thoughts always mirrored by those around me. Where’s the fun in that? The Personality Tree was a starting point for me discover the uniqueness we all possess.

I have never been back on that ride. Thank goodness, ‘cause I was getting a little dizzy.

East Wenatchee parking lot carnival
East Wenatchee parking lot carnival, 2014

Maybe

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Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin

 

On the recent flight home from Italy I watched the documentary Janis: Little Girl Blue. Having just seen the 5th Avenue Janis Joplin musical I was interested. (Here’s a funny side note: I was on a girls weekend 10 years earlier to San Francisco and saw a play that was similar to this film.  During the performance a fight broke out in the audience.  I was convinced that, like Rocky Horror Picture Show, it was an act by cult Janis followers.  Turns out it really was a fight. The ushers stopped the production, actors left the stage, audience dressed in weird 70’s clothes got hauled out, show started back up.) Anyway, throughout the film on my flight, Janis wrote letters home. Her mom reads this, “you can’t possibly want me to be a winner anymore than I do.”

Ah, Janis, not being a mom herself, I am not sure she could understand how bad we want our kids to win at life. Janis’ parents wanted her to go to college, marry a good guy, get a good job and mimic their own life. That just did not resonate for Janis Joplin.

It brings me to this question: how do you define success? How do you define success for your children? Janis left Texas at age 20. Janis’ parents longed for her to come home and go back to school. She didn’t. Even though Janis died of a drug overdose at age 27, most would recognize her music today, 45 years later. It’s a sad success story. However, I am grateful I can still play Me and Bobby Magee.

Here’s the lesson: define your own success. Choose what you are called to do. The other lesson for me: don’t pigeon hole the people around you. Let them choose what they are called to do. Just maybe they will surprise you.

For your listening pleasure, Maybe by Janis Joplin