We recently attended a Bat Mitzvah for Emma, the daughter of our very dear friends Diane and Bruce.  It was a wonderful experience—watching a beautiful girl go through the rites of passage towards becoming a young woman.  The maturity Emma displayed was not an act—Emma is wise beyond her years.  Since Emma was 9 years old, in lieu of Birthday gifts she asked that supplies be donated to a local animal shelter, PAWS (Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society).  If she received money in her Birthday card, she would donate that too.  She has a kind soul and is a loyal daughter and friend to others.  Emma is only 13 years old yet she is truly inspiring in so many ways.

Inside the program was this wonderful poem called “Here’s to the Woman”.  The author is unknown.

HERE’S TO THE WOMAN

…who knows where she’s going

and will keep on until she gets there;

who knows not only what she wants from life

but what she has to offer in return…

HERE’S TO THE WOMAN

who is loyal to family and friends,

who expects no more from others

than she is willing to give;

HERE’S TO THE WOMAN

who guides and inspires

not by quoting others’ philosophies but by living her own good example;

who accepts both victories and disappointments with the same grace,

and who can rise above life’s challenges and move on…

HERE’S TO THE WOMAN

who gives the gifts of her thoughtfulness,

who shows her caring with a word of support,

her understanding with a smile;

a woman who brings joy to others just by being herself…

Now take a moment to let these words soak in.  Take out a pen and paper and answer the following questions:

1. Do you have a clear vision of where you want to go and who you want to be in your lifetime?
2. Will you keep going no matter what?
3. Do you know how you want to give back to others?
4. Are you a loyal friend and family member?
5. Do you expect things from others and often end up feeling disappointed?
6. Do you feel like you’re living the life YOU want to live—being who you really are?
7. Are you proud of the way you treat others?
8. Do you handle aggravating situations with control or anger?
9. Do you bring joy to others by just being yourself?

Sadly, most of us spend more time and energy taking care of our “exteriors” while ignoring what’s going on the inside.  It’s so much easier to buy clothes and get a new haircut than it is to take the time to answer these questions—honestly and accurately.

Be Like Emma

Take the time to figure out who you are and where you’re going.  Embrace your true self and be proud of the way you treat others every day.

Emma brings joy to others by simply being herself and you can do the same.  Please share your story about an amazing woman (or girl) you know.  We would love to hear it.

Be Yourself and Smile,

Molly

Back in the early 80’s, I was your typical college student.  I went to school, had a job at the local sandwich shop (Joe’s Deli) and had a LOT of fun with my friends.  Every now and then, I would get “in a mood” and have to sing Carole King’s “Natural Woman”—made famous by the one and only Aretha Franklin.  I was usually with my best buds, Stacy and Guidi, when I belted out those lyrics while standing on top of a bar or coffee table.  Thankfully, my makeshift microphone was a flashlight or remote control and not real one!  It wasn’t always at bars when I acted out; I sang it once at a retirement community where I worked part-time—hopping from one person’s wheel chair to the next.  You can’t help but feel beautiful and empowered when you’re singing that song.

Fast forward 20 plus years, my husband and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the James Taylor-Carole King Troubadour Reunion Tour.  I have always loved JT, but for me, Carole stole the show.  She got a standing ovation for her rendition of “Natural Woman” which I must admit was a wee bit better than mine.  It sure brought back a lot of great memories.

Carole’s passion equals her amazing talent—at 68 years old she rocked the show. You heard me—68!   All the women in the restroom during the intermission could not stop talking about what an inspiration she is to all women.  Amazingly talented yet extremely grounded.  Her energy alone would make a twenty year old jealous!

Her lyrics are inspirational and real.  As I was listening to the concert, I felt like Carole and James were giving us some wonderful life lessons—ones we can all learn from.  Feel free to sing as you read:

Lesson # 1:

You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You’re gonna find, yes you will
That you’re beautiful as you feel

(from “Beautiful—a song we should wake up listening to every day)

Lesson # 2

Shower the people you love with love—show them the way that you feel

 (from “Shower the People” written by James Taylor)

Lesson #3

When you’re down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You’ve got a friend

(from “You’ve Got a Friend” which was made famous by JT but written by Carole)

Lesson #4

Wake up every morning with a smile and show the world all the love in your heart.  Shower the people you love with love.  Remind your loved ones that you will always be there for them.  And always be a natural woman.

What do you want to be doing when you’re 68 years old?  Feeling sad because time is passing you by so quickly or standing on a coffee table belting out your favorite song?

I think I know where I’ll be.  Anyone want to join me?

Molly

You wake up in the morning, one eye is almost swollen shut from allergies, you stub your toe on the way to the bathroom, and then you start your period (sorry guys).  Most of us women have had days like this.  The question is, how do you turn that awful start to a day into a great day?

There have been many times when I let a morning like this ruin the rest of my day.  Why?  Because I DECIDED that my day was ruined.  Poor me.

The easiest way to make a bad start to a day turn good is by recognizing what’s happening.  Take a look at your situation calmly and take a few deep breaths.  Then, INSTEAD of thinking about “the bad thing” that just happened, think about something that makes you really happy.  It may be your daughter, your dog or maybe even your spouse!  Before your anger can spiral out of control, you’ve already started to change your mood without even realizing it.  Take it a step further and make yourself smile—it’s nearly impossible to stay mad while you’re smiling.

So what are the 3 things you can do to feel great TODAY?  Now before you continue to read this, make a promise to yourself that you will do these 3 things either today or tomorrow.  It’s really simple and I promise you’ll feel great.

1. Acknowledge an older person. This could be as simple as walking with an elderly man across the street while have a brief conversation or telling a woman how much you adore her scarf.  Living in Center City Philadelphia, I run into all kinds of people every day.  I’ve sadly learned that not everyone wants to talk—which took me a while to get used to.  But when I say hi AND smile to an older person (smiling is essential), it really seems to make his or her day.  You can make someone’s day too–perhaps a member of your family.  The beautiful woman in this photo is my GRANNNNNDMA (as I used to call her).  She always laughed when I said that–we all loved her and sure do miss her.

2. Go for a brisk walk during your lunch break. There’s nothing that breaks up the day better than a nice walk.  If it’s a lovely day, then it’s an added bonus.  If it’s cold or hot or rainy or just plain ugly, see if you can still find the beauty surrounding you.  And think about how lucky you are when the days are nice.

3. Cook a fabulous, healthy meal with your favorite person. So often, we make plans to go out to dinner.  Tonight, do your entertaining at home.  Cooking is as much fun as eating when as you’re doing it with someone you love.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate—simply go shopping in your fridge and pantry and throw together a great meal.  Don’t follow a recipe—just make it up as you go.  Being married to an Italian man, I’ve learned the secret to this:  as long as you have a constant supply of olive oil and garlic, you can make anything taste great!

Oh, and don’t forget the wine!  This Kaiken Malbec is one of my favorites and it’s not very pricey.  If you’re a cab lover, it’s nice too.  So buy 4 or 5 bottles and keep them in a special place for the next time you decide to have a special date night at home.

Salute!