Looking for a paying gig, I'd put an ad in a free magazine. A fishing expedition really, to see if anyone out there would hire me. And meanwhile I'd done my morning meditation: welcoming work, good work, meaningful work.
And out of the blue I heard from a theatre contact. And I worked for them on grant applications which I really enjoyed and then they asked me to give a workshop on accounting software and demonstrate as to how it had all gone so horribly wrong for them. I'd done these before but hadn't enjoyed them for a variety of reasons.
But this environment was a Women's Centre, where women are respected and honoured. And right away, the atmosphere from the elevator person to the welcome to the set up to the participants was just so refreshing and something I'd not encountered before in a business environment. Respectful attention, respectful questions, I found a different part of myself, gentler. I used different words, checking: tell me if I'm going too quickly, tell me if I'm reviewing stuff you already know, oh my, it's such a pleasure having a class like this.
Marvelous snacks were spread out at "break".
I felt enormously validated. I'd had some trepidation prior to (hello, an old lady teaching the 30 somethings accounting software?). But that all dispersed just about immediately. It's surprising what a supportive environment is created when respect and caring are present and loudness and assertion and yes, ignorance, and dare I say men? are not present.
I just loved the whole experience. And at the end of it all I was asked if I'd like a retainer for consulting work and to please give some consideration to joining their board of directors at the annual meeting in June.
How life is full of surprises.
All we have to do, as one old shaman once told me, is "suit up and show up."
The ways the univererse works...! I was thinking I'd suggest you tell us how to get organized, queries I here in a pile of maybe, tax stuff, maybe not tax stuff? '
ReplyDeleteIt used to all be in my head. Not sure where it downloaded it self but it might as well not ever have been known.
I wish I could be in your class. I do think I'll stick with paper, rather than apps and Quick thingeys. Out of sight out of mind is a &*)5^% mantra around here now.
Anon - I am forced to remain organised having downsized to a 1 bedroom. I have many interests - writing, designing, knitting, photography so there literally HAS to be a place for everything. Organizing does not come naturally to me. I am basically a hoarder in the making. I've had to be ruthless.
DeleteI will write about this in more detail when the place is ready to show off here.
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Thanks yes, this will be much appreciated. Me here, in a studio and this week, finding things to get rid of, again, but still. One thing I'm beset by is things I must keep for "someone else". Anyone here relate to that? (Your sleigh? But why? Couldn't you take a picture?)
DeleteBeing keepers for "others" is a delusion we all have. My grandgirl was upset at my destruction of 60 years of journal writing. So who stores it? I don't want to re-read it. It's too private for publication and who cares. So firepit.
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P.S. What are welcoming work, good work and meaningful work? Perhaps we can all benefit.
ReplyDeletehttps://wisewebwoman.blogspot.ca/2018/02/dear-diary.html
DeleteI wrote about it here recently:
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How marvelous for you and those women you are helping!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how good it made me feel. I am so fortunate!
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What a wonderful development, and you made it happen because you had the knowledge and were open to the experience.
ReplyDeleteI've had many examples around here of how a form of routine takes over and the day becomes a series of rituals with no fresh experiences added.
DeleteI'm going to write about this too.
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A female environment - dare I say it - is so much easier to negotiate than a ‘male’ one where we - the females - are constantly told, in word and deed, that, really, we shouldn’t be so uppity as to think we could teach them - the males - anything.
ReplyDeleteI hope this is just the first of such occasions - and pay cheques - for you.
I haven't felt like this in a while Friko. And I know you understand. The burden of grief and ill health and huge old millstone of a house and dog loss engulfed me. I thought I was "finished".
DeleteAnd it's like that old saw, which I now believe completely: "All those doors slam shut, just look for one window."
I found a window but had to believe I could.
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Inspirational! I shall tweak my meditations immediately. -Kate
ReplyDeletelet me know how it goes, Kate. Honestly I'd forgotten how well this one works. I do a daily reading of the Tao first and feel my mind We so focus on all the wrong stuff.
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Oh my gosh, that's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt was SAW, so enjoyable. Thank you!
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So glad for you. This is a rare event and I'm glad you were able to be a willing participant in it. Hopefully, the relationship will continue and grow.
ReplyDeleteIt was just so enjoyable, I felt like another metamorphism had occurred, where we keep changing and growing.
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Yes Maam, suit up and show up and it works. Age difference is a myth. I mentor some young people younger than my son and they seem to enjoy the experience as do I. I also find that there is no generation gap only memory gap.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a gift being around those young enough to be grandchildren and only speak from our own experience and really listen to them. And nwver nudge or lecture. It sure opens doors everywhere!
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Good for you and good for them. Win win situation.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gemma!
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Yeah, Yeah Yeah!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou reminded me BB. In the common areas here they play appropriate to the era music and I hear Everlys and Beatles and Rolling Stones and I think: I wonder how the "old people" feel about that stuff and then I realize OMG that's MY stuff. That's THEIR stuff too. Talk of a wake up call (no pun intended!)
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It's not us oldies who make this mistake, but sadly the younger ones who have the hand on the throttle: to them there's a myriad of descriptors for everyone, that is, up to about 50. Then, we are just OLD. All of us. Lumped. Never never land. Do not look too closely lest it gasp, be you one day.
DeleteNot quite following you, whoever you are - I don't feel contempt from the young at all, if that's what you are saying.
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I don't think I meant contempt as much as harmful, limiting, and societally feared, even when the stereotping appears to begnine and/or in one's favour: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jger/2015/954027/
DeleteWe can do it to ourselves. I didn't see the Oscars but another blogger wrote about Jane Fonda, Jimmy Kimmel, et al, mocking elders giving licence to all to do the same. I've done a lot of elder research for a play and workshops I wrote and it needs to nipped at elders joking about depends and sagging breasts and penises. Elders are not valued by themselves. Most of my friends get coy about their ages. Puh-leese.
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That's great! Very inspirational!
ReplyDelete(and I am slowly putting my house back together again, all by myself and at my own pace)
Good, I'm so glad you finally came up for air :)
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What a wonderful, rewarding experience right out of the blue! I can imagine a room full of women must be SO different from a room dominated by self-centred, loud-mouthed, know-it-all blokes.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind more gigs like this :)
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It is a privilege to be a witness to this journey you are on, one that started years ago. Thank you for sharing even the hardest bits. Your honesty and insight are a gift. A post like this one makes me smile for you.
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