Graciousness...and The Greatest Show on Earth

"There are five things you cannot recover in life:

(1) The Stone...after it's thrown.

(2) The Word...after it's said.

(3) The Occasion...after it's missed.

(4) The Time...after it's gone.

(5) A person...after they die."

~Author Unknown

My inbox is O-V-E-R-F-L-O-W-I-N-G.

The list of phone calls to return keeps growing.

And so does the amount of time it takes me to respond.

Yep, I'll be playing perpetual "catch up" for quite a while

now that my world has expanded.

One baby ~ a breeze.

Two babies ~ a bit of a juggle.

Three babies ages 3 and under ~ a three ring circus!

EXHILARATING and EXHAUSTING.

Simultaneously.

That being said...

It truly is "The Greatest Show on Earth!"

At my husband's suggestion, I've carved out a few hours 

one night a week to....decompress.

Tonight, I'm sitting by the window in a coffee shop.

Etta James is crooning in the background,

a steaming rich cup of cafe mocha sits to my right.

Conversations of nearby strangers grow faint as

my thoughts begin to trickle from "the vault."

The new year has taken off in it's usual style.

Full throttle pedal to the metal acceleration.

And as always...there are no repeats.

So what am I thinking about between sips?

Well, funny you should ask...

There's a colleague of mine named Bill McCoy.

He's a true original. 

Understated, yet distinguished.

Well respected in our profession.

A brilliant educator. 

And above all...gracious.

I've sat in numerous classes under his instruction over the years.

His relaxed humorous style always keeps things fresh,

and engages the audience time and again with his ever expanding knowledge.

But without fail, regardless of what class he is teaching,

he falls subject to a variety of outrageous questions and "hypothetical" scenarios.

His knack for restating the facts, walking you through as many times as needed for comprehension,

and helping you gain perspective from a different angle is....well....a gift.

Not to mention his uncanny ability of sensing just how many 10 minute breaks are necessary for survival.

But above all....he is gracious.

No matter how cynical the comment, 

no matter how many times the same question is asked,

he is so. very. gracious. 

patient. 

pleasant. 

tactful.

warmly courteous.

This is what I'd like to purpose in my heart to do this year...

To be. more. GRACIOUS.

Both to the people I know, and the people I don't.

To give them the grace to be, and the room to become.

To love people where they're at, and give them the space to grow.

Because sweet bellas, let's face it. you can't take it back. Any of it.

We simply do not know what tomorrow holds.

There are no repeats.

Thanks Bill, for being such a cool cat, and reminding me

of what a big impact a little grace can give.

And...

for teaching me that now matter what comes my way, 

with enough 10 minute breaks,

I can tackle anything *wink*

and do it graciously :)