If there's one thing I love about maturity and knowledge is the fact that it can break down your most deep paradigms. You know, I'm on a journey to discover who I am going to be after my work is over at the company I've been working for 12 years, what does God want me to do on this Earth, what is my true potential, why did I came here for, what are my talents and a bunch more of why, what, who.
Last week I started reading a book recommended by Lezlie called The One Thing by Keller Papasan.
It feels so nice to be open to learn new things or simply re-learn something you thought you mastered in. I find it funny to discover how wrong I can be and how most of it come from immaturity.
Let me go back to my 17's. I felt so compelled to express my political opinions on how the left-party deserved a chance in power, how we should all start a revolution against the dominant power, the capital, and all that lefty-speech. I still believe going to the streets or any other maneuver to demand politicians to fulfill their obligations and deliver the best policies and laws to the citizens - undoubtedly - but I discovered after some time that this is not a unbreakable rule. I'll explain.
I wrote this story already in my first blog in Portuguese but good stories are made to be told and written over and over again.
My aunt and godmother Tamico is also one of the greatest roll model in my life. We always talked so much, probably since I actually started speaking! :) I have great memories spending time with her. If I close my eyes I can see myself there... waiting for my iced chocolate milk in a wet glass she has just washed in her tiny kitchen.
I was 17 and for the first time the left-party had a chance to win the presidential elections. The country needed that change (I still believe that by the way), strikes were popping out all over the country. Then in my city doctors and nurses from a public hospital decided to go on a strike for better salaries. My aunt was the Chief of Nurses. She did not join the strike. I was mortified by her attitude! I remember telling her how important the unity of the population was in a situation like that. I remember saying how bad her decision was. I couldn't even listen to her explanation. Well, I did listened but I didn't agree at the time.
Years go by without talking about this episode and she passes away after confusing a diabetes symptom and taking insulin instead of sugar in 2005. During the grief period I remembered a lot of our conversations, I wanted to write a book about her extraordinary life, filled with emotions I wrote to a Sunday TV news program about her choices and career in the public sector, I wanted to keep her alive in me, somehow.
She had diabetes and had to take a medical leave to take care of her health in 2003. Meanwhile, my father offered her a job - a position of trust - in accounts payable and receivable. She was a nurse and at that time, in the beginning of the internet revolution, she didn't even own a computer.
She took the offer and learned to work on excel and the bank website as a child learns how to hold a pencil and write her name. It was tough but she was up to it. When she finally learned she filed a process at the hospital explaining that she didn't want to keep on receiving her salary because she was working at her brother's company, where she had flexible hours and could spent most of the time seated.
Who does that? Really! I can imagine people donating extra money to charity - actually that was my suggestion - but she didn't think that was the right thing to do.
But let me tell you something: She had her house mortgage to pay and it was not close to the end of it.
Every time I remember this story I get chills.
Of course the story about the strike was on repeat in my head. She told me:
- I can't go on a strike. I just can't. A post office employee can go on a strike and not deliver the mail. People will get angry, people may loose deadlines... but if I go on a strike how am I supposed to tell a patient: "hey, Mr. Silva, don't die now, ok? I'm going to try to get a raise and while I'm not here, do me a favor and don't die." See? I can't do it because my work is keeping people alive, is taking care of people and I will not walk away from doing my job.
I can't wait to meet her again in a spiritual world and hug her, and tell I understand everything she tried to explain me when I was a teenager.
----
When I started reading the One Thing I didn't expect a paradigm breakdown. I'm still in the first part, actually, and it already knocked me in the chin. And I'm loving it! hahahah.
I always bragged myself of being a multi-tasker. This was my thing! I was a problem-solver, no matter what the problem was and I was proud of it.
After reading the first part of this book I can't tell you how ridiculous I feel! It's like looking at a picture of your mom all dressed up with neon clothes and a scissors-sisters hair cut from the 80's.
I was wrong about multi-tasking! It's not good! Thank you, Keller! Thank you!
The multi-tasking paradigm I always love is down.
It's over.
And I love it.
With no paradigms,
Thali.
Last week I started reading a book recommended by Lezlie called The One Thing by Keller Papasan.
It feels so nice to be open to learn new things or simply re-learn something you thought you mastered in. I find it funny to discover how wrong I can be and how most of it come from immaturity.
Let me go back to my 17's. I felt so compelled to express my political opinions on how the left-party deserved a chance in power, how we should all start a revolution against the dominant power, the capital, and all that lefty-speech. I still believe going to the streets or any other maneuver to demand politicians to fulfill their obligations and deliver the best policies and laws to the citizens - undoubtedly - but I discovered after some time that this is not a unbreakable rule. I'll explain.
I wrote this story already in my first blog in Portuguese but good stories are made to be told and written over and over again.
My aunt and godmother Tamico is also one of the greatest roll model in my life. We always talked so much, probably since I actually started speaking! :) I have great memories spending time with her. If I close my eyes I can see myself there... waiting for my iced chocolate milk in a wet glass she has just washed in her tiny kitchen.
I was 17 and for the first time the left-party had a chance to win the presidential elections. The country needed that change (I still believe that by the way), strikes were popping out all over the country. Then in my city doctors and nurses from a public hospital decided to go on a strike for better salaries. My aunt was the Chief of Nurses. She did not join the strike. I was mortified by her attitude! I remember telling her how important the unity of the population was in a situation like that. I remember saying how bad her decision was. I couldn't even listen to her explanation. Well, I did listened but I didn't agree at the time.
Years go by without talking about this episode and she passes away after confusing a diabetes symptom and taking insulin instead of sugar in 2005. During the grief period I remembered a lot of our conversations, I wanted to write a book about her extraordinary life, filled with emotions I wrote to a Sunday TV news program about her choices and career in the public sector, I wanted to keep her alive in me, somehow.
She had diabetes and had to take a medical leave to take care of her health in 2003. Meanwhile, my father offered her a job - a position of trust - in accounts payable and receivable. She was a nurse and at that time, in the beginning of the internet revolution, she didn't even own a computer.
She took the offer and learned to work on excel and the bank website as a child learns how to hold a pencil and write her name. It was tough but she was up to it. When she finally learned she filed a process at the hospital explaining that she didn't want to keep on receiving her salary because she was working at her brother's company, where she had flexible hours and could spent most of the time seated.
Who does that? Really! I can imagine people donating extra money to charity - actually that was my suggestion - but she didn't think that was the right thing to do.
But let me tell you something: She had her house mortgage to pay and it was not close to the end of it.
Every time I remember this story I get chills.
Of course the story about the strike was on repeat in my head. She told me:
- I can't go on a strike. I just can't. A post office employee can go on a strike and not deliver the mail. People will get angry, people may loose deadlines... but if I go on a strike how am I supposed to tell a patient: "hey, Mr. Silva, don't die now, ok? I'm going to try to get a raise and while I'm not here, do me a favor and don't die." See? I can't do it because my work is keeping people alive, is taking care of people and I will not walk away from doing my job.
I can't wait to meet her again in a spiritual world and hug her, and tell I understand everything she tried to explain me when I was a teenager.
----
When I started reading the One Thing I didn't expect a paradigm breakdown. I'm still in the first part, actually, and it already knocked me in the chin. And I'm loving it! hahahah.
I always bragged myself of being a multi-tasker. This was my thing! I was a problem-solver, no matter what the problem was and I was proud of it.
After reading the first part of this book I can't tell you how ridiculous I feel! It's like looking at a picture of your mom all dressed up with neon clothes and a scissors-sisters hair cut from the 80's.
I was wrong about multi-tasking! It's not good! Thank you, Keller! Thank you!
The multi-tasking paradigm I always love is down.
It's over.
And I love it.
With no paradigms,
Thali.
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