The Girl in the Mirror

A good friend gave me a new book for Christmas: Girl in the Mirror, by Nancy Snyderman and Peg Streep. It's a book that explores the connections between mothers and daughters, as well as shedding light on the ways in which our parenting skills must evolve as our daughters do. I have just begun to dig into the book and am already grateful for the powerful reflections it offers. The title itself is a clue as to what can be expected. Who am I? Who is my daughter? What do we each see in ourselves and also in each other? The threads that connect us are vibrant, strong and woven intricately. How we see ourselves as women, and how we viewed ourselves in our own adolescence, are major contributing factors to how well we will navigate these tumultuous and unknown waters of adolescence.

I recall the very early days as a mom: the sense of wonder and responsibility were truly awesome. When I used that term, I did not mean it in the light, culturally trendy sense. The responsibility of parenting a young woman who is checking out her reflection in the mirror of her 'self', is no less awe-filled. I'm looking forward to reading more and to considering how Em will be helping me evolve as we go through this next stage together.

Yes We Can!

I was glued to the television on Inauguration Day, like so many other Americans. Without going into depth about my political opinions, I can say that as a parent, a woman, an American citizen and a person who has always been invested in community and bringing people together...this day brought me a sense of hope and joy. Watching the many who have sacrificed to move us to this point, was almost overwhelming. Witnessing the emotions of so many who wondered if this would ever happen, humbled me.

I do believe there are people who are gifted with an unusual capacity to inspire. Our new president is one of them. I am grateful to be able to be a part of this momentous change and am finding myself pondering how I might become more involved in the larger community. As a mom of teenagers, the "teachable moments" become all the more compelling. I want my children to be active, caring citizens of their world. We are being presented with an opportunity to not only question our own adult role in creating much needed change, but perhaps guide our teenagers in considering their role as well. At a time when they are so often inner-focused and also carry that adolescent sense of immortality, this door being opened is going to allow for a different level of conversation. Not only do I wish for them to "be all they can be", but I dream of them being able to make a true difference, however they choose to define that. I see Barack Obama as a man who believes not only in himself, but in others. That is a lesson we can all learn from.

Stopped Dead In Its Tracks

Do you ever have those days when you realize "I'm not in control as much as I thought I was?!"
Had one of those days on Friday...I was driving the kids home from school, everyone feeling pretty good about it being a long weekend, and suddenly, the relaxed feeling evaporated. My car stopped. Dead in its tracks. This can't be good, I thought. Guess what I spent the weekend doing? Car shopping. So the good news is that car dealers want to make really good deals right now. Bad news is we were not planning on replacing our car just yet. (By the way, we think it was the timing belt that went, which in Volvos can mean sudden death). Here we are, having to face yet another challenge that gets tossed into our path.

While I was allowing myself to wallow in the misery, I got an email from a family friend down in Maryland. Her daughter is in the hospital getting a bone marrow transplant. The procedure went smoothly and now they watch and wait. It was a reality check that stopped me dead in my tracks. We can make just about anything out to be "life or death" in its rating of importance, but when we see what truly is about "life and death", it brings us a much needed jolt of awareness.

So we'll keep shopping around for a good car deal. But more importantly, I'll hug my kids extra hard tonight and keep Amanda in my thoughts and prayers.

Beautiful Pain

Have you ever considered how so many beautiful things in life are also painful? This morning, with the temperatures barely hitting 10 below zero, I drove my kids to school. We are fortunate to have a "countryside commute" which offers me a daily dose of natural beauty. The mountains of Vermont off in the distance, the valleys, the farms...a definite departure from the rest of the driving I do. Today, as we huddled in the various layers of outerwear, hoping the heat would crank up a bit faster, I noticed the most stunning , simple things: the way the smoke was curling up into the frigid air, the layers of glitter sprinkled over the fields, the mist hanging mysteriously over the mountains. It made me pause, and brought to mind some other instances in life that have this double-edged quality: pain partnered with beauty. Childbirth, climbing mountains on a loaded touring bike... you get the idea. The thing that struck me about this morning's arctic experience is that I was reminded that if I can just slow down my mind, and try to be aware, I am given little gifts all the time, even in the midst of what seems to be so painful and uncomfortable. Why, this might even be something for me to keep in mind as I navigate parenting my teens and work at building my business! Stay warm out there...

Deal or No Deal!

Have you ever seen the TV show "Deal or No Deal"? My daughter has tuned in a few times and we are often captivated by the contestant's anxiety and excitement as they try to pick the winning suitcase ( with the million dollars inside). The pressure mounts: Deal or No Deal? the host pushes...and the contestant has to decide whether to take the money and run, or risk it all and "go for it". It seems like in today's craziness, we are all faced with our own "suitcases". Do you stick or do you walk? Do you go out on the limb or do you stay on the well-worn path?

Jobs all over the country are in jeapardy. It seems that no one is immune. In what feels like almost overnight, things have shifted and the temperature out there is uncertain. I am grateful for having had the opportunity to work flexibly and hope to maintain that status, by choice, not as a consequence of the economy. I'm hearing stories from all sorts of professionals that have a common theme: people are fearful and times are uncertain. My focus is on shoring up the various jobs I am fortunate to have. My wellness business is growing. People are still in need of what we have to offer, thankfully, and more are in need of ways to bring in extra income. Now, more than ever, I am glad to be my own "boss". What becomes of this is all up to me.
For more information, contact me at mpieper@nycap.rr.com or check out www.goodtogreatlife.com

Taking Down the Christmas Tree

How many of us procrastinate when it comes to taking down the tree? It's nowhere near as much fun as decorating it! This year, however, I found myself enjoying the tedious task of putting each of the ornaments into their special boxes and spots. How could that be, you ask? Perhaps it's a sign of "the mother of teens" : savouring any moments that allow us to step back in time quietly and reconnect with those early years! It's always so festive and busy when we decorate the tree, and in the quiet of a January Sunday afternoon, I could focus in a different way.
We have a nice tradition in our family in which we buy each of the kids a new ornament each Christmas, and then when they move on to their own lives...they take the ornaments with them! Never will they have an empty tree. Many of these ornaments have stories attached to them, since I enjoy picking them up when we have been on vacation or travelling. One of our current favorites is the "Smart Car", which was a reminder of our big European bike trip in 2007. (The kids fell in love with these adorable European cars.) The process of taking down the tree was so enjoyable, that I need to remind myself to try and savour again next January! Once again, a little treasure found when you least expect it.

Better Late Than Never!

Okay, so who said being able to make time to write every day would be easy? Clearly, if you look at the date of my last blog posting, you may notice that I have been a bit inconsistent. A bit? Well, okay, totally lame! But here I am, back in the saddle and ready to write about life as a mom, wife, business owner, student of life... attempting to make sense of it all. And talk about timing! Since I last wrote, I am now not only officially the shortest in my family ( those teenagers do keep growing don't they!), but my head is swimming with the chaos of our times. Life as we knew it back in 2008, or even 2007, is no more. Not only is the challenge how to make sense of this for ourselves as adults, but then how to communicate in these times with your teens. Check back tomorrow for more... and send in your ideas as well !