January - Full
Wolf Moon –Amid the
cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian
villages. Thus, the name for January’s full Moon. Sometimes it was also
referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full
Snow Moon, but most tribes applied that name to the next Moon.
As any mother can imagine, I
think of John at least once every hour of every day. I am happy to say that
after almost 6 years I do not always feel like someone is sitting on my chest
when I think of him…sometimes I actually smile when I remember something he
said or did…and that is the case with this quote that I saw not too long ago on
Pinterest. The quote “Be the kind of person that you want to meet” immediately
made me think of John…because if you could dream up someone you wanted to be
with it was John.
He was so much fun because
he had so many interests and when he spoke about something…he was usually the
most knowledgeable person in the room on the topic. He was so darn witty, good
with words and thought of the most crazy and fun things to do! His girlfriend,
Mary, once told me that the party didn’t start until John showed up. And even
kids who he babysat for still talk about the funny songs and games he could
dream up at the drop of a hat! He was talented musically, but that is a
given…but most of all…he was the best listener on the planet…when you spoke
with him you had 110% of his attention. I used to tell him he should go into TV
and interview people…he would have been so good at it…and he didn’t mind who
you were when he was speaking to you …he was all yours and you couldn’t help
but love the attention. I know this because not only have I been the recipient
of his attention I saw it happen to others, old and young…everyone loved John.
And I think that is why it
was so difficult when he died…no one could believe that he could be taken
away…as is so often in the case of young, vibrant, kids….he had so much life in
him and so much he still could give…it just didn’t seem possible! But that was
because he was “the kind of person you want to meet”…
And that is my message for
this month…try for a day or two to be that kind of person…the kind of person
that when you take your leave of someone they say to themselves…I really like
him/her…the kind of person that when you are in a grocery store or at the pharmacy
and finish your transaction the clerk says…wow, would love to know him/her…you
only have to do one thing well…give others 110% of your attention when you are
with them. It doesn’t cost you a cent to do but I must admit…it is tricky
because we all have a lot on our minds…however, if you try to do it for one
hour every day you will get better at it in time…Maybe giving your family all
our attention at dinner would be a good place to start..it would be good
practice and could be the jumping off point for doing that with others…Can you
imagine any better legacy to leave this planet? To actually be the person
everyone wants to meet!
