A Funny Thing Happened On The Way Through My Life

I have felt many “callings” during my life. The older I get the more “callings” I experience. I really think I have an adult version of A.D.D. because I move from one project/ passion,/calling to another with lightening speed-thus accounting for some sleepless nights because I can’t turn my brain off. At any rate, my latest calling is to teach teens how to have more confidence and self esteem and learn how to deal with peer pressure and hopefully teach them how they can change the way their peers think as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to break the cycle where teens feel so pressured or bullied that they have to commit suicide? Wouldn’t it be nice be break the cycle where teens feel they have no other options but to give in to peer pressure and race a car while under the influence risking their lives and the lives of others? Wouldn’t it be nice to break the cycle where teens feel their life is hopeless because they have been picked on in school because of the way their body looks? Wouldn’t it be nice to break the cycle where teens feel they are unworthy of being treated with respect and succumb or settle for whatever or whoever comes along? YES! YES! YES!!! So, that is my latest calling, to help teens by giving them the tools to deal with all of these issues and more. Where does one start that will give one the biggest audience of teens? Schools, right? I sent a letter over a month ago to our local school board asking permission to approach the schools about doing a presentation to the student body and any class, or club that would be interested. I referred them to my website for information (www.lifestylebylisa.com) on all of the topics I could do presentations on. Long story short, they told me NO. Wanna know why? Because I was a “for profit” organization—even though I told them I would do the presentations for FREE!!! But my website states to “contact me for rates” so they considered me “for profit” and they couldn’t give a “for profit” organization permission to come into the schools. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????? Would they seriously prevent our children from hearing this message for THAT reason? Well, apparently so. Needless to say, I am so frustrated and just a lil bit angry right now at all of the bureaucratic BS that I am about ready to throw my hands up and say “Forget this. Must not have heard correctly when I heard this latest calling!”

But a funny thing happened. Actually several funny things happened. First funny thing: Two days ago I received an email from a friend with a link to a program that is being done in other parts of the country. It is EXACTLY what I want to do when I grow up with my little program. This program was featured on MTV and was called “If You Knew Me”. You can youtube it or I have an episode posted on my facebook wall. It made my calling seem even louder after I watched this. Second funny thing: Today, after I got the phone call from the school board office, my 23 year old daughter sent me a message out of the blue that said “Hey Mom, has anyone told you lately how awesome you are? I love you” Well, after I wiped the tears away I realized it felt as if someone were hugging me and comforting me as if I were the child!!! Third funny thing: Then a client came in our office and started talking about Mother Teresa (again, totally out of the blue and unsolicited). She was telling me about a book she had read about Mother Teresa’s life and how God told her that he needed her help in taking care of the sick and poor. She knew without a doubt that this was her calling. So, she left the safe, secure world of the convent and entered the world of the poor. But it took her two years before she was able to establish a following. Fourth funny thing: Then I read an article about the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. He has been retired from football for 12 years and is training to compete in his second Strikeforce MMA fight---at the age of 48. When asked what he would do if knocked down by a younger, stronger, more nimble opponent in the ring he answered "I do this 'Walker shake,' " he said. "You got to get knocked down many times, shake it off. Life is about ups and downs, and you got to keep standing up."

All of this happened to me in ONE day (with the exception of the first email from a friend): The link to the page that showed my goal for the future. The words of encouragement from my daughter and the strange feeling of being wrapped in someone’s arms as if I were a child in need of comforting. The story of Mother Teresa (not that I am by any stretch of the imagination comparing ME to Mother Teresa, only the trials of bringing your passion to life) leaving the safety and security of the convent for a world unknown, telling me that I have to get uncomfortable in order to make a difference and that the road less traveled is never easy. And Herschel telling me that I gotta keep standing up when I get knocked down. I am still in awe of all of these signals. It proves that there are signs all around us if we learn to recognize them, apply them to what is going on in our lives and not be so blinded by the current circumstances that we don’t reap the benefits from the signs.

I may be a little hard headed sometimes but given the signs have I seen today I have decided to continue with my calling. I may not be able to go into the schools but I will approach Churches, Community Centers, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Private Schools. I will still reach children and there will still be lives to touch. And perhaps that’s the road I was supposed to take anyway. It will take a little longer and might be a little more difficult but I’ll just keep standing up and walking and talking with the belief that the lives I touch are the ones that needed it the most. WOW!!! What a day!!!