"Dear Heart"

In case you may have forgotten, words matter. Move past that ridiculous and violent rhyme of childhood that referenced the obvious pain inflicted by sticks and stones and the falsehood that words would never hurt.

How we refer to someone has impact. This past weekend, I made a run to the "Strip" to purchase some cheese at Penn Mac. There is one cheese server who I hope will wait on me everytime I order my Welsh Cheddar! She is a legend at the Penn Mac cheese counter! What makes her a classic is she calls everyone, "Dear heart." From when she yells your number, it's "dear heart;" after each cheese order its "anything else, dear heart?" It's enough to make me order five different kinds of cheese just to be called "Dear Heart" over and over!

A kind word, a simple gesture that acknowledges the personhood of another is a gift. When I was living in DC and commuting daily on the METRO, I played a game to see how many stressed, hurried, and self-indulged fellow travelers I could get to smile. I would make eye contact and give a little grin. My average was I could usually get 8 out of 10 folks to smile back. Felt good.

What about you? How do you share a little light to brighten the day of another?

Truth is we all need that smile, that human connection, that acknowledgement that someone sees us. Remember in the film, AVATAR, the expression of love was evidenced in the phrase, "I see you." Indeed.

sj;

You Throw Like a Girl

During the glory days of my Little League this tale was re-told often in the family circle. One particular game I was pitching and was throwing quite well. It was marvelous --- my brother was yelling, "Keep throwing smoke!" My Mom was smiling proud, yet contained. A gentleman fan proclaimed, "Wow! That boy can sure pitch!" To which my father stared at the man and exclaimed, "That's no boy, that's my daughter."

Being raised to be fully who I am and as one who has always enjoyed playing and watching sports (NOTE: I may want to clarify the watching when I think of the Pirates recent efforts...sigh...) I was encouraged to play. As I broke the gender-barrier in Little League my parents were encouraging, supportive, and present. When I pitched and would come to the bench at the inning break and my Dad would come to the bench and place his coat around my pitching arm to keep it warm for the next inning. To any Little Leaguer who dreamed of being like the big-league ballplayers that was just the best! Of course, my 9-year-old arm no more needed warmed up then I needed to be chewing a wad of bubble gum and spitting; it's all the image and the dream!

Following the incredible Summer Olympics that was truly the American Women's show, it is a great opportunity to encourage young girls to play sports and to be competitive. Forty years since the passage of TITLE IX, we are beginning to celebrate the athletic accomplishments of women. Yes, we are still only in the early phase because too often we comment on the attractiveness not the athleticism of the female athlete.

I'm not sure the words, "You throw like a girl" are ever spoken as a jeer or jest in this day and age. In light of current female athletic accomplishments, we should be complimenting each other by saying, "You run like a girl!" "You swim like a girl!" "You hit like a girl!" Claim it ladies and teach your children well!

sj;

Got Soap???

The one word that could never be used to describe me would be "prude." My language is also not that of "traditional" clergy speak....although, I do contend that the band of fishermen disciples were probably quite salty and coarse in their language.

Although an occasional curse word may cross my lips and the frequency does increase when at Pittsburgh sporting events, I rarely, if at all, drop the "F Bomb." Yet, I should be wearing a language flack jacket walking around the streets of Pittsburgh. Does anyone know, consider, or use another adjective or verb? Honestly, it seems that is all I hear and I hear it from men and women, children and adults, in anger and in jest. And, the word is a nasty, cutting, harsh word with all those hard consonants it just sounds ugly. This "F Bomb" explosion has worn me thin and I am to the point of asking the offending cusser if she or he knows any other words? Can they try and be creative in their verbal expression and try something different? Or, can they just go with "frig" or "friggin?"

My mother never swore...ever....never....never....nope. In fact, any time a cuss word was uttered one was greeted with "You know better than that." Truth is, I did and I do. Truth is, once you start the swearing it quickly becomes habit.

Following Biblcal counsel before putting the cake of soap in another's mouth, I first need to scrub my own tongue. I know and can do better. Maybe getting my own language in line will rub off on others.....if that happens the next item on my "peeved list" is does anyone use a turn signal anymore????

sj;