Today I am resting from my travels and adventures of yesterday. I feel as if I am really getting old if I have to rest (2 naps) because I pushed myself hard the day before...but my body demanded the naps and I complied...there is nothing more pampering than a long winter's nap.
I had a very successful and insightful day yesterday. I met people, learned some new things, and thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
So first I met with the social worker who is in a public health and human services position. What an opportunity to have met and spoken with her. She is intelligent and compassionate. She practices social work throughout her state and meets one on one with people who voice opposition to the public policies to gain understanding of their reasons. She gave me some good advice. She told me that I should work on a PhD, but to take my time. She took 9 years to earn hers and said that once she was in her program she began to have the connections necessary to do the work that she wants to do. So basically the doors open just from being in the program...not from having the degree. She asked me for my CV and asked me to consider working in the state capitol for one of her divisions...too bad its 2 hours away.
I checked in with my professor who is helping me with my research and she is cautiously optimistic that the results are truly significant. We need to run a few more statistical tests to check reliability and validity, and gather some demographic stats for comparison. She was getting excited though. She said once we get this checked out we have to get this information out there...and then quickly checked her enthusiasm and said not to rush into conclusions. So we are meeting again in 2 weeks to run all of those tests.
Then I drove 2 more hours and did the presentation on the connection between stress and disease...stressing to the participants the importance of interpreting unhealthy coping habits (food, alcohol, tobacco, etc.) as the person's attempt to treat themself. It was really well received. There were about 12 people there, all had questions, their faces were engaged throughout the presentation...and it was about 2.5 hours of learning. They loved Brene Brown's video, The Power of Vulnerability...none had seen her before. I felt privileged to introduce her to other social workers and encouraged them to check out her other TED talks. A Quaker Friend attended and asked me to meet with him...that he has additional information that will make this a stronger program. He suggested we collaborate on an article...I surprised him by telling him that I'd already submitted a manuscript on this subject, but told him that if it is rejected I would love to collaborate to improve it for resubmission.
While I was at both the first stop and the second I spoke with the public official and one of my professors about my upcoming presentation and they both asked for an abstract so that I can do the presentation at events that they plan. Who knows...this may be my springboard to speaking out against child abuse and prevention of it.
I have spent my day...when I was awake...filled with gratitude for being alive and having the opportunities that I do. I talked with my students about being open to inspiration and having the courage to pursue what seems like a curiosity that they observe...that this is how breakthroughs in science occur. We talked about recurring patterns in nature and the world...that intracellular structures are analogous to the body's organs and they are analogous to many of the machines and structures we've engineered...oftentimes engineered prior to visualizing and understanding the way that the body works...how the proteins mechanics work...I talked about collective consciousness and accessing wisdom that is available to all who seek it...and perhaps this is how we can explain "discoveries"...perhaps it's more about tapping into that universal wisdom. I think I freak them out a bit...I asked them if they meditate...I explained that when you shut off the brain chatter and just listen spontaneous ideas sometimes come into your brain...that's inspiration...that's the Ah-Ha moment that happen in great discoveries. But that takes letting go and trusting the unknown...not easy for anyone, but especially not for science majors. I sat in my car letting it warm up and just looked around me...it was barely snowing and you know how little the flakes are when it's 11 degrees...tiny little bits of snow...they were sparkeling as the fell...it was magical. I sat there mesmerized for a bit of time and just enjoying the show...and then reluctantly reentered the real world.
So now I have to figure out what's for dinner, so I will say good evening.
Love and Light,
Maggie
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