What Speaks to You? : )

I love this commercial for Pier 1 Imports.  In which the products in the store speak to the customers.

This clever sales concept is actually so true!

I posted this today because (as Oprah would say) I had an "Ah-hah" moment that I would like to share.

Today I substituted for an elementary school librarian.

I walked into the library and it was as if the room said,

"Welcome!  I couldn't wait for you to come in for a visit!"

I looked around warmly at all of the children's books on display and on the shelves.  

I noticed, on a pile of books to be returned, a well worn book, 

illustrated by a favorite author and illustrator of mine, Peter Reynolds.
(Who also wrote and illustrated one of my favorite children's books, "The Dot"
A must read if you have not read it already!  : )
Peter H. Reynolds

The teacher's chair was at the front of the large rug.  The rug was soon to be filled with first grade students with legs crossed and hands on their laps listening to me read aloud to them the book the librarian had left behind...with a note that said, I could use a "Robot" voice for one of the characters
(a robot : )
if I chose to.

I thought about my favorite movie with Meg Ryan who plays Kathleen Kelly who owns, "The Shop Around the Corner", a children's bookshop.  She would wear a hat and become, "The Story Lady".  The kids were enthralled as she read, "Boy:  Tales of Childhood", an autobiographical children's novel written by Roald Dahl.  (from Imdb.com)

(From: You've Got Mail)

On the librarian's desk was a bell and a stamp pad with a stamp to put the due dates into the books.  
I was wishing she had left a stack of books to stamp while waiting for the students to arrive.
Just then, a teacher stepped into the room and asked if while I waited, I could help her prepare some materials for an upcoming health event.
I happily accepted....I love to be busy.

As I was preparing the materials, I recalled this event from my past teaching experience.  I had been very involved in this particular health activity, but always felt I was not the best person to promote it.  My heart had not been in it, and therefore I felt bad about it, and about myself.  Afterall, I was teaching this subject...I should be really good at it.

All of a sudden...I had my "Ah-hah" moment.
I thought, "It didn't speak to me!" or maybe it did speak to me, but it was saying, "This subject matter is not your thing."
Some things are obvious, I know for example that I do not want to be a clown at the circus.   But sometimes our career choices can lead us to places where we don't feel like we fit, places we didn't anticipate....we feel unconnected as if we were a clown in the circus.
(Nothing against clowns in the circus-if that is your passion : )
Sometimes, though, we are so invested, and we are not brave enough to say, "This does not speak to me", or "This no longer speaks to me", or "This is speaking to me, but I don't like what it is saying."

Today, as I looked around, I felt so blessed to be in a place in my life where I am finding what speaks to me.
I am getting the courage to say, "Sorry, I wouldn't be good for that job....project....commitment...It just doesn't speak to me."

 I now choose to really pay attention to places and situations, like this morning, in a children's library filled with books with curious students full of questions
that make me say to myself...
"Now we're talking!"

I am listening.  I am really listening.