Tin Cottage Journal

Tin Cottage Journal
Showing posts with label mentoring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mentoring. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 09, 2020

BECOMING by Michelle Obama


BecomingBecoming by Michelle Obama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Becoming, by Michelle Obama, is not a dramatic revelation of a heroic, sacrifcial servant of humanity, nor is it a fantasy about a SuperWoman none of us could hope to imitate.

Becoming is the confession of an ordinary woman, blessed in extraordinary ways, who year by year, month by month, day by day faced the same struggles most women face - balancing home and work and a spouse whose demanding career and lofty purpose competed with both their vision for their family and their mutually supportive relationship as a couple.

Becoming, is the confessions of a bossy little girl who grew up in a loving family who insisted on the best she could perform and fought to protect her from poor academic situations.

She absorbed her parents' commitment to each other and their children in good times and bad, rich or poor, in sickness and in health, as her model of what a marriage must be, what her future marriage must Become.

Becoming, is the confession of a Harvard-educated woman whose husband's extremely high intelligence and tendency to lose himself in deepest thought concerning the well being of America and all humankind left her a bit ashamed of commenting on her novel or People magazine.

Day by day, choice by choice, Michelle charts her path, preparing for the challenges she faces and learning how to handle the unanticipated.

Her choice to focus on healthy eating and exercise was her response to a threat to her own children's health due to the pressures of living on the campaign trail. What I thought had been a long term discipline was a new part of what Michelle was Becoming.

Believing every child... every woman can Become what their gifts and experiences have prepared them to be, having the strength to choose for themselves and the grace grow without condemnation is Michelle's desire for everyone. Working to give them opportunities, support and education to Become is Michelle's passion.

Michelle frequently shares events and thoughts that do not cast her in the best light, details that could have easily been left out to allow her image the greatest shine. I found myself saying, "But Michelle...." then realized her honesty is a refusal to hide that, like you or me, she's an ordinary woman who thinks, "What about me?" like I sometimes do. She's not perfect, but her heart is right, and like me and you, she is still Becoming.

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Does it take a village?

It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach UsIt Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us by Hillary Rodham Clinton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Considering I spent years in the Conservative community, where people who never read this book joked about and condemned it, I had never bothered to read "It Takes a Village" qin the 90s. It's been on my "to read" pile a few years now, and I decided if there was ever a time to read it, that time had come.

Regardless how one feels about Hillary's ambition or political tactics, this book is worthy of being judged on its own merit. It offers plenty of wisdom for every time and place in human society.

At it's simplest, this is a pleasantly nostalgic read, exploring the general sense of safety most Caucasian, middle class families felt in the 50s and 60s. Penny candy, walking to the park to play until the street lights came on, the values instilled in church and school, the strong sense of community, community pride and patriotism, and so much more.

Though African American families faced tougher challenges, I have long heard those who grew up or raised a family during that time also reminisce about the pleasures of walking to the corner store, playing outside without fear of impending danger, and how family, friends and neighbors all kept a watchful eye on everyone's kids, intervening as needed, affirming and mentoring, and telling your Mama if your escapades were of a dangerous or ill intentioned nature.

Hillary addresses, within the context of her pleasant or fearful memories, how different our society is today: how long work hours increase family instability and undermine marriages, the importance of monogamy in creating a safe environment in which to nurture a child, and how when families fall apart, the undergirding of our entire society is torn asunder.

She speaks of how our sense of alienation, fear of strangers, and inability to feel safe anywhere, limits our involvement in community, cooperative service projects, and ability to raise children to be free, run and play, or even go to the corner store without a sense of forboding.

She reminds of things we took for granted, such as good schools, public pools & playgrounds, safe streets, and neighborhood policemen who knew your family and were our mentors, protectors and  friends. Libraries were free, most school supplies were provided, we had recess twice a day, participated in public performances, created art & explored many types of physical activities to increase our health and fitness.

She explores how extremist political policies have robbed us of most of these ingredients of creating cultured people, fostering compassion, patriotism and developing skills to express ourselves as needed to be active participants in our careers and the national dialog.

By condemning the safeguards and opportunities that made these things possible, by calling it "government interferance" and "communism," we have allowed private business to take over these privileges and have ceded our American inheritance to corporations who monopolize our resources and hold them for ransom at unaffordable prices.

Though "Mayberry" was never a complete reality, its spirit did exist in communities who fostered its sustaining values for many generations. In the name of "free market," we've sold our birthright as Americans to preserve community rooted in our shared strengths, wisdom and contributions. We now sacrifice our mutually owned public amenities to private control. Public libraries, school systems and public utilites are becoming increasingly owned or controlled by private interests. Guardians and transmitters of classic literature, art, history and the 3 RS have become purveyors of pop culture, mythological versions of history, and expensive tutoring with the sole intention of gaining profit, whether or not they successfully perform or deliver the promised goods and services.

The Hillary who wrote this book in no way resembles the person the conservative right presents as a murderer and a dictator who will ruin our lives.This Hillary is a person of commitment, humility and a desire to serve.  Whatever the sum total of Hillary Clinton may be, the foundational building blocks of a healthy society offered in "It Takes a Village " are generally agreed upon by most Americans.  Only suspicion and political programming keep us from exercising our rights and reclaiming our personal and common birthright from those we allowed to defraud us of it.

I'm taking my time with this book, so I have no idea when I will finish it. I'm sipping it like a fresh cup of coffee. It's a pleasure to read.