Saturday, May 07, 2016
A word about Mom
I'm a lucky guy in many ways, but one of them is to have Phyllis Osler as my mom. She is a remarkable person, and recently I was reflecting on some of the things she gave me:
1) She taught me to be comfortable with smart women, rather than intimidated or bossy. She taught this by example; I grew up with a mom who read constantly, knew about a wide range of issues, and loved to discuss things ranging from theology to science. I learned how to listen to and interact with a smart, confident woman, and in 2016 that is an important thing to know.
2) She taught me to love books. She reads constantly, and talks about what she reads. So many times she has added to what I thought I knew about a book, or recommended something wonderful to read.
3) She taught me, too, how to let things go. It is one of her great traits-- the art of moving on when something goes wrong.
4) She taught me not to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others. I remember once talking about the downfall of a rival, and she was appalled. Once I thought about it, I was too.
5) Like my dad, she has the gift of seeing beauty everywhere, in the smallest or most unlikely spaces. That is a secret to happiness, I think, and balance.
There is more, of course...
