Friday, November 17, 2006

Channeling Sally Field

Even though her infamous thank you speech was uttered when I was only 6 years of age, (and even though she's not dead, and even though I'm really not in the practice of channeling spirits, and even though....lol) I have some of that incredulous spirit very alive and well inside me.

At which point does this kind of thinking cross over from humility (which is good) to self-doubt and/or insecurity (which is very, very BAD)? Or worse yet, when does it become that insidious false humility, a front which fishes for compliments from others and stokes a usually already inflated ego? I ask this especially of women, who tend to discount compliments faster than Wal-Mart rolls back prices....including myself.

I'm sitting on an honor...so to speak.

And, I did the Sally Field thing with The Boss this morning - when she told me that I was going to get a letter telling me I'd been selected for the 2006 Individual Recognition Award from the Affordable Housing Coalition of Larimer County.

That's the, "You're our Person of the Year," from a group of peers and colleagues with varying degrees of power and prestige - but mostly, this group of people has HEART like ya'll wouldn't believe, so it's truly an HONOR.

Dorky me: "Nuh-uh....REALLY?!"

I've never been nominated for anything before, well, save for the holiday party committee at work that NO ONE wanted to be on - I was absent from that meeting! Point being, I've never been an "in the spotlight" kind of girl...or popular, really. Just the get it done, go to girl who isn't known for her charisma or vitality. Kind of like a hardworking, slightly more cheerful Eeyore. No nominations = no fancy awards. Ever.

The Boss: "Yes. Congratulations! This is huge - recognition for all the hours you put in above and beyond the call of duty."

Dumb me: "For what? The Homeless Count?" Duh Red, you may as well have been Jane Doe Homemaker and just said, "Oh, that little old thing?"

The Boss: "Yes." Unspoken, what are you, high?? :)

You-like-me-you-really-like-me Me: "Wow....I don't know what to say, I mean - I've told you there are things I would have done differently, a lot differently."

The Boss: "That is exactly why they're waiting until December to do the presentation of the award and the luncheon! Think about it, you just say "thank you" and you take it, you don't try to downplay it, b/c you will get criticism enough in life, but this?!? You say thanks and you take it while you're getting it. And that's all. there. is. to. it."

I'm so glad for the big sisterly side of The Boss. Which is why her quirks don't bother me so much - b/c she is a lot like a big sister - well, what I always imagined a big sister would be like...but that's another post.

The award is likely to be little more than a framed piece of paper, but it means a lot to me. If you recall, I had to convince even the agencies who would benefit from the project to participate. Which is timely today, because to quote myself from Larry James' comments section:

As much as the letter, and other NIMBY critics, lights my fire, really, all
they do is inspire me to keep educating and advocating. Sometimes it does fall on deaf ears, but just thinking about the potential power of if what I have to
say might actually change someone's view....But then...I'm known as the one City
employee who invites her critics to join citizen commissions, empowering them to
do more than complain...lol.


This award says that my words about the homeless and near homeless didn't fall on deaf ears - and that makes me glad-hearted. I feel that is what God has put me on this earth to do, and hearing validation from other people with similar goals just bolsters me all the more. God wants us to live in loving community with Him and with each other; each step I can take to realizing that for Him and my neighbors, is one step closer to Him.

And...step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
Peace and grace be with you all............

4 comments:

  1. Wow, that really is an honor!
    You deserve it after the work you've put in.

    I agree with what the Boss Lady said!

    Hey...does this seem like the very first step toward a political career to anyone else?! ;)

    Think about it Red.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations! I say take it with honor and don't apologize EVER for anything. That sort of confidence makes people nervous and turns you into a leader. We need more of you out there. (Though it doesn't make me nervous. I'm older than you by a few years and I'm six foot 1. It takes a large fat man wielding a knife to get me perspiring. Why large and fat? I don't know. Am I channeling Santa on a drunken binge? Hmmm. Shutting up. Not apologizing... just shutting. Up. Now.)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations. It sounds like you truly deserve it, so enjoy the spotlight for a bit! That's wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You crack me up. Good job on the award.

    ReplyDelete