Not Just A

Last week, someone told me I was "just a proofreader" and that was all I would ever be. And those words hurt my feelings ... well, at first they hurt my feelings anyway. But the more I stewed on being hurt, the more I shifted from being hurt to being angry. And believe it or not, sometimes I do my best, most down to the core of my soul thinking when I'm angry. Maybe it's because I don't get angry often ... maybe those deep thoughts are there all the time but they're locked away, waiting for those rare times when I get downright good and pissed off. (Sorry for using the "p" word, but it's really the only one that fits.)

Here's the thing ... the person's "you're just a proofreader and that's all you'll ever be" statement last week has made me think a ton about all the times I've either been told I was "just a" something or, even worse, when I've used those words ... those "just a" words ... to describe myself. And in thinking about those times when I've been defined by others or defined myself according to those "just a" words, something unusual happened ... something kind of cool, I think ... something ... well ... something like this ...

I'm not "just a" mom ... I'm a mom to three successful, intelligent, loving, caring adult children. I'm not "just a mom" ... I'm a mom who raised my kids on my own. I'm not "just a mom" ... I'm a mom who worked my rear off to provide for my kids. I'm not "just a" mom ... I'm a mom who will always be there to listen to my kids no matter what. I'm not "just a" mom ... I'm a mom who would die for my kids if they were in danger. I'm not "just a" mom ... I'm a mom who loves my kiddos more than I love myself.

I'm not "just a" grandmother to my two sweet granddaughters ... I'm their Ghee. I'm not "just a" grandmother ... I'm their Ghee who buys double copies of books so that we can read together on Skype. I'm not "just a" grandmother ... I'm their Ghee who got on an airplane for the first time in 25 years because of them. I'm not "just a" grandmother ... I'm their Ghee who tells them stories and plays princesses with them. I'm not "just a" grandmother ... I'm their Ghee who will always listen anytime they need to talk. I'm not "just a" grandmother ... I'm their Ghee who loves them more than I ever knew I could love anyone.

I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who is loyal and faithful to a fault. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who will be there when everyone else goes away. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend you can call in the middle of the night if you need to talk. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who will hug you simply because you need a hug. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who will listen even when you have nothing to say. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who will cry with you when you're hurting. I'm not "just a" friend ... I'm a friend who loves you just because you're you.

I'm not "just a" lot of other things, too ... I'm not "just a" whole, whole, whole lot of other things, too. I'm not "just a" sister ... I'm not "just a" Christian ... I'm not "just a" speaker ... I'm not "just a" writer ... I'm not "just a" doggie mama ... I'm not "just a" co-worker ... I'm not "just a" neighbor ... I'm not "just a" woman ... I'm not "just a" patient. Oh, and by the way, I'm not "just a" proofreader ... I'm a senior editor, and a really darn good one at that.

Words matter, friends ... they matter so very much. Think before you speak ... care before you talk ... love and don't become the "just a" rain on someone else's parade.

"Four things you can't recover: the stone after it's thrown, the word after it's spoken, the occasion after it's missed, the time after it's gone." --- Deanna Wadsworth