You don’t have to attend
every argument you’re invited to.
— Anonymous —

I recently encountered the rudest, most hateful woman I’ve ever had to spend time with. While there is some connection through our children knowing each other, I had never met her—and now I wish I never had. I bring this up because it just happened, and I’m still baffled. But more importantly, October is the month we fully embrace the mantra: #FightLikeAGirl.

If you want to fight like a girl, make up a bed with my mother. I guarantee you will lose. I also guarantee that if you can make a bed to her standards, you won’t have a bit of trouble in boot camp—or with anything else you set out to do. Even her older sister, who was very particular, wouldn’t make a bed with her.

Mom is 95 years old, so needless to say, she has no option but to be old-school. But I have to admit, I like some of her old-school exactitude, and making a bed to perfection is one of them.

You may delay, but time will not.
— Benjamin Franklin —

IYou run into a friend you haven’t seen in a while at the grocery store. You’ve known each other for years and talk for nearly 15 minutes in the produce section without missing a beat. The brief conversation feels good, familiar. Both of you have been so busy, you’ve just lost touch. When you part, you both say, “Let’s get lunch soon.” Which is answered with affirmative enthusiasm, “I’ll call you!” You both have full intentions to make it happen, but it never does.

How often have we all lived out this scenario? How many friendship moments are we missing because we let opportunities like these slip by the wayside? I’ll tell you a story that happened to me recently.

I was walking into Lowe’s when I noticed a nice-looking, well-put-together, older woman—probably mid-70s— getting out of her car. I said hello while instinctively looking at her beautiful luxury car. I noticed her license plate—the letters were FAQ followed by three numbers. It wasn’t a vanity plate, just standard issue. I said, “Your license plate—frequently asked questions!” It took her a second to comprehend what I was saying, but she got it.

“Except no one asks me any questions anymore,” she said.

"The lesson is don’t confuse living out 'loud',
with just being ‘loud,’"
— Elizabeth Skenes Millen —

I believe those who live the “loudest” are not “loud” at all; the most impactful people are those who are kind, humble, loving, giving and understanding, even when others are not kind, humble, loving, giving or understanding to them. Do you get how mentally strong and secure one has to be to do this? How much grit and grace it takes for restraint? Especially in this pitiful day and age when throwing the middle finger up, or yelling obscenities, is the norm.