Big Green Pen

Paula's Perspicacity

  • Home
  • About Me
You are here: Home / Reflections / Needing to be Elsewhere

January 21, 2018

Needing to be Elsewhere

Sometimes, we have an overwhelming desire to be somewhere else or our life circumstances make it impossible to stay where we are. This week, three organizations/people addressed that need in ways that deserved more than a quick social media share. Therefore, I have chosen to highlight them today.

A Randy Pausch Quote

Every issue of SmartBrief ends with a quote. The featured quote  in many of the January 19 issues came from Randy Pausch.

Being elsewhere

What this quote has to do with “being elsewhere”:

The first time my husband heard “The Last Lecture,” he said “you’ve got to listen to this.” That was a good call. I wouldn’t go on to decide to leave the job I had held for well over a decade for seven more years, but Randy Pausch planted the seed. I listened to the lecture online, bought DVDs of it to share with friends, purchased the book.

As a person who has hesitated far too often to ask “why?” “how?” and “why not?” for fear of being told “no,” “that’s stupid,” or “who exactly do you think you are?,” Randy Pausch’s lecture reminded me that being reluctant to ask the hard and adventurous questions only hurts me and leads to someone else getting to go on the thrilling adventure.

(I also realized while re-watching the video today that Randy is wearing a Disney nametag and (I think) an Imagineering shirt. Now that I have seen the Disney experience as the parent of a participant in the Disney College Program, I love that touch.)

Watch it here. It will be an hour well-spent.

(If you don’t have more than an hour to watch the video, there’s a great ten-minute version here, the last one Randy delivered before his death in 2008.)

Princess Pigtails’ Diary

My friend Shannon recently served as a foster parent for the first time. The Tampa Bay Times published Princess Pigtails’ diary: the first 97 days of a foster mom and the little girl in her care on January 19.

Being elsewhere

Photo Credit: Katie Reeves/KT Creative

What this story has to do with “being elsewhere”:

“Princess Pigtails (PP)” was three when placed into Shannon’s care as a foster child, and almost four when she was placed back with her biological grandmother. Because I have been so absent from working out at the fitness student Shannon owns, I never met PP, but I felt like I knew her through the stories Shannon shared on social media (many of which comprise the Tampa Bay piece).

For her own protection, PP needed to “be elsewhere,” at least temporarily. As you’ll see from the story, our state’s laws, system and philosophy about what is best for foster children are imperfect at best. The placement may have been temporary, but PP made a permanent difference on many hearts (and I believe the experience may lead to positive changes for other children in foster care). Thank you, Shannon, for taking the risk to love this child even though it split your heart open when she moved on, and thank you PP for being a gift to so many of us.

Editor’s Note: Click here for a Tallahassee Democrat account of Shannon’s time with Princess Pigtails and foster care in general. 

Steve Schale’s Ode to Shitholes

My friend Steve Schale published Ode to Shitholes on January 13. Following the President’s apparent reference to countries including Africa as being “shitholes,” this is the best rebuttal I have read. Being elsewhere

What this post has to do with “being elsewhere”:

The people who are “elsewhere” (elsewhere from the United States, or from elsewhere and living in the United States but on the verge of being forcibly returned to “elsewhere”) often deal with the life inequities that come with what Steve (and many others) refer to as “the birth draw.”

I am so grateful to have spent time in Guatemala and El Salvador (that’s Guatemala City in the image I shared). It wasn’t long enough (two weeks in total) and it didn’t go deep enough (although I am grateful to have gone, for sure!). Both times, because I was traveling with Unbound, we were treated as royalty (literally …… flower-petal paths, extravagant (for the area) meals, and deference). They were beautiful, educational trips, but we didn’t deserve the deference — if anyone did, it was the people who work so hard to support their families in the face of indescribable difficulties, violence and educational deficits.

What can you do this week to find your own “elsewhere” (if that’s what you need) or to help another person whose “elsewhere” has become untenable? 

Paula Kiger
Paula Kiger

Wife of one, Mom of two, Friend of many. My pronouns are she/her/hers.

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: Foster Care, Guatemala, Imagineering, Randy Pausch, Shannon Colavecchio, Smartbrief, Steve Schale, Tallahassee Democrat, Tampa Bay Times, Travel, Unbound, Walt Disney World

Previous Post: « Five Minute Friday: INTENTIONAL
Next Post: Five Minute Friday: SURRENDER »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carla says

    January 22, 2018 at 11:02 am

    Oh that notion of the birth draw. With my daughter adopted from Guatemala I’ve given that one so much brainpower the past 365 days b

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger says

      January 22, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      Yes, I can imagine. It is easy to get frustrated when people oppose the fact that the “birth draw” is a thing, but ………. it’s a teachable moment rather than one to be judgmental about. And it’s arrogant to think my two weeks in Central America gave me comprehensive, brilliant insight. All I know is that without having seen it myself, there’s only so much books, blogs, videos, pictures and even the stories told by people who came here from there could have explained. If that makes sense. Sigh.

      Reply
  2. Rena McDaniel says

    January 22, 2018 at 1:26 pm

    I took in my great-niece when she was 4 days old and kept her until she was six when she was able to go back to her parents. It was hard giving her back, but we knew that it was what was best for her. If at all possible. We still love her dearly and she spends every Christmas and summer with us. I know it’s different, but the feelings were the same.

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger (@biggreenpen) says

      January 23, 2018 at 9:13 pm

      Thanks so much for sharing this, Rena. I can only imagine how much depth that early experience with her gave your relationship.

      Reply
  3. Alana says

    January 22, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    The idea of the birth draw is a powerful one for me, having grown up among Holocaust survivors and others who found refuge in our country.

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger (@biggreenpen) says

      January 23, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      I am sure that all gave you incredible perspective, Alana. There’s so much complexity around the topic of immigration and countries of origin lately — compassion is lacking in many ways.

      Reply
  4. Lesley says

    January 27, 2018 at 8:47 am

    Thanks for sharing these insights, Paula! The Randy Pausch lecture sounds interesting- I’d like to make time to watch that at some point- and I liked Steve Schale’s quote too!

    Reply
    • Paula Kiger says

      January 27, 2018 at 9:52 am

      Randy Pausch did a masterful job of inspiring while injecting humor and self-deprecation. I hope you take the time. And I agree re: Steve’s quote. Thanks for visiting.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Need Help Finding Something?

Let’s Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Paula Kiger

Subscribe to Big Green Pen!

Sign up to get every new post delivered right to your inbox!


 

FYI

Find Your Influence

Copyright © 2023 Paula Kiger · Maintained By AGW Knapper