In Memory
I had a ridiculous post written. I quoted Chumbawamba (a band from 1997). I was crazy in that post.
I deleted it.
Here’s why. I just found out that a really great woman died.
Her name is Winifred Olds. She had a name that many in Lansing, Michigan (my home town) knew. And I want to tell you why I know her name.
Way back, when I was in fourth grade, I was an awkward, mullet headed, wart fingered little girl. And what I lacked in confidence, I made up for in…well…poor fashion sense.
I wasn’t one of the cool kids.
My safe place was at church. Calvary United Methodist Church on Pennsylvania road in Lansing, Michigan. Want to know why I was safe? Because most everyone at that church was somehow related to me. And, if they weren’t related, they were a bit older and thought my mullet was cute.
My church put on melodramas. The “whoa is me”, “alas”, and “well, I never” type of melodramas. And I loved it. My job? Standing in for my sister Ginger. She missed 78.5% of the rehearsals. I had all of her lines memorized. I may or may not have prayed that she’d miss the performance so that I could be on that little, itty bitty stage.
Winifred Olds directed the play. And she knew her stuff. She was a real, honest to goodness actress. Like. For. Real.
And she said I was a good little actress.
Me.
And when she said that, it made me feel big and small and nervous and proud all at the very same time.
Because I didn’t always feel good at things. And I really loved how it felt to slip into the character and say the bold, brash, crazy, funny things written in the script.
And Winifred said I did it well.
She injected confidence into my life.
And I know I wasn’t the only one to receive her warm encouragement.
I’m so thankful to have had her in my life. Just at a time when I needed encouragement more than anything else.
She had a hand in making me who I am.
How about you? Who had a hand in making you who you are? I love reading what you have to say. Let’s take today to honor those who have helped us along in this life!
