First of all – Look at this photo.
Do you see why I asked this little girl to be best friends in first grade? Is she the cutest thing you ever saw?
Roseanne is my best friend. Lucky me because she is wise and
loving – and she is still adorable!
Oh, and did I mention that she is accomplished? She owned and operated her own beauty salon and now she manages a team in the food distribution industry.
Finally, she is one of my “go-to’s” when I need advice, guidance or a gentle loving shoulder.
One more thing that I have to share: When my daughter Clara was in Children’s Hospital’s Intensive Care and I basically lived for many months at the hospital, the elevator door opened one day and out walked my Bestie, who had moved to Michigan and had driven there with no other plan than to live with us in my daughter’s hospital room and help.
That’s my Roseanne.
Meet her. You’ll want her for your best friend. But, I got to her first.
Fabulous Roseanne
What is your ‘credo,’ your ‘mission’ or a guiding source that drives you in your daily life?
Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.
What book do you wish everyone would read?
Besides the obvious, The Bible. I would say The Choice and The Gift by Edith Eger
What do you hate?
Disappointment
What do you love?
Kindness
What book have you read that has stayed with you and why? The Shack. It gives me hope for a reunion with those I’ve loved, and lost. It fills me with joy to imagine a “life” where time is of no consequence, fear is non existent and beauty, love and happiness is without pain and disappointment. Where God is among us, with us and known by us. I love the possibility.
What movie have you seen that has impacted your life – even now? I am not really one for movies honestly. I have seen very few, so this is a hard question.
What do you love about the life you have led/are living? I love my husband, it has been a fortunate gift to have had a passionate relationship for almost forty years. Now, all that being said, he is not perfect and within our relationship there has been hardship, disappointment and anger that has led to moments where I have contemplated removing myself from him. But whether I am with him, or not, I will still love him. That will never change and that is a gift either way.
What do you wish they taught in school? I wish there were classes on the psychology of life in youth. This would help so many young people understand their feelings are normal and they are not alone and to be aware of what is not normal frankly, so that it can be recognized. Why are we not learning about our emotions in our formative years? It seems so important and yet not deeply investigated. How lovely it would be to have a speaker enter a classroom, possibly a psychologist/therapist who could answer questions or discuss any topic requested. Not just for a one day visit into the classroom but on a regular basis to give our youth tools to handle their ever changing emotions.. Classes on money management and understanding government are important and I feel not taught thoroughly.
What do you want young girls to know? I wish I could tell my younger self that no one is really paying attention to me, not watching my every move or hanging on my every word and to stop worrying about what I did, or said, or looked like because honestly, everyone is worried about themselves. They are not watching or thinking about you because they are deeply involved with themselves. I really believe you have grown up when you recognize most people are so worried about themselves, that they are paying you no mind.
Favorite Book: Impossible to say, but for fiction I recently read Winter Solstice by Rosamund Piltcher and I just loved it. It made the ordinary seem extraordinary. I also was deeply touched by When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Favorite Quote: My friend Julie Morrison is a Pastor and she always said “Change your mind, Change your words, Change your life” I just love that, it is so true, we so often are what we say we are and we say what we think, so changing that cycle is the answer to a better you!
Favorite Podcast: Modern Love and ADA Bible Church sermons.
Favorite Song: Impossible to say, because it changes all the time. But right now I love “Prince of Peace” by Hillsong because it is my prayer song of thanksgiving.
Favorite Musician: Funny, I think it is Elton John. His music has spoken to my life so often.
Source of Inspiration: My best friend, she knows who she is.
Morning or Evening Ritual: I say good morning to the Lord and ask him to let me come along with him today and be a part of whatever he’s got going.
What “gets you through the day” Prayer really. And a cup of tea.
Describe your perfect day: Awaken to a warm sunny morning at the beach. Tea while looking at the ocean, a walk on the sand, searching for shells, a swim in the ocean, a visit from my children who are all happy, lunch with my husband, a book either read or written by me, music, wine, dinner and a sunset beach walk with my husband and a night swim. A cozy bed with a book or instagram labrador retriever page scrolling while listening to the ocean roar and maybe the rain hitting the roof and thanking the Lord for all he’s done and is doing. Sleeping on my husbands shoulder under our electric blanket while he tells me about his day.
Best Vacation you ever went on: Scotland and England. Those countries speak to me, the history and beauty is beyond!
Dream Vacation Spot: Tahiti probably. Or Fiji, or Turks and Caicos.
What do you (in the words of Oprah) know for sure: That I know nothing for sure, that life is full of the unexpected.
Favorite Netflix or TV Series: Right now I love This is US. But Call the midwife was amazing and brought me to tears every single episode! Shitt’s Creek!!
Special Childhood Memory: Every night before bed my dad would come into my room and he would kiss me goodnight on the forehead, then he would make the sign of the cross on my forehead and say God Bless You Roseanne, I love you. And I would say, God bless you daddy, I love you too. And then he would say in Polish: moja droga jacie kocham. Kocham ciebie calem serce. Which means “I love you so my dear I Love you with all my heart.” Until I lost my father I never realized how precious this was, and what it meant to me.
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Finally, Is there anything I haven’t asked that you feel is important to share with someone who is dedicated to living a joyful life?
Just surround yourself with the people that give you joy and fill you up as much as possible and stop giving your time to those that pull you away from happiness.