Haiku Pour Vous

In college, I received an A+++ on a Haiku assignment. I was damn proud of that A+++. After all, how many A+++'s do you see in one lifetime? And I'd never even considered myself a Haiku master. Typically, my writings tend to veer toward the rambling and long-winded side versus the tight, succinct poetic form. (Shocking, I know.)

When I put together my first work portfolio, I included the A+++ Haiku paper. This decision resulted in great entertainment for my husband.

"Do you really think an employer is going to be impressed with an A+++ paper... on HAIKU?"

In my defense, however, I was applying for a job as a writer with Hallmark Cards. Of course they'd be impressed with my ability to wax poetic. (Obviously, Hallmark was not blown away. I made it through to the final cuts, but didn't ultimately land the Kansas City job. That, however, is a different blog post altogether. One that might aptly be titled, "The Darkest Hour" or "Fuck You, World" or something similarly angst-ridden and devastating.)

Throughout the past 22 years, my Haiku grade has become a household symbol of my need to be Right. Or The Best. Or The Smartest. (Insert your own moniker here.)

Some examples?

ME: Mary Claire only missed one on her spelling test.
CHRIS: That's good, but it's definitely not an A+++.

ME: I'm having trouble with this chapter of my book.
CHRIS: Honey, you got an A+++ in 1992. You can do ANYTHING.

ME: Why can't you actually pick up your dirty socks and put them in the hamper?
CHRIS: Well, obviously, it's because I never got an A+++ in Haiku.

You get the point.

So, here's where things get dicey.

I don't want to be Right anymore. It's so damn unattractive.

And what am I if I'm not right?

I'm so much more.

I'm open, authentic, loving. I'm a safe place to land.

I want YOU to be right. I want you to have an A+++.

And that, my friends, is what we call a shift.

So, today, I leave you with this...

Universal love
From an open hand and heart
Is most powerful

XOXO