“This Sanskrit word referring to a spoken word or phrase comes from a word for ‘to think’.” It was the Final Jeopardy clue on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. The category was Word Origins. Only barely familiar with Sanskrit, I focused incorrectly on the last part — ‘to think’ — attempting to engage my five years of high school French. Penser? Je pense? Nous penserons? I was certain that “pens” was the root of the correct answer.
Love your article.... Not sure that I have a specific mantra.... If I do then it comes from memory of a 10 year old in his 1st year in Little League Baseball. I remember the 1st game we played actually as a team, and I was placed in right field.. where I misjudged a fly ball and made a crucial error.. My coach then placed me at 2nd base in the 2nd inning.. where I booted a ground ball and made my 2nd error of the game.. To my surprise my coach did not give up on me and placed me next inning as catcher... where I remained for 10 years with various teams...and actually was pretty good.. I remember a lot of about that game.... I remember especially that my coach never yelled at me nor criticized me.. At the end of the year after I had played catcher for several games.. My coach came up to me and said.... You are an outstanding catcher... But "sometimes you have to make several errors before you can find out what your gifts are...".. So that mantra stayed with me and remained with me throughout my years in youth ministry always expecting each youth to find his or her gifts... even after errors.
How special to know someone like Jen! Appreciated this very much, Courtney. Our experiences are the product of our expectations. And from one former French student to another, this made me laugh out loud: "while je was still pensing, she got it right..."
One of my favorite poems!
Love your article.... Not sure that I have a specific mantra.... If I do then it comes from memory of a 10 year old in his 1st year in Little League Baseball. I remember the 1st game we played actually as a team, and I was placed in right field.. where I misjudged a fly ball and made a crucial error.. My coach then placed me at 2nd base in the 2nd inning.. where I booted a ground ball and made my 2nd error of the game.. To my surprise my coach did not give up on me and placed me next inning as catcher... where I remained for 10 years with various teams...and actually was pretty good.. I remember a lot of about that game.... I remember especially that my coach never yelled at me nor criticized me.. At the end of the year after I had played catcher for several games.. My coach came up to me and said.... You are an outstanding catcher... But "sometimes you have to make several errors before you can find out what your gifts are...".. So that mantra stayed with me and remained with me throughout my years in youth ministry always expecting each youth to find his or her gifts... even after errors.
How special to know someone like Jen! Appreciated this very much, Courtney. Our experiences are the product of our expectations. And from one former French student to another, this made me laugh out loud: "while je was still pensing, she got it right..."
Jen has a way of leading us through the best and worst of things even years later. Thank you for this today!! Much love, magic friend!