The Little girl who loved red nail polish
Location: Cleveland Clinic. Floor: Unknown. Roommate: A forlorn little girl my age who told me she could not cry. That was the silliest thing I had ever heard. Turns out her tear ducts were blocked. I was there for an eye operation as well.
We hated the food. I hid the mushy cooked carrots under my mattress to fool the nurses. We hated being cooped up, so I got my new friend to join me in jumping up and down on our beds. When that got old, I ventured down the hall to the playroom.
I was sitting at a little desk making Play-Doh dolls (probably), when I heard a girl screaming. From my vantage point across the hall, I could see a tray full of beautiful red nail polish. I loved nail polish! Just ask my younger brother, whose rear I'd painted with red and pink flowers.
"Hey!" I yelled to the People who were struggling with the girl. "You can do my nails! I won't cry."
And come over to me they did. I saw all the little bottles of red liquid. And needles.
Faster than you can say Oh sh*t, I slid under the desk and hung onto its legs for dear life. The desk was bolted down, which helped to delay the People from extracting me. They got their stupid blood, but this little trauma got stuck in my body. Even now, my deep, tiny veins don't want to cooperate during blood draws. It takes a very skilled phlebotomist to get the job done.
My eye operation went well, except for when I got the notion that the anesthesiologist was a Witch Doctor. And that everyone dressed in green was trying to kill me. Fun times for a four-year-old.
Our experiences shape our perceptions, and that time in the hospital shaped mine in interesting ways. But with awareness, we can change our perceptions if we so choose. It's not always easy, and we may need to try a number of ways to shift. We may need someone who can see what we can't — perhaps an expert observer, guide and coach.
I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite clients, Madeline Wade.
Madeline is a Master Somatic Coach who works with men and women to create the change they want.
She is a keen observer, taking in how you stand, sit, walk, and talk. And through her unique approach, she helps clients reshape and build a body that can hold their passion and purpose.
Madeline and I met years ago at a coaching conference in New Orleans. We hit it off immediately and she hired me to create her very first Web site (we recently redesigned her site). I continue to assist Madeline with honing her message, producing her SomaNews e-newsletter, and other communication projects.
Learn about her life-changing work at MadelineWade.com.
