Creating Events of the Heart was quite an evolving process. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was EOH.
In one of Pamela and my early experiments, very early we decided that in exploring all things heart, we wanted to know and understand what it was that turned people’s heart’s on. So after much thought we decided to take a cross-country trip and pose that question. We called it the Heart On Tour. You can imagine with a New York accent how this sounded in the middle of the country. Some people asked, “Is this about sex?”
We decided to document the trip.Well I borrowed my nice Erica’s video camera but had no experience using one.Let’s just say the early film resembled The Blair Witch Project.
But there was a point where it all fell into place probably around Moab Utah. And by the end of the trip we learned a lot about what turned people’s heart’s on including our on. So I want to take the opportunity when I blog now to report back to you what’s turning my heart on these days and encourage you to write back to me and tell my about you Heart On’s. And because I’m now a hip blogger I will refer to it as HO.
For two weeks this month the Tokyo contingent as I call them my son Josh, daughter-in-law Lenore and my two granddaughters Pavi who’s 5 ½ and Gigi nearly 3 spent two weeks in New York. OMG!Heaven! It was a total oxytocin high. The girls call me Nonna (which is Italian for Grandma) It was either Bubbie or Nonna and Nonna won. Everyday they were in New York was a wonderful day. With your children you are so busy getting on with your life (and I was very busy) I didn’t stop enough. Ah but with the girls myfocus was them. I could just tune into the divine duo and experience all their curiosity and humor and connect to their very active minds. I saw Mary Poppins through the wonder in Pavi’s eyes. HO! I navigatws the dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History with two rambunctious girls running in different directions my aerobics for the day. HO!Experienced The magic of snow in Central Park.We lunched at the Shake Shack. The burgers are too die and Iactually ate the bun!HO! And delighted in their complete obsession with Habebe. Poor Habebe. He is such a wonderful gentleman.
I know he breathed a sigh of relief when they left. Gigi informed me that she was no longer a baby but was now a “big kid”.And if all of this deliciousness with the girls wasn’t enough both of my daughter-in- laws informed me that they are pregnant. OyVey HO! Lenore and Josh with a third. And Elizabeth who lives in LA and often assists EOH when we do projects there, and Zach are having their first baby. Pamela our resident psychic feels two boys are coming. My cup runneth over. This is what turns my Heart On!
Once again last week I found myself glued to the TV watching the aftermath of a catastrophic event. Every reporter from Haiti said it was the worst disaster they had ever seen. The destruction was beyond comprehension.
For me the greatest heartbreak was for the most vulnerable, the children. Those faces whose huge shocked eyes were either injured or joining the ranks of thousands of orphans. How do they ever heal this horrific blow to their lives?
Because of war, or natural disasters or just the myriad economic, psychological and sociological stress of contemporary life, childhood for legions of children is not a happy healthy, nurturing time. Research from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that the more adversity in early life - abuse, neglect, poverty, and other stressors can later lead to physical diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity, stroke.
In the US, the fact that childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions and that more then 1/3 of children between 12 and 19 are in danger of having high cholesterol is outrageous.
We have been saying for a long time Heart Disease is not and "Old Man's Disease." I never thought I would think of it beginning in childhood. If not for ourselves for our children we need to wake up. My mantra these days is "heart disease is 80% preventable."
So this month when I see my granddaughters for Valentines Day and they want to go to McDonald's I'll suggest the Salad Bar
It's nearly 2010 and I've just become comfortable writing 2009 on my checks.
When I was antsy as a little girl feeling things were going just too slow, my grandmother always said wait you'll see that time is flying (she said it with a Yiddish accent.)
Now that I'm a grandmother myself I say the same thing (only mine is with a New York accent.)
This was one wild and crazy year. It reminded me of dream I once had where I was going against traffic on the freeway but I was able to navigate. So what looked like the wrong way was actually the right way.
In that vein this is my top 10.
10. It took me a year (last year's Chanukah present) to use my kindle but now I'm hooked.
9. Even though some say after 50 you should cut your hair shorter (and I did) I'm happier and look better with mine at near shoulder length.
8. Even though it sucks to change dollars into Euros, traveling in Sicily is divine and you can find bargains!
7. For years I dismissed Florida as too muggy but now when the temperature drops in New York I bless Miami as my winter Mecca! (Gold wedgies included)
6. Forget big dinners it's eating the small delish plates with lots of tastes.from places like Salumeria Rosi and Tabla for me.
5. Tan Towels the best golden self tanner when I finally am turning a greenish color from being indoors at my computer too long.
4. Having friends and acquaintances tell me seeing an Events of the Heart performance has changed their perception of women and heart disease.
3. Sephora when I'm low and need a shopping fix. The infinite choices of lipstick and blush satisfy my make-up addiction.
2. Central Park There is nothing like it. When the city becomes a fast moving concrete congested grind, a walk through the park changes the atmosphere of my mood.
1. Skyping my granddaughters in Tokyo so I can see their punims while they ride scooters around their kitchen!
I've been attending or creating gatherings of women for years. My first was in 1973. I think it was in the premier issue of Ms after reading an article titled, "I Want A Wife" that a light bulb went off. Of course we all want a wife! Who better to take care of everything.
My friend Susan and I were just beginning to look at the women's movement. So we decided bring a group together. We invited about 30, a conglomeration of our mothers, sisters and friends and created and invitation which read "Who's Afraid of Women's Lib?"
What innocents we were. In the privacy and safety of Susan's living room we talked, and talked and talked our hearts our about the expectations of us in our roles as mothers and wives and how some of that was confining we wanted change. We we only beginning to dream about what we wanted to accomplish or how we were afraid to take the chance. Gloria Steinem then as now brought an eloquence and clarity and humor to the continued conversation about the raising consciousness of women. It was an opportunity to explore many options.
Over the years the titles of the groups or workshops or conferences began to change. Especially the titles, the words women and power were used in the same sentence. And now in 2009, Events of the Heart is invited to perform and be a presence at the Los Angeles Women's Conference called architects of change. With Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwartznegger as hosts with 25,000 women as participants it is my uber full circle moment . Women then as now still want to get together and talk their hearts out.
Carole!
I cannot believe you were at the Night at the Village!!!!! I was there and didn't notice your event on the schedule!!! OY!!! And, I was just writing about you and one of the conferences you organized for a book I'm doing. I'll lways treasure the time we spent together working on the National Council for Children and Television -- a lifetime ago --- you've always been one of my biggest inspirations.
Hope to see you soon -- congratulations -- you are fearless in shining your light.
I adore you...
xxx,
Sher
www.RockYourLifeCoaching.com
P.S. Did you see the Elle piece?
