Shari Della Penna
  • Home
  • About
    • My family
    • My work
    • My favorites
    • FAQ's
  • Contact
  • Blog

"Small acts of kindness can change and humanise our world."
   Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks 1948-2020
   ​Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, 1991-2020
                         Author, Advocate, Advisor

Habits, Good and Bad

5/17/2016

4 Comments

 
​And Sister nibbled her nails.           
Nibble, nibble, nibble, nibble.
Before she knew it, she had nibbled them down to nubbins.
 
                             from The Berenstain Bears and the Bad Habit
                                                   by Stan and Jan Berenstain
       I notice other people’s nails, probably because I was a nail-biter. I don’t know why I did it. I was embarrassed about my hands even when I was really little.         
       My mom worked as a hand model after she graduated high school. She worked for the local newspaper advertisers. She wore rings and bracelets and held handbags. Yes, that was a real job.
       Mom may not have noticed other people’s nails, but she was pretty tuned in to mine. Sitting on my hands didn’t work to stop my nail biting. Neither did the bad tasting stuff that she painted on like nail polish. Neither did the raised eyebrows, winks or finger-pointing. That’s how habits work. They happen without thinking about it.
       Somewhere, a long time ago, I read that if you do something for three weeks, it will become a habit. I tried it by making my bed.  It worked! Now I make my bed every morning. I brush my teeth. I clean the cat boxes. I don’t need to plan to do those things or set aside a particular time. They just get done.
       I don’t know why I don’t bite my nails any more. Some years ago I noticed my nails were not nubby or ragged. I bought nail polish!
       My habits serve me well. I can save my brain cells for thinking up new ideas for my blog, discovering recipes to try, working on my picture book manuscripts and solving the word jumble in the newspaper.  
       But sometimes I go through my whole day on auto-pilot and get to evening asking myself, “What did I do all day?”
       Walt Whitman, one of my favorite writers only wrote one book, Leaves of Grass. But he revised it and edited it and re-published it for the rest of his life. He explains his philosophy in a group of loosely related poems. One of my favorite quotations from “Song of Myself” goes like this:
 
    “You must habit yourself to the dazzle of the light and of every                                  moment of your life.”
 
        So while I enjoy my habits, I also pay attention to the minutia of my life. I look for details in news stories. I have been known to count the spots on the ladybugs in my garden. I know how many miles it is from my house to each of my daughters’ houses and which exits have the best coffee.
       And I know that real life is searching for the balance between being on auto-pilot and being absorbed in the details. I'm always looking for that sweet, middle ground.
 
                                                                   --stay curious!

4 Comments
Rabbi Saul
5/17/2016 11:47:10 am

You are truly excellent in spotting details - I've noticed that as well! Nice posting!

Reply
Shari Della Penna link
5/17/2016 04:19:10 pm

Thanks for the encouragement!

Reply
Paulette
5/17/2016 07:00:53 pm

I love you, Berry!

Reply
Shari DellaPenna link
5/17/2016 09:12:33 pm

I love you, too!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

         I'm a children's writer and poet intent on observing the world and nurturing those I find in my small space .

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly