insidewink’s editors monthly “share”
Hello friends,
This month our theme is communication and in this time of seemingly disparate views, challenging confrontations and emotionally charged loyalties what could be more important than true, leveled communication?
Of course it’s important to own and acknowledge all the feelings that come up and it’s not easy keeping cool when we hear things we don’t believe in, but as Kelly Clarkson says “go high”.
Sometimes other people have different opinions, perceptions and values that may not be in alignment with yours. That is an opportunity to pause and really “see” that person. What is the greater truth about them? Are they funny? Highly intelligent? Caring? Can you come to an understanding to work together and not take your beliefs out on each other?
Even when we don’t accept someone’s beliefs or actions or thoughts or values…
we can still treat them respectfully and kindly.
We would love to hear about a time you had a surprisingly positive communication/dialogue with someone you disagreed with. Please let us know in the comments section below… Let’s talk!
Looking ahead, here’s what’s coming up…
Matthew Trebek is our everyday hero this month featuring his philanthropic work feeding New York’s vulnerable community.
Anne Cochran continues her incredibly popular series on getting your student into the right fit college.
We feature Jade Campo as our artist this month.
We also are thrilled to welcome our fitness & wellness guru, Dove Rose.
Helen Keller International is our charity this month!
And, of course, more wonderful recipes and personal stories too.
We hope you have a great March! We’ll talk to you soon.
Much love,
Jean & Alison
By JEAN TREBEK
Jean is a Professional Religious Science Practitioner, Reiki Master and Sound Healer. She grew up on Long Island, NY, and now lives in Los Angeles. She has two wonderful adult children, Matthew and Emily, with her beloved late husband, Alex. Jean enjoys taking long walks, watching movies, and traveling. She is very grateful for her family, friends, Luna (the dog) and good coffee.
By ALISON MARTIN
Alison Martin -- wife, mom, Emmy-award winning actress, writer, chocoholic. Bronx Italian, daughter of Pultizer Prize winning reporters, who also identifies as L.A. Irish. Shout outs: Dan, Em, Brady, pooches - LuLu & Ted, friends, Mother Earth, serendipity, peace, VIPHS, living life like your socks feel real good.
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Sometimes people think about communication as talking with someone and they forget that it also involves listening. I remember speaking with my daughter’s future in-laws for the very first time. I realized her ‘mother in law’ was not listening to my words but basically putting together her response.
Before they arrived to meet me, my daughter and future son-in-law gave me some orders of what I could not talk about. I really tried to honor that. But the minute he and my daughter left the room, his mother said, “ I’m really worried about them, they don’t accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. What are we going to do.?” WOW!
I bit my tongue when they used the n-word, they were from the south after all. I said nothing when they brought up the then black president. But now they were putting me on the spot.
I said simply that our children were adults and that my daughter was raised Catholic until she was 18, when she was given the freedom of choice. I explained that it was a good foundation for me but my path was a little different now. ‘I am a Religious Science Practitioner,” I said. She heard Science and immediately thought Scientology. I told her I thought that when I first heard it too but that was not what it is.
She reminded me that I was bound for hell since that was my path.
He on the other hand asked what it was.
I explained my first service at the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science. I told them how I cried through most of it, since my husband had died 4 months before and the grief was unbearable. But then they said something and I knew I was home. “We bless all churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, ashrams. All paths to God. Knowing all paths lead us to the same God the same Truth.” He said “Wow! That really is something.” She responded that it was all well and good but I didn’t hear anything about claiming Jesus as your Lord and Savior.”
So I responded, “ My God Is so loving and I appreciate your relationship with God. But because my God Is so loving, I can’t imagine anyone of Jewish faith going to hell. Those that suffered during the Holocaust had already been there. My God wouldn’t do that to Its children, created in Its very Image and Likeness.” She started to say ‘but’, and her husband cut her off, saying, “Wow! That’s something to think about.”
I said that any relationship they had with God was Perfect and any relationship our children had was perfect. They both said in unison, “if they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.”
I asked them how their flight from Georgia was and just then, our children came back in the house.