Easily Embarrassed?

If so, don't hang out with me!!!

This past week offered two opportunities for me to see just how different I am from native New Englanders.  Let me say that I've been living in NE for most of my life now and I typically view myself as a New Englander more than anything else.  However, I will never be as reserved as a native-born, puritanical New Englander.  I have just way too much joy for life and no concern at all as to what other people think of me.  Why do I say this?  I experienced two events this week that confirmed this observation.

The first event this week was when one of my favorite a cappella groups, ‘Ball in the House,’ visited my daughter’s private school in Concord.  (They performed in the small school auditorium – an amazing venue for an a cappella group.)  The group gave two consecutive concerts - one to the lower grades (3rd and under) and one to the upper grades (4th - 8th.)  The little kid's concert started at 8:30am - quite early for a 'band.'  The little kids didn't know how to respond to the AMAZING music and the terrific show the band was putting on.  I, however, decided (as usual) that encouraging the entertainers gets everybody ‘into it.’  Thus, I was quite vocal in my positive response to the show.  So much so, that a couple of the extremely up-tight Concord moms got up and moved so they wouldn't be associated with me in any way what-so-ever.  However, during the show, it was evident that the band was engaging me in the concert because it was quite clear that I appreciated their music.  We were having a fabulous time – and the kids started really involving themselves in the music and my response to it!

The second event was the Boston Marathon.  Every year my daughter's Uncle runs the marathon.  Our tradition is to get to the course in Natick an hour or so before my daughter's Uncle runs by.  We cheer on the runners until we have the opportunity to greet Uncle Mike and then we head to John Harvard's in Natick to have lunch and drink beer.  This particular marathon morning Uncle Mike informed us that runners really like cow bells.  So my nephew and I went to the course prepared with the appropriate noise makers.  He just rang his cow bell intently.  I, on the other hand, not only rang my cow bell (new to me this year,) but as in years past yelled and whooped at the marathon participants.  It is AMAZING to see the difference at the 10 mile mark when you scream LOUDLY "Go (insert name here) Go!!!!!" to those with their name displayed on their person. These people, who are looking tired and barely making it, all of a sudden light up and run more energetically.  Many of them gesture and reply as they run by.  It is a little thing for me to do, but for somebody working so hard to do something so special, it makes quite a difference. 

When we were packing to go and I was no longer ringing my bell and yelling, it was almost eerie how quiet it seemed.  It was almost silent by comparison.  I don't know if our 'neighbors' at the race were happier to have me cheering or happier to have the quiet that accompanied my leaving.  Quite frankly, I really don’t care what they thought.  To me, being reserved and watching others live life fully means nothing.  I'd rather be somebody participating, or in this case rooting people on who are participating, than somebody standing on the side-lines worrying about what looks cool or trying to "fit in" to other people’s definition of what is acceptable.  

Where is the fun in that?!!!!!!!