Tall Poppy Wrap-Up, Part One

OK, I have FINALLY gotten the boys out the door (at 6pm) and can now write The Wrap-Up. Just as I suspected: Y'all GET IT! I LOVED reading your comments on each of the lessons. In case you missed them, here are some of the most poignant (or, sometimes, most amusing) of your comments on the first five lessons. I'll post the next five tomorrow:

Tall Poppy Basics:
From Cyndy--Thank you for posting this....because I guess I have been a Tall Poppy a few times too..being weed whacked you say...I enjoy learning from other Tall Poppies like you and the great blogging women I have met....they inspire me to be better...not cynical....
From Denise: It's so wonderful to read about strong, successful, confident women. Those of us who are more along the lines of the Thymus family of plants (low growing ground cover) look up in amazement and awe at our taller, stronger sisters! (I'm thinkin' Denise has come a LONG way in the last two weeks! LOL!)

Lesson One: Confident:
From Michele--...Confidence is the key to so many things and it is a key that every woman should carry on her ring of attributes. The red poppy that is on my site was chosen for a reason. I am proud to have it there on the first day of Poppy lessons. And I am thrilled that you noticed it there. And of course it was there for Amber....and all of my Tall Poppy friends who are kind enough to stop by my site after they have come by here. Now...I have some weed removal to do. Not in my backyard but it is visible from my window. And my Poppy ways won't allow that....

Lesson Two: Observant:
From Pink Sun Drops--I've always wondered if one can be too observant. Now I know! Another thing about being observant is knowing when to keep what you've observed to yourself and when to share it. Most of the time it should be kept to yourself and the observation will be come into play at the appropriate time. Other times you can use it to change a person's view that otherwise might have a very negative outlook on something and they can end up being a support and help to what you've observed instead of a negative force.Heee I thought kj was talking about you fertilizing us but then I realized she was talking about her Mom. It still applies to you as well . Thank you Pink Poppy for these!
From Rockchild--I always try to observant, but mostly to help poor people, my friends and family in need, and listen to myself so I wont make any mistakes in life, but even mistakes can be a good thing if you don't let it get you down, because we are all human!....

Lesson Three: Discerning: (Y'all got on a ROLL on this post--thus, so many "favorites")
From Girl From Florida--... Gossip is such an addictive misery... and the root of many of my failed friendships. Not all the failures were other people's faults, either. I've learned through these years (and the loss of one of my best friends) to keep my mouth shut. Sometimes, I will say things that I mean in absolutely no way to be taken wrong, yet they do. And once someone forms a strong opinion of something you said, it can never be un-said. My mom always lectured me about that. Now I only confide in my husband, my blog, my one best friend I've known for 10+ years. I believe you have to be careful when *only* speaking positive words... when they are so lightly & easily given, they will become less valued and cherished. A fine balance is imperative to maintain, which is why Tall Poppies are so unique and exquisite.
From Elisa--I have a former co-worker friend who cannot wait to IM me the minute he has learned some new tidbit about other colleagues of ours. Inevitably I tell him "Oh, yes, I knew that"He says, "What, and you didn't tell me?!"And then I say, "Now you know that I never tell anyone what YOU tell me either!"
From Mamacita-- I have suffered terrible losses this year because of gossip, and I bow in your general direction in appreciation of your post. And when I saw that you are not only defending Michele but are also pimping my blog for the BoB's, well, let's just say my vision is a little blurry right now. I thank you....
From Isabella--What Mamacita said.I'm checking back here hungrily to review my Tall Poppy lessons. Very inspiring. There are others in the blogosphere in dire need of such lessons but they may be beyond reach....
From Sam--...I love this: "There are MANY successful Weeds. They are miserable--but successful."OH god, do I ever know it! There are a few women at work that I'd just like to smack. But then I try and remember that they are miserable and for me to smack them means I'd be sinking to their level...And that's never a good thing....
From Cooper--...One thing I have learned from weeds and shorts is that they always try to take credit for Tall Poppy ideas. A Tall Poppy can bite her tongue as the truth is usually obvious to everyone but the weed or short; or make sure that no one can "steal" the idea in the first place. I think Tall Poppies are usually very adept at making it clear from the start that they are the brains of the operation, without saying it of course!

Lesson Four: Charitable:
From La Nina--Thanks for reminding me of one of my favorite quotes from Francis Maitland Balfour:"The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity." Very poetic for a scientist.
From MuzikDude (who only PLAYS a Short Poppy online--and only when he feels like it...)--Have I told you that your blog is refreshing? I would have taken the pictures and posted them all over the place. I'm bad that way...I'm a short Poppy.I guess that falls under WWMD? (What Would Muzik Do?)

Lesson Five: Motivated:
From KJ--Can you make number 3 ("Don't wait for anyone to rescue or sustain you.") into a rubber stamp, because I have some friends that I would like to stamp on the forehead with that statement, because they just can't seem to get it.
From Pink Sun Drops--There are tears in my eyes for the sweet comments you had about me. Sometimes it is SO hard, as you put it, to NOT wither under the monotony that CAN BE the lot of a SAHM. Yet when you take pride and joy in what you do and love it for all it is worth and do the best with what you have been given and what you can attain, what a small price to pay for the joy of seeing two well behaved loving, kind, truly good hearted children and one day truly good hearted adults. Tall Poppies of their own.
From Girl From Florida--Ooh! If I can get an autographed book, I promise I will name my human brain I get to dissect later this month after you. How's this: Poppy the brain? Brain Poppy? Tall Brainy Poppy? Pop Brain? TP Brain? Pink Poppy Cerebellum? Dendritic Poppy? hmmm.... must think more on this subject. (GFF: It's a deal....)
From Cecilia--...Early on, I realized that I was not being true to myself by following what my parents had wanted me to become: a medical doctor. After almost 7 years of studying for it, I changed directions and came to Europe to do research which is still what I am doing and what I, in my heart, always wanted to do. It still presents a lot of challenges but I thrive on that and when, in my heart, I feel that certain things are not right for me, I just move on.....not carelessly, mind you, but if I was able to jump from one continent to another and convinced my parents I can do this on my own, then I believe I can make things happen if, in my heart, I truly wanted to. Now, work doesn't feel like work anymore because I found that I what I do is something I truly enjoy and fascinated with. And being fascinated (and in love) with what one does is surmountable to moving mountains because you believe that you can.
From Chana--I SO needed this lesson on motivation. It is so easy as a Mom to try and live up to what everyone else expects of you and not your own expectations. I have had to read this 3 times slowly to absorb it all and I'm sure I'll come back again for a refresher!