We boomers have known many relationships in our time. There are relationships with family, co workers, neighbors, partners, business associates, health care professionals and even those that we meet on Face book and other social media sites. Then we have a spiritual relationship and even a relationship with our very own being. Relationships are different. People are different. Relationships can be complicated, rewarding, stressful, pleasant, positive or negative. Bottom line; healthy relationships are necessary in order to feel good, know peace and be successful in our everyday living regardless of circumstances outside of ourselves.
This is a difficult subject for me to write about because I spent many years in unhealthy relationships so I am no expert on the topic, but I do have wisdom. With that wisdom, I am in a continuing process of living, laughing, loving and learning. Today I choose to have healthy relationships. The four L’s are very important as I try to balance my physical, mental, spiritual and emotional self. It takes work but the work is necessary to our overall health and well being. With that said, I would like to share a wonderful experience that I have had with Robert Fowler the owner of Retirement Media. I have never met Robert nor his beautiful wife MA but I think of them as close friends that have given me more than they will ever know. It is time to say thank you and share some of my own personal secrets with him and you, my friends. This is how I learned to develop an online working, positive, rewarding relationship with a person that is totally different from me,a person that I have never met. This is the story and how it brought joy into my life. Robert, alka Mr. Fowler, this is HOW YOU AND MA INSPIRED MY LIFE by giving me the opportunity to practice building a healthy working relationship on line in today’s world! My reward has been great online friends that helped me with my PURPOSE, by living, laughing, loving and learning as we shared our thoughts, feelings and stories.
It began in November of 2010 as I commented on a post on Retirement Media Face Book where I was looking around dreaming of a retirement home on 55communityguide.com. Up popped this Dude, yes I say Dude, named Robert. Dude is what I have called him a number of times whether HE liked it or not. lol I disagreed with something he said about social security on his site. Well, I was right, so being my usual, let’s get this right self, I commented. So this Dude Robert, thanked me. Yes, he thanked me instead of getting angry. 🙂 Then he even asked me to help him on the site since I had been a consistent commenter. “Sure”, I thought to myself. My mind took off with it’s distrusting self, for you see, I had had some bad experiences before in my earlier years of life on line. The committees in the mind said, “What’s HE wanting? Who is this ____? Now does HE, Robert, really think that I am DUMB enough to believe that he owns this place? Why would HE, Robert, need my help since HE is smart and I am not THAT educated? Hec, I can’t write. I am not even computer smart. It must be a stalker. The Dude, doesn’t even have a pic of his face on this Retirement Media Face book.” Wow what a trip those committees of the mind took me on since I had not even one little bit of trust left after my negative experience of relationship building on line from years long ago. Now keep in mind friends that I am writing this for the first time and Robert has no idea that I had all those thoughts. The truth will set you free, I always say… 🙂
To make a long story short, I meditated for a couple of days then agreed. “Why not? Robert appeared sincere and willing to teach me,” I thought to myself. “Teach me? You got to be kidding,” the mind jumped out in full blown negative mode again. 🙁 So our relationship began. I learned Face booking, tweet twittering, blogging, and google golining. He, Robert, continued to show respect, kindness, concern, patience, caring while I did everything possible to ruffle his feathers. 🙂 I wrote on his face book site about making chicken and dumplings, my sonic toothbrush and even napping. Now when I wrote about the importance of a good nap for health I forgot to include the link. Did Robert get mad or belittle me? NO, he did not! He just came back with that calm manner and wrote, “Ann, I need the link because I want to learn more about napping.” Then there was the time when he had a problem seeing at night while driving so I filled him in on glare proof glasses. Yes, I did. Did he get mad? No! Then the blogging started. I could write, but I didn’t know anything about blogging so I just let him know up front, “Robert, I am NOT linking, making pictures and YOU have to edit. Did he get mad? NO! Instead he welcomed the chance for us to work with each other as we both learned. Then I challenged him to a blog, which was, in my opinion, the best one ever! He shared his experience about a humorous fishing trip with MA. I found myself ROFL. It was great! I could always visualize MA sitting quietly in the background, with her sweet smile, shaking her head but being supportive of Robert’s new adventure with working with Working Boomer.
Now on a more serious note, MA and Robert touched my heart. They were there with me in spirit as I rode in the ambulance for my emergency heart surgery. Robert gave me my first and only birthday party on Retirement Media Face book. He sent me books through the mail for my reading and learning pleasure, not knowing that it was my first time to receive gifts in the mail. He and MA were there at Christmas time on line and they made my Christmas with a gift from their hearts which brought tears to my eyes as I cried with gratitude. I spent that Christmas alone but I had my dear friends MA and Robert Fowler in my heart. He gave me the opportunity to learn, laugh, live and experience the feeling of love for friends that I had not even met. Robert gave me the opportunity to write and express myself by finding my voice. Most important of all Robert and MA helped me build confidence and a healthy relationship with friends like you. Robert gave me the opportunity to express my gratitude for senior centers and resource for senior apartments, low income housing, and beautiful pictures to view on his sites. I put no human being on a pedestal but I can express my gratitude for the laughter, love, and learning that this work relationship brought to me.
So friends, as you continue your journey in life always remember to live, love, laugh and learn while you can. Working Boomer will be retiring the name Working Boomer but she will always remember her experience and be grateful for the friends that she has met on line through Retirement Media. She might stop into Boomer Places now and then to share a story and say, HOWDY FRIENDS..
Thank you Robert Fowler as you continue to spread the love and experiences that you have to share during the rest of your Baby Boomer years. Much love, joy, success and peace to all of you as you continue building healthy relationships in your journey of life. Always remember to face life with your head held high, be proud of who you are and never pass up a chance to live, love, laugh and learn. Peace be with you all, my dear on line friends.
Originally posted 2012-06-20 20:35:55.
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Wholesome relationships are essential to be able to feel great, fully understand peacefulness and become effective within our daily life no matter situations beyond ourselves.
That’s a lovely story. There was value, appreciation and respect for each other in your relationship. The two of you faced every challenge from the same side in order to build this relationship. Both of you never gave up on each other, and that is why you can be able to tell others how it worked out well for both of you.