{"id":1448,"date":"2011-05-25T21:23:55","date_gmt":"2011-05-25T21:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/?p=1448"},"modified":"2011-05-25T21:28:38","modified_gmt":"2011-05-25T21:28:38","slug":"did-you-get-the-memo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/2011\/05\/25\/did-you-get-the-memo\/","title":{"rendered":"Did You Get The Memo?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The readers of this blog have been doing something I wasn\u2019t expecting.<\/p>\n

But as I have discovered on this journey, the most meaningful things come unplanned; the most powerful things come unexpectedly.<\/p>\n

This is YOUR story\u2026<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago I learned that my blog was brought up during a business meeting.<\/p>\n

Apparently someone mentioned being overwhelmed by commitments, communication overload, and the inability to enjoy their family time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave any of you read Hands Free Mama<\/em>?\u201d One of my readers asked the group.<\/p>\n

When they shook their heads no, she immediately went to a computer and pulled up the blog entry entitled, \u201cDear Distracted Dad<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

She printed it, copied it, and distributed it to the curious group.<\/p>\n

Once everyone read the entry, she said, \u201cNow let me tell you my story.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is what she said:<\/p>\n

When my son asked me to go on his field trip, I had no intention of taking an entire day off to spend thirteen hours on a field trip.\u00a0But he was very persistent, and I finally gave in. This post, \u201cDear Distracted Dad,\u201d deeply resonated with me when I initially read it. I saw myself in him! So I knew what I had to do.\u00a0I took the day off, told my assistant not to call me unless it was a real emergency, and left my phone in the car for the entire day.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

My son quickly realized that I didn't have my Blackberry. \u00a0He commented that he couldn't believe I wasn't on my phone, and then he actually thanked me.\u00a0That is when I realized how critical it was that I went on this trip and more importantly, that I truly spent the day with HIM.<\/em><\/p>\n

This person did not have to share her story with the group, but she did. Why? Because the simple act of putting away her phone for the day made a profound impact on her child. And once you feel the powerful connection created by being Hands Free, you want others to feel it, too.<\/p>\n

When you cross over into the joy that is Hands Free, you want others to come with you. It happens to me every day. And it\u2019s happening to you.<\/p>\n

A day later, I received this message from a reader:<\/p>\n

I was driving home from my mom's house the other day when I saw a beautiful little girl jumping on a trampoline in her back yard. She had the most beautiful curly blonde hair. I had to stop my car for a few moments just to watch her. She was in complete bliss – bouncing up and down on her trampoline with her curls just flying wildly. It made me happy to see that much “pure” happiness in her.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

I was hoping that her mother was standing in her kitchen\u2026 looking out the window at her lovely, happy child in the backyard.<\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n

Just in case she wasn't\u2026 I pulled around to the front of the house and left one of my business cards tucked under the “flag” on her mailbox. I wrote <\/em>handsfreemama.com<\/em><\/a> on the back in big red letters.<\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n

I hope the next time I drive past their house that I see both of them jumping on the trampoline.<\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n

This reader did not have to leave my website address on that mailbox, but she did. Why? Because her eyes have been opened to the beauty found in the simple, every day moments, like pure elation on a child\u2019s face. And she realizes these moments must be savored before they are gone, never be retrieved again. And once that realization happens to you, you want others to have it, too.<\/p>\n

When you cross over into the joy that is Hands Free, you want others to come with you. It happens to me every day. And it\u2019s happening to you.<\/p>\n

One of my readers tried to describe the Hands Free concept to her retired father, but she could only cry. Through her tears, she said, “Could you imagine what it would mean if we could really live like this?”<\/p>\n

Her father\u2019s profound, yet disturbing, response was this: \u201cYour generation has reached a true crossroads in the Information Age. The pace of progress has dismembered us as humans. \u00a0Our ability to connect with people is withering. \u00a0We long for this calm presence of mind that we must willfully work to get.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

When I initially read his comment, I was speechless. I felt overwhelming sadness and despair. I couldn\u2019t take my eyes off the word \u201cdismembered.\u201d<\/p>\n

Helpless thoughts filled my head and weighed heavy on my heart. We have lost control of our lives; it is too late for us. \u00a0The warp speed pace we keep, our tightly packed schedules, and our obsession with technology is the norm now; we are too far-gone to come back.<\/p>\n

But then like a tiny beacon of hope, I thought of the woman who passed out my blog entry at the business meeting. I thought of the woman who left my website address on the mailbox. I thought of the way my inbox fills with messages like, \u201cPlease keep writing!\u201d and \u201cThank you for changing my life. Someday my children will thank you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that is when I realized there is hope for our generation and hope for the children of our generation.<\/p>\n

Being Hands Free is not just what I<\/em><\/strong> want. Others are longing to hear this message, too. And once they do, they hold on to it just long enough to feel its impact, and then they graciously pass it on to someone else.<\/p>\n

In your hands, the message to grasp what really matters<\/em> is multiplied\u2026<\/p>\n

If you have ever clicked the \u201cshare\u201d button,<\/p>\n

If you have ever forwarded one of my posts via email,<\/p>\n

If you have ever posted my website on your Facebook page,<\/p>\n

If you have ever written about Hands Free Mama<\/em> on your own blog,<\/p>\n

If you have ever “tweeted” one of my posts via Twitter,<\/p>\n

If you have ever told someone to check out my website, you are the reason\u2026<\/p>\n

You are the reason that a child was the focus of dinner conversation instead of the screen of a Blackberry.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

You are the reason that a child was tucked into bed with a story and \u201cTalk Time<\/a><\/em>\u201d instead of being rushed away.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

You are the reason that someone talked to her child in the car instead of talking on the phone. <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

You are the reason a family drew closer<\/a>, a couple reconnected<\/a>, a grandparent was listened to<\/a><\/em>, and a <\/em>mail carrier was blessed. <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

You are the reason that instead of continuing to be dismembered, fractured, incomplete, distracted, unfocused, and disconnected, someone is starting to become peacefully whole.<\/em><\/p>\n

Like me, you have discovered the joy found in living Hands Free is too good to keep to yourself. Like me, you want to live in a world where grasping what matters<\/em> is more important than holding tightly to perfection, distraction, and the insignificant.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t expect to have so much company on my journey to go Hands Free. But now, I can\u2019t imagine walking this path alone.<\/p>\n

In your hands, this message has a chance to alter life as we know it.<\/p>\n

And I see something peaceful, something real, something stunningly beautiful just upon the horizon.<\/p>\n

And I know you see it, too.<\/p>\n

****************************************<\/p>\n

Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner. Make it a weekend worth remembering! \u00a0Choose <\/em><\/strong>one idea from this list of Hands Free tactics<\/a> and do it this weekend. Now spread the love of The Hands Free Revolution by clicking the “share” button below and let someone else know about the joy found in living a Hands Free life!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The life-changing possibilities of these two actions are endless. What a gift you hold in your hands. Thank you for being a part of the <\/em>The Hands Free Revolution!<\/a> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The readers of this blog have been doing something I wasn\u2019t expecting. But as I have discovered on this journey, the most meaningful things come unplanned; the most powerful things come unexpectedly. This is YOUR story\u2026 A few weeks ago I learned that my blog was brought up during a business meeting. Apparently someone mentioned […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,55],"tags":[14,295,296,10,47,297,48,99,1521,11,59],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/DSC_0022-e1303832809676.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1fUJF-nm","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1448"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1448"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1448\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1448"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1448"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.handsfreemama.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1448"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}