Who is this phenomenal Aries birthday woman? A woman of many virtues and competences.
First let me tell you about her on an emotional level from
my experience of her for the last twenty-five years. What most impresses me
most about Janie is her ability to attune to how people are feeling and offer
compassionate feedback in a non-judgmental manner. She is a quick study on the
power of emotion, effortless translating the complexity of behavior into how to make more loving choices. Her insight-backed revelations, coupled
with an extraordinary sense of dignity, enable anyone seeking her wise counsel
to walk away feeling more motivated, empowered, and infused with positivity.
Even when she is struggling with her own challenges, I never leave a
conversation from her without gaining something. Energetically, she always
deposits into my bank of friendship leaving me feeling like a millionaire.
On a personal level she is one of the most accomplished
artisans I have ever met. Whether she is spinning wool, weaving, beading, or
knitting, she produces exquisite works of art. As a crafting artist she
embodies the best of expression, communication, design and the sublime in her
creations. I marvel at her talents. One of the pieces she gave to me is an
iridescent purple bracelet. Whenever I wear it I feel the energy she put into
it, reminding me how lucky I am to call her my friend.
Ironically, I have never seen Janie speak in a professional
capacity. As a doctorate in education, she is known worldwide as educational
expert, author of nineteen books and countless articles, and an exceptional
speaker on a variety of issues in education. Though I have never heard her
speak, I have manned (or more appropriately womanned) her table at conferences
for her when she spoke at conferences in my city. I have watched numerous
educators come up to her at her table requesting her autograph, gushing how the they were reinvigorated by her inspirational lectures. Janie’s heart and soul goes out to supporting teachers in an era when they are besieged by negative opinions, testing standards, and
high burnout rates. From teachers to policy makers, she touches everyone with her extraordinary commitment to education.
What I know about Janie professionally, besides from our
discussions about her philosophy, is from her books. Just recently I gave her
book, “High School is Not Forever” to a friend’s fourteen year old grandson who
has been having a tough time in his school. Both he and his father were
impressed how practical, timely, and insightful Janie’s book was. Another of Janie’s
books I give out as a gift to my stressed parents (of teenagers) friends is, “Parent’s,
Teens, and Boundaries”. My friends who
have received this book have sworn by its sage advice on how to manage the
teenage years. To me, this is who Janie
is: a woman who hears the needs of parents, children, and educators and
responds by writing classic books on getting to the solutions that revolutionize and humanize.
Happy Birthday, Janie. Thank you for being such a powerful
presence in making our world a better place. I love you.
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