Answers From Unexpected Sources - Are You Open or Ready?

On this particular day, my Mom earned some real-cool points with me. I was about 12 years old, and every twelve-year-old thinks they know it all when it comes to pop culture. Our favorite radio station - the urban music station - WWRL 1600 on your dial - had a contest going called Name That Tune. The DJ would say two lines of a song, and the contestant had to give the next two lines.

It’s time to play, Name That Tune. We’re taking CALLER # 16.

I raced to the black rotary phone and dialed. A woman answered, “WWRL, you’re the 16th caller. Let me get your contact information before we go live on the air.”

I yelled, “Ma, I got through.”

I sat on Mom’s bed tethered to the black phone and eagerly awaited my turn to shine.

DJ Enoch Hawthorne Gregory: “Christine Harper from Brooklyn, NY, are you READY to play Name that Tune?”

YES. (full of confidence).

DJ Enoch Hawthorne Gregory: “Summertime and the livin' is easy.”

I FROZE.

Standing nearby, Mom said, “The fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high.”

I repeated that line into the phone receiver, doubtful that she would have known. My mind was completely blank.

DJ Enoch Hawthorne Gregory: “Christine Harper from Brooklyn, NY, You just won $100!”

I jumped around and screamed like I had seen winners do on The Price is Right. At twelve years old, $100 is a lot of money.

I was an honor student in school and listened to the radio daily. I thought I knew everything about pop culture and music. That attitude comes with being twelve. But I didn’t recognize the first line from the Gershwin classic Summertime from the musical Porgy & Bess. My Mother did.

You have to be open to learning. You never know exactly where the right information is going to come from. I learned something that day. - Coach Christine Harper

Below find some inspired references about the concept of being open to learning. I hope you’ll get the lesson.

Why We Need to Be Open to Learning New Things | Brittany Chaffee

Learning Something New | Les Brown

About the Author: Coach Christine A. Harper is a certified John C. Maxwell and Powerhouse Motivations Public Speaking Coach. She is the Author and Co-Author of several personal development titles to include her latest digital eBook Presentation Secrets: How to Deliver Powerful Presentations Even if You're Just Starting Out and her Anthology project Women Who Boss Up in Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle. You can learn more about Coach Christine A. Harper here.