🌼 Not Burning Down the House - Tending to Old Memories with Love
Episode #50: Transcript
Hey friends, guess what? This is the Big five oh, the 50th episode of the Om WOW Podcast. We’re in the top 9-13% of all podcasts to make it to this milestone! Thank you so much for helping me get here.
I thought this episode was gonna be a special woo-hoo celebration, but life keeps providing the perfect lessons to share that are more important than a vanity milestone.
An old memory emerged today that I haven't thought about in a long time. Today, when I got back from walking my puppy Jasper, there was an odd burning smell in the house, kind of like an electrical burn or a plastic burn. I have no idea why these specific burn smells are so easily picked up by my nose, but I've always been able to smell them.
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I checked the electrical outlets, surge protectors, the dishwasher... I could not find the smell.I assumed my daughter-in-law was cooking something next door, we have an attached duplex. Nope.I walked around the house a little more, didn't smell it in the breezeway that connects our houses.
I told myself it was probably nothing. So instead, I lit a scented candle and tried to move on with other tasks. But it felt like it was getting hard to breathe. I'm super sensitive to chemical smells and other smells, and I actually started feeling sick.
I interrupted my husband who was working in the next room and asked if he'd help me find the smell. He was kind of irritated and reluctantly got up. Because I smell mystery smells a lot and he usually can't smell them. So I guess he assumed that this was one of those times.
He got up, came into the living room and kitchen, walked around smelling and checking the same things that I did, but he found it. "Oh my God!" he said, "Unplug the water cooler!" It seems that something in the wiring in the back of the water cooler was slowly burning. The entire unit was extremely hot. We quickly flipped the water jug off, and he brought the unit outside.
We realized we could have been just moments away from a house fire. Super duper scary.And also this house that I'm living in, this addition, it's only two years old!
He went back to work in the other room.And as I was airing out the rest of the house, that old song 'Burning Down the House' by Talking Heads started playing in my mind– one of my favorite songs that was playing on the radio back in 1983. And then I had a pang of an old memory pop up. It was extremely clear.
When I was in grade school, I was what they used to call a latchkey kid, meaning when school let out, I walked myself home, used my house key. We'd often wear those on a chain around our neck, under our clothes, and I would be home alone until dinner time.
Well, on this particular day that I was remembering, when I opened the door of the house, it smelled funny, bad, smoky. I timidly walked through the house to find the smell. It smelled funny in the basement, in the hallway, in the bedrooms, the living room. It smelled kind of like a smoky-smell of a fire, but I didn't see smoke or any flames. So I did what any kid would do as we were taught in school.
I called 911 and a firetruck came. Firefighters rushed through the house. Neighbors came outside to watch, and then the details get a little fuzzy, but I assume they called my stepfather and he was pissed. He said he had just cooked some weird maple-bacon that morning after I left for school, and he was pissed at me for being cautious and calling for help.
I was literally just a kid trying to do the right thing. And I did what we were taught to do in school, but he made me feel stupid and ashamed.
I hadn't thought about that in probably 40 years, but it popped up today with this incident. I think it was the look on my husband's face and me thinking he was gonna be mad that I interrupted his work for nothing.
Upon further reflection, I remembered that twice in my 30s, at 2 different jobs, I trusted my nose when I smelled a funky plastic/electrical smell. Both times the buildings were evacuated for our safety! One incident turned out to be faulty electrical wiring and the other was a heating system issue. The fire department was there for both of those and they were serious situations. Interestingly, both times I was the only one who smelled something.
Looking back at all four of these incidents - the childhood one, the two at work, and now this - there's a clear message: trust your gut. Trust your intuition. Even when others can't see, smell, or understand what YOU do. Even when they're irritated, dismissive, or tease or bully you. Even when you're worried about being wrong or looking foolish. Your body knows. Your instincts are there to serve you and protect you.
And I believe this applies to ALL parts of your life. In my opinion, nobody knows what's right or best for YOU other than you. It's important to listen to your own heart, to trust your intuition, and to let your inner self know that you are listening and that you appreciate the wisdom and guidance. When you honor that inner knowing, you're also honoring the younger version of yourself, your “little me” who needed someone to believe in them, support them, and protect them.
The weird thing about how today’s incident brought up that old 911-maple-bacon memory is the contrast between the people involved. The weird thing is My stepfather was a jerk, but my husband is kind, loving, and supportive. But you know what? the subconscious mind connects things in really strange ways.
In gradeschool I was shamed for trusting my instincts where there was a smoky smell but no fire. Then in my 30s, my nose was RIGHT twice, and possibly saved my coworkers. And today, my nose was right again and may have saved us from burning down the house.
Even now as an adult, I don't regret calling 911 all those years ago. I wish I could give little me a hug to tell her how proud I am of her that she stepped up in what appeared to her to be a dangerous situation, and she tried her best to act responsibly.
She actually acted like the adult who should have been there to protect her and keep her safe, in my opinion. She trusted her gut. Well done, little me, well done! As my Nana used to say “better safe than sorry!”
Have you ever had something in your current day life spark an old, oddly related memory? This can be a sign that you're ready to let something go. To heal, a part of you. To show love to your younger self, the love you might have needed back then.
You can use EFT tapping to talk yourself through an old memory and voice the words and the love that would've best supported you back then.
Even if you don't have sad childhood memories popping up, my challenge for you this week is to try to picture your younger self at the age of seven or younger, and say out loud or think the words you'd like her or him to hear. Words of love, gratitude, and support.
And if you have trouble visualizing, pull out a photo album and find a photo of younger you to do this exercise with. Now onto the celebration to help celebrate episode number 50. I'd love it if you'd share a review on your podcast player or leave me a friendly comment below.
Have a fabulous week, my friends!
Meet Our Host: Jennifer Robin O’Keefe
Jennifer Robin serves as a relatable, down-to-earth, REAL Wellness & Success Coach. She’s not a fancy, perfect makeup, airbrushed kind of woman. She’s been told many times, in a variety of environments, that she’s easy to talk to, and makes others feel welcome and comfortable. Her mission in life is both simple and profound: to make others feel worthy.
Professionally, Jennifer holds several wellness certifications including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping, Thought Field Therapy (TFT) Tapping, Reiki, and more. She continuously expands her knowledge in the fields of Qi Gong, Xien Gong, Vibration/Energy Wellness and Natural Health. She also studied extensively with Jack Canfield, and serves as a Certified Canfield Trainer, authorized to teach "The Success Principles."
She’s an active reader and researcher who loves to learn, and one of her biggest joys is teaching and sharing what she’s discovered with others.