A couple Friday’s ago I was told that my mom wouldn’t make it through the night.  She coded and quit breathing due to a severe asthma attack.  My husband and I rushed to the hospital making the 5 1/2 hour trip.  We sat on pins and needles waiting through the night.

The next afternoon my mom’s friend, Kathy arrived.  Kathy is an ICU nurse at a neighboring hospital and walked us through the medical procedure and what we could expect.  I felt a sense of comfort and hope almost immediately.  It  was nice to talk with someone as we waited and waited and waited for an update from the doctor

The waiting was forever. I mean forever.  And as we were waiting, Kathy pulled from her purse a bunch of green bananas and offered me, my dad, and my sisters one.

“Why the hell would I want a green banana?” I said to myself.

Little did I know green bananas have long been associated with hope, a promise and belief that you will be able to enjoy and eat those bananas at a time, place, and moment in the future.   That one green banana I held in my hand represented a promise, a belief, and a hope that my mom would wake up and be just fine.

It worked.

I’ve been thinking a lot about green bananas these last couple weeks as my mom begins on the road to recovey, and how I’ve lived my life.   Most importantly, think about your role influence in the green banana life of others.  Generational Y who are entering the professional workforce and my daughter come to mind when I think of those who live their lives with green bananas.  These young adults are full of joy, life, hope, promise, and a little naive.  This is also a likely reason why Gen Y’s are more likely entrepreneurs.  They don’t know what they don’t know.  As for my daughter, she continues to brighten my life every single day.

Green bananas have more fun.

Don’t Lose Your Green Bananas

The opposite of green bananas are cynics, habitually negative and jaded in life as well as business.  I believe it’s imperative to surround yourself with dreamers and green banana believers to push and drive others to achieve the goals and dreams of your team and those you work, live, and learn with.  So thank you, Kathy.  Thanks for putting me and my family at ease.  But even more importantly, thank you for the green bananas.