Peggy Polonus aka Margaret Polonus, and most memorably, Margarita La Senorita Bonita y Muy Humilde (meaning very humble). I hale from Pennsylvania but live in Georgia and though many “up jonder” know Peggy is short for Margaret, most everyone I meet here asks what all of us Margarets/Peggys also ask: “Why”? We ask because we don’t know. (Do you?)
But what’s in a name? Who am I, Really?
Like you, I am multidimensional. I am a wearer of many hats, literally. I have quite a few stored in boxes, stacked on shelves, and hung on walls in my closet. Sometime I’ll post a few. I wear my literal hats one at a time. Figuratively, I wear a few a day, often stacked one on top of the other, as you surely do at times.
HAT #1 Christian
First of all, a person who looks at the future with great hope and expectation. I have a Christian worldview. This may elicit, “So long” from you. Well, I hope we meet again. Come back once in a while. You’re always welcome.
If you’re like me, you know you don’t know everything and are curious and welcome thought-provoking discussions. I’m not an expert, but have been a born-again Christian and student of the Bible for a long time. I have a lot to learn yet myself.
And while I am very happy to be a Christian, and hope that many more will make that decision, I know it is a personal matter and it’s God who works in hearts and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. If He is knocking on the door of your heart, open it up. Just saying.
HAT #2 Educator
Loving congruence as I do, I am happy to say that my education supports my interests: Helping people face the obstacles that they have whether it’s in learning something new or in presenting their ideas to other people in ways they can be best understood.
HAT #3 Encourager
My passions are helping people see that they have a purpose in being here and that they can fulfill that purpose, and in helping them see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
HAT #4 Person with Disabilities
One thing I will say without reservation is I am an expert in is managing challenges and obstacles. I contracted polio as a wee one, resulting in using a plethora of appliances from braces and crutches to walkers to manual and power wheelchairs.for most of my life. I’ve spent a good deal of time in hospitals and outpatient clinics due to injuries and surgeries. But it’s okay. Life is a great adventure.
Just 10 years ago or so I was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. If polio hadn’t always been so obvious , I may have learned that I had ADHD much earlier in life and may have gotten guidance in this area. That late revelation answered a lot of questions, clearing up my self-perception,and increasing my self-esteem which had suffered much when I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t living up to expectations that others and I had for myself.
HAT #5 International Advocate
These two disabilities also developed in me an advocate’s heart. Getting through grad school was a miracle since I seemed to major more on activism than my time allowed. Though I’ve cut back on my efforts for the sake of balance in my life, I still seek to educate people without disabilities (often referred to as TABs~ Temporarily Able-Bodied People). As an organizer of a city-wide disability group, I learned strategies to overcoming obstacles that I never thought of before. And sometimes creative solutions were discovered through brainstorming sessions with group members.
Being in a university town, I meet people from all over the world, and learned from many that certain relatives with mobility disabilities never left their homes because of poor access in their communities. These reports came from Brazil, Malaysia, and Taiwan, to name just a few. With the concerns many nations and people have with merely surviving, I imagine there will be few changes in making the world a more accessible place, yet there’s always that chance.
HAT #6 Social Butterfly/Hostess with the Mostest
I remember a song I learned in scouts that has been my mantra for life: “Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.” Scripture says that if you want friends, you’ve got to be friendly. It works for me. My life is enriched and brightened by most every encounter I have. A day without contact is a day without sunshine.
Beyond that, I am a “the glass is half full” kind of person. I like to think I bring something to the table, even when the main course is frequently provided by someone else. I aim to surprise and delight with fresh and healthy concoctions, so I specialize in appetizers and desserts. Hey, there is some wisdom in “Life is short; eat dessert first.”
Come and dine! No dress code, but hats do jazz thing up a bit.
Peggy Polonus, Independent TriVita Business Owner 13873775