"Little Boy" by Martin Johansson, Malmo, Sweden
There were a few incidents last year, when I in response to invitations where I expressed my vision for something got in response a stream of comments of the kind:
“Oh, Johanna, you are so kind…”
“Sweet Johanna,… ”
“Thank you Johanna, that is so nice of you….”
I guess, being seen as nice, sweet and kind is really good – and I am absolutely sure that all comments were sincere and well meant. However, it mobilized a different feeling in me. “Jävlar anamma” would be the Swedish expression. When searching for a good translation/explanation of the expression I found:
1) There is book called “Power Language – the book with “jävlar anamma” (“Makt Språk – boken med jävlar anamma!“) by Lars och Martin Melin
2) Boden Fortress Radio Bunker (Swedish: Radiobunkern i Boden) is a communications bunker, part of Boden Fortress, outside the city of Boden, Norrbotten, in northern Sweden. It was used for the first radio broadcast in Swedish history. […] At 15:00 local time on 12 July 1921,[6] the first radio broadcast in Swedish history was sent from the bunker.[3] Radio commissioner Axel Jenner conducted this historic broadcast, with the Swedish king Gustav V listening some 35 km away in Luleå.[2] Due to a misunderstanding between Jenner and his radio telegrapher, the first words uttered in the broadcast were “jävlar anamma”, a Swedish profanity in the style of “damn” or “darn”, literally meaning “embrace the devils”.
This week was the last of two weeks having a Swedish high school student for an internship in the Herringbone office. Read about her experience in the Herringbone blog – bone up! I am not sure what in our conversation led up to her statement: “You are a fighter.”
This week I also went through stuff from the office of my prior job of 8 years, and found the photo in this post that I used to have on my wall. I guess it was the fighter in me that was inspired by this piece of art called “Little boy” by Swedish artist Martin Johansson.
I think there is a fighter in all of us. Sometimes it is more present and visible than other times. Many of us let the fighter sleep. If need be, the fighter can be mobilized instantly. If well taken care of, the fighter turns more into a flow of force. More like an intentional way of being based on an embraced inner knowing. Still – a little bit of edge is always good and some “skin on the nose”, as we say in Swedish. So…
Here’s for some jävlar anamma – not to a fight, but to the fighter in you – for what you believe in.
With love,
Johanna
Loving Life Blog 
Johanna,
you are on the right track again;-)
Remember also that a lot of people are binary, which is wrong if it is all the time. It’s much smarter to be “Both and” instead of only “or”. E.g. you can be both nice and a fighter.
Good night!
Yes, and I think you can be both “nice” and a “fighter” AND much more. Not diminishing or trying to get the first out of the system. Just increasing the volume of some other qualities. 😉
Reading this, and knowing you, I am reminded of my daughter. She has always been “nice”, “kind”, “sweet”, etc. My wife was worried about her, until the day she and her sister were playing. They were taking turns at an activity, and her sister snuck around and took a second tern before she took hers.
We thought she was going to cry, or complain, or just put up with the injustice. Know what she did?
She hauled off and slugged her sister. Then she took her missing turn.
She, like you, is “nice”, “kind”, “sweet”, and all that. She, like you, is also a fighter. She, as I assume you, would just rather choose her battles.
So… “hauled off and slugged…” = calmly corrected? Yes – I think there is no reason to worry Gene. She’ll be fine!
And yes, there are many situations I step back from – but when I don’t, I don’t. 🙂
AND – GREAT to hear from you! Third reconnection in one day from Golden Triangle Toastmasters – must be something going on…
Give my regards to all the rest! 🙂