Mary Poppins’ Top Ten En-light-ening Qualifications

Had you ever seen how Mary Poppins (MP) is fully realized? Enlightened Nanny, she transforms every childhood into a happy one, permitting a whole family to enjoy a life of laughter, light, and love. While Picasso remarked: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow,” Maha Poppins would like to project onto your screen the top ten qualifications required to grow your heARTist into love…

1. Compassionate

In the very beginning of the movie, MP goes over her qualifications as a nanny with Mr. Banks: “I am never cross or cruel. I am kind and extremely firm…” Can you imagine never losing your temper, because you would have learned to say ‘no’ when needed, in a loving way?

2. Perfectly Practical

MP’s business ethics are irreproachable: from the get go, she is “very clear on wages” with Mr. Banks, and announces she will take every other Tuesdays off. Later on in the nursery, she measures the [spiritual] height of the children: Michael is suspicious, Jane undisciplined, and MP is “Practically Perfect in every way!“ Can you dream of measuring up to the integrity that joins perfection and practicality?

3. Wise

” Never judge things by their appearance,” MP replies to the children as they are astounded by the magical depth of MP’s bag, from which she extracts a plant, a lamp, a hat stand. Where did you settle for less, and limited your imagination of what is possible?

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4. Creative

Here is MP’s recipe to greatly ease any job, from tidying the nursery to writing a business plan: “find the fun, and snap! The job’s a game! Now ev’ry task you undertake becomes a piece of cake… A lark! A spree! It's very clear to see... That a... Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” Only echoed by Bert’s heART: “Chem. chemini, chem., chemini, chem., chem. cheroo. I do what I like and like what I do…” And if all else fails, when did you last utter some magical word, and trusted the power of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”?

5. Content

Now tidying the nursery was so much fun, Michael did not want to stop, until MP reminded him: “Enough is as good as a feast!” a lesson some of us still need to learn, especially in holiday time!

6. Courage

Have an Inspiration? Whether painted with chalk on the pavement, or engraved in your heART, "close your eyes and jump!" What act of courage will you do today?

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7. Abundant

And if, when coming back from a lovely country outing, you realize that all you had painted is gone, mercilessly washed out by the rain, remember that “there’s more where that came from!” Can you consistently see the glass is half full?

8. Laughter Light

Who can forget the visit to Uncle Albert, who laughed so hard he flew to the ceiling? Can you take yourself more lightly today?

9. Innocent

MP plays games, all sorts… She sings songs, and give treats… She is kind, witty and sweet… Even when the tip of her nose is blackened, she is pure candor, true innocence. Remember when the dancing sweeps leave the Banks' house, Mr. Banks, outraged, asks MP for an explanation... “Let me make something perfectly clear” she responds, “I never explain anything!” Can you once not justify yourself?

10. Free

Wind has changed and now MP exits the scene. “Don’t you care?” asked her umbrella-parrot? True to her own Self, she replies: “Practically Perfect people never permit sentiments to muddle their thinking!” Can you let go of negative emotions, and remain unfettered?

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