The obituary of Mary A. "Pink" Mullaney

I discovered inspiration in a strange place tonight: An obituary of a woman I never knew. I happened to click on a friend's Facebook post, and the story of Mary A. "Pink" Mullaney reminded me that our lives are fleeting and our opportunities brief to leave something of worth in this world. I hope you enjoy the tale of "Pink's" life and that it inspires us to point our lives toward impacting people in a positive way as she did.

If you're about to throw away an old pair of pantyhose, stop. Consider: Mary Agnes Mullaney (you probably knew her as "Pink") who entered eternal life on Sunday, September 1, 2013. Her spirit is carried on by her six children, 17 grandchildren, three surviving siblings in New "Joisey", and an extended family of relations and friends from every walk of life. We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Pink during her 85 years, among them: Never throw away old pantyhose. Use the old ones to tie gutters, child-proof cabinets, tie toilet flappers, or hang Christmas ornaments.

Also: If a possum takes up residence in your shed, grab a barbecue brush to coax him out. If he doesn't leave, brush him for twenty minutes and let him stay.

Let a dog (or two or three) share your bed. Say the rosary while you walk them.

Go to church with a chicken sandwich in your purse. Cry at the consecration, every time. Give the chicken sandwich to your homeless friend after mass.

Go to a nursing home and kiss everyone. When you learn someone's name, share their patron saint's story, and their feast day, so they can celebrate. Invite new friends to Thanksgiving dinner. If they are from another country and you have trouble understanding them, learn to "listen with an accent."

Never say mean things about anybody; they are "poor souls to pray for."

Put picky-eating children in the box at the bottom of the laundry chute, tell them they are hungry lions in a cage, and feed them veggies through the slats.

Correspond with the imprisoned and have lunch with the cognitively challenged.

Do the Jumble every morning.

Keep the car keys under the front seat so they don't get lost.

Make the car dance by lightly tapping the brakes to the beat of songs on the radio.

Offer rides to people carrying a big load or caught in the rain or summer heat. Believe the hitchhiker you pick up who says he is a landscaper and his name is "Peat Moss."

Help anyone struggling to get their kids into a car or shopping cart or across a parking lot.

Give to every charity that asks. Choose to believe the best about what they do with your money, no matter what your children say they discovered online.

Allow the homeless to keep warm in your car while you are at Mass.

Take magazines you've already read to your doctors' office for others to enjoy. Do not tear off the mailing label, "Because if someone wants to contact me, that would be nice."

In her lifetime, Pink made contact time after time. Those who've taken her lessons to heart will continue to ensure that a cold drink will be left for the overheated garbage collector and mail carrier, every baby will be kissed, every nursing home resident will be visited, the hungry will have a sandwich, the guest will have a warm bed and soft nightlight, and the encroaching possum will know the soothing sensation of a barbecue brush upon its back.

Above all, Pink wrote -- to everyone, about everything. You may read this and recall a letter from her that touched your heart, tickled your funny bone, or maybe made you say "huh?"

She is survived by her children and grandchildren whose photos she would share with prospective friends in the checkout line: Tim (wife Janice, children Timmy, Joey, T.J., Miki and Danny); Kevin (wife Kathy, children Kacey, Ryan, Jordan and Kevin); Jerry (wife Gita, children Nisha and Cathan); MaryAnne; Peter (wife Maria Jose, children Rodrigo and Paulo); and Meg (husband David Vartanian, children Peter, Lily, Jerry and Blase); siblings Anne, Helen, and Robert; and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends and family too numerous to list but not forgotten.

Pink is reunited with her husband and favorite dance and political debate partner, Dr. Gerald L. Mullaney, and is predeceased by six siblings.

Autumn beginning reminds us of new opportunities: Register now!

The school year has begun. Temperatures are cooling slightly. The leaves will soon turn autumn shades. September is here, and with it is the newness of changing seasons, a reminder of fresh beginnings. Why not take a few minutes to begin reuniting with classmates by registering on our website? It's free, easy, quick, and fun. See what your classmates have done and share a bit about your life.

More information about our venue and planning is in the works soon. Stay on the lookout.

Reunion Etiquette

This article is by Diane Gottsman and is from Hitched Magazine. Read it in its original form here.

Few experiences generate the combination of excitement, anguish, fun and dread as the high school reunion. No matter what we've accomplished since graduation, the prospect of reuniting with old high school classmates can instantly transport us back—for better or worse. Before the big event, it may serve you well to brush up on a few etiquette tips to help you take on the reunion as the mature, wise adult you are today.

1. Remember who you are today. You may have felt like the mayor of Geekville in high school, but with the perspective of age and experience, you now realize that that many of your peers felt the same way. Maintain a firm foothold in your life today and resist falling back into your perceived social standing, whether you were a wallflower or the head cheerleader.

2. Step out of your comfort zone. Mingle with others, even those classmates you never talked to back in the day. Pretend you are meeting people you've never met before—everyone has changed since your high school days, even you.

3. Show respect for significant others. If you see your high school flame and his or her spouse, it's fine to say hello and chat. Be friendly without flirting and keep conversation focused on the present; it is not the time to reminisce about all the wild and crazy times you shared. If you are bringing your spouse, don't leave them stranded alone at the punchbowl while you pal around with your old field hockey team.

4. Take stock of your personal accomplishments. Give yourself a lift by doing a written inventory of everything you've achieved since high school: college, travel, family, career, whatever your "personal bests" have been. It's hard not to compare ourselves to others and think about where we are now versus where we thought we'd be when we were in high school. If you were voted "Most Likely to Succeed," but find yourself currently unemployed, don’t let that be a deterrent from going and networking with your former classmates. You will be surprised how the economy has affected your past group of friends—it’s not just you.

5. Practice your poker face. While you may feel shocked at how your peers have changed, make an attempt to keep your jaw from dropping and not openly display the shock you feel: "Oh my gosh, what happened to you?"

6. If you were a donkey (a.k.a. an ass) then, you don’t have to carry it over now. Maybe you were the class clown and feel the urge to make jokes at someone else's expense. You may have some lingering resentment toward the snotty teen queen who made fun of you for four straight years. Now is not the time to make up for it. You're wise, witty and well balanced… remember? Be civil. If you find someone evokes bad feelings in you, even after all these years, do your best to move on or just avoid them.

7. Dress the part. You'll give yourself an extra boost of confidence by dressing well and looking your best. If you have a couple of months’ notice, a reunion can be a great motivator to exercise and eat well. If you're going with friends, it might be a fun to get a makeover or shop together. Do not, under any circumstances, try to fit into the same clothes you wore in high school, even if you are the same size.

8. Keep it in perspective. There's no need to blow your budget on designer clothes or completely reinvent yourself to impress people you haven't seen since high school and will likely not see again until the next reunion.

9. Don't brag. Even if you are wildly successful and fabulously wealthy, stay humble, ask questions of others and don't bore people with a long list of your accomplishments.

10. Liar, liar pants on fire. Don’t fabricate any elaborate stories about your past or present life. Remember that the truth is only an internet search away.

11. Give your old classmates a break. That nerdy guy from homeroom may have gone on to be a rocket scientist and the girl who always managed to do just a little bit better than you on every assignment may be suffering from a recent divorce. You never know what has gone on in the past several years. Take the time to build a new and improved relationship.

12. Take it all in stride. For better or worse, the reunion will come and go and you will go back to your life better off for attending. Take advantage of seeing old friends and making new ones. Relax and have a great time.

Diane Gottsman, a nationally recognized etiquette expert, is the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in etiquette training for corporations, universities and individuals, striving to polish their interpersonal skills. You can reach Diane at 877-490-1077 or www.protocolschooloftexas.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @:www.twitter.com/DianeGottsman.