I am generally a very good judge of people. I know that’s hard to believe, given my dislike for many, but my gut instincts are usually spot on.
Here’s the rub, though: When I get a bad vibe from someone, I often second-guess myself for two reasons:
- I tend to be a bit judgy (guilty as charged)
- My gut can’t even handle gluten and dairy (so I’m not sure I can trust it)
But nine times out of ten, my first instinct is right.
I like to think this ability to read people is my superpower, born from surviving childhood trauma and sexual abuse. My ability to suss out bad apples wasn’t developed in my younger years, but it’s rock solid now.
It also allows me to find the good eggs. One of those is Mary Eugene.
Mary is good people. I met her 22 years ago when I was interviewing nannies after H was born. Within minutes of meeting me, she asked to hold H (no one else did). By the end of the interview, she was on the floor, showing me how to practice ‘tummy time’ with him.
Sure, Mary had experience and came with glowing references, but it was more than that. It was her energy. Her vibe. I just knew she had a heart of gold and would protect H like he was her own. I knew it in my gut.
Mary stayed with us for nearly three years, but ultimately left after we moved out of the city. The commute was too much for her (understandably) — plus, I’m sure we weren’t paying her enough (we didn’t have much back then).
It’s been 19 years since I’ve seen Mary, but we reconnected on social media a few years ago. She’s always quick to ‘heart’ my posts and send DMs with kind words, especially when the posts are about H.
Last week, she sent H a very generous gift to celebrate his recent college graduation and the start of his ‘big boy’ job. It’s been nearly two decades since she’s seen or spoken to him, but she still thinks of him as one of her babies … That is something special. She is something special.
Mary Eugene is good people, and I knew it in my gut 19 years ago. Too bad I didn’t also know my gut couldn’t handle ice cream or bread back then.
Trust your gut, people.
—LJDT
