Makes My Heart Smile

On Sunday, I posted an entry on Peabloggy highlighting one of my all-time favorite experiments!

Context:
On 9/12/08, I posted some reflections from my Learning & Performance in Organizations class. Just prior to posting that blog entry, I decided to do a little last-minute research to confirm some of the main points. Nothing formal, just a quick email to some of my closest friends & family.

Some amazing things I learned from this “research”:
1. Keep your request short – in this case, it was simple: “Can you please email me one of your earliest childhood memories?”
2. You will get a great response rate if you include the words “Doing research – need your help!” in the subject line (my response rate was almost 50%, with the deadline for response set for an astonishing 8 hours after the email was sent).
3. You will learn some of the most amazing things about the people you care most about. I laughed, I cried, I had the best time ever reading some of these responses! Here are some of my absolutely all-time favorites!

One of my fondest memories is my mom taking me downtown before I started kindergarten. She took me to the doctor and then bought me three new pairs of shoes.

I remember asking my parents for a dog for Christmas. I had a picture from a magazine of three little white poodle puppies in Christmas stockings. We got a puppy for Christmas that year and it was a dachshund and I remember not realizing that there is more than one type of puppy!

I was in my crib and for some reason, I was awakened in the middle of the night. I was crying and crying and my dad came in wearing his robe and said, “Well, sweetie what’s wrong?” in a very father- like and tender voice. Then he picked me up and held me (probably till I fell asleep).

I remember my fourth birthday (I think). My neighbor had a school bus full of kids come over dressed as clowns! I was scared and remember wishing I could jump real high so I could go on the roof and hide.

4. Last, but not least, you are bound to get responses like these from your friends:
A long sense of going through some kind of tunnel, the sound of a male voice saying “Push…Push”…a bright light, and a slap to the buttocks, then the voice again “It’s a boy”.

If you get a chance, I seriously would encourage you to ask some of your friends and loved ones this question. The responses you get will touch your heart. Guranteed.