Why I Still Giggle At The Word ‘Penis’ At The Age of 38.

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It’s just a word, but to me it means much more.

My wife and I hate surprises.

We’re rubbish at keeping secrets from each other and there is no way we could have gone?nine months?not knowing if we would have a boy or a girl — so we knew from the beginning that we would want to know the sex of our baby.

I wanted a boy and I didn’t even try to hide it.

If we found that we would be having a girl, I would have been just as happy and in love before I even met her, but deep down I wanted a son.

The week before our second scan, my wife’s friends had us convinced that we were having a girl. This got into my head, and I started feeling certain that the scan would show us a girl — I had warmed to that scenario.

I don’t know if it’s a global thing, but in England, where I’m from, we have this nursery rhyme called ‘One for Sorrow’ — and it’s about magpies.

The origins of the rhyme are based on superstition relating to how many magpies you count, and although I don’t believe in omens and superstitions, I was looking for signs and clues as to what the scan would reveal.

The rhyme goes like this:

One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told…(and so on).

We were sat in the waiting room of the hospital. I was looking out of the window when I spotted three magpies dancing around playfully on the roof of the building opposite: Three for a girl!

That was the last bit of convincing I needed. Right then, the door opened and the doctor called us into the room. I was now about 95% sure that in a few minutes, she would tell us we would be having a baby girl — and I would be the father of a beautiful daughter, a little princess, a real daddy’s girl!

First though, the most important part. All preferences went out of the window as the lady in a white coat checked the vitals.

At this point I should point out that I live in Finland so this whole examination took place in Finnish. I knew a lot but I was still learning the language, so my wife had to translate and relay everything back to me.

…heart beat…strong

…all organs…exactly where they should be and functioning well.

I felt a wave of relief just seeing that tiny black pulsing dot on the screen and hearing the comforting noise it made — our baby is alive in there and?she?is perfectly fine.

The doctor continued the examination, moving the scanner over my wife’s stomach explaining what she sees…in Finnish.

I don’t know why, but for a second I look away and at the ground. As I do, I hear the most amazing word I’ve ever heard in my life. Like I said, I was far from fluent, but this particular Finnish word I was 100% certain of — and as soon as I heard it I felt more joy than I’ve ever felt in my whole life. That word was…

‘Pippeli’

The closest translation in British-English for the word?‘Pippeli’?is ‘Willy’!

Penis, todger, winky, ding-a-ling, tallywacker…it’s a BOY!!!

I'm having a son!

I didn’t cry, I just smiled as tears came out of my eyes. My wife looked at me and she could see that I understood completely. I have never been so present in a moment before. I felt absolutely everything. There were no worries, not a single memory, or wish for the future. The only thing I could focus on was every single individual second in that room in that moment in that time and in that space.

The doctor explained the last few things as I sat looking at my wife, completely in love with her.

I walked out of that room a new man.

I still smile when I think of that day…I’m smiling now as I’m sharing this story?9 years later!

And that is how a Finnish word that I didn’t even know existed until I learned it from a friend as a joke, came to be the word that makes me happier than all the words in the English language combined.

In the 2nd edition of Newsletter for Noobs, I talked about the power of words.

Since then, my words have attracted a following of 2,450 people (correct at 22:23 on 28.04.2023)

5 weeks ago, when I started Brand Noob., I had 650!

If you're worried about the number of followers you have.

If you're stressing about your posts not reaching enough people.

If you're tired of putting your heart into your words but getting nowhere.

Please, don't give up. You have to trust me – it will come.

But you have to work at it and write every day. You have to be obsessed with words and stories and writing and ideas. You have to remember that attention is EVERYTHING on LinkedIn.

Work on your hooks.

Write for humans, appease the algo.

And if you ever feel down, and you wanna stop writing...

Just think of that beautiful Finnish word for penis...'Pippeli'.

And remember: one word can change someone's life.

Now, go and write something! ??

Interested in learning how to write better?

I'm working on something that I think you'll love – follow & stay tuned! ??

I've made it my mission to inspire as many people as I can to become?#futureproof?through strong?#personalbranding.

Follow me on LinkedIn?and join me next Saturday for another edition of?Newsletter for Noobs.

Thanks for reading! ???

David