Archive for the ‘Life is a Song – Helen of Lafolot’ Category
Continuing the Martin Luther King Cause
Monday, January 16th, 2012
In honor of all the amazing work and awareness brought by MARTIN LUTHER KING, his family and others of his time period –
I wanted to Honor this day by bringing awareness of my book: LIFE IS A SONG IN THE KEY OF LOVE or Growing Up With the Embarrassment of Prejudice
The ‘thought’ for the book came to me back in 1999 during a New Year’s Church Service – ‘Start the New Year Fresh’ – church prayer/meditation regarding – our New Year focus. I was sitting quietly when the thought: ‘Growing Up With the Embarrassment of Prejudice’ came to mind.
I progressively started to write thoughts, notes, and quotes, etc. as I planned the book. It took me 9 years to write the book – because I wanted it to come from a POSITIVE space and not seem whiny nor negative. In my own growth and awareness – I found MY SINGING VOICE! In the process of finding my voice – I discovered the song from the 30′s: LIFE IS A SONG
There is a line in the song: Let’s Take Our Hearts and Dip them in Rhyme
THAT WAS IT! I thought! THAT’s how I can TURN THIS AROUND!
I wrote this book based on comparing LIFE to SHEET MUSIC! That a prejudiced/biased world would sound MONOTONE!
By Appreciating Life in ALL its forms of EXPRESSION (as well as showing RESPECT) – we can MAKE LIFE A SONG!
My book is available at: www.lulu.com/hszollosy or locally from me at: www.lafolot.com/books/
It is also available on www.AMAZON.COM – books – search on Helen Marie Szollosy.
I know some of you have already read it and given me WONDERFUL feedback! Thank you so much!
The book deals HEALTHILY and CREATIVELY with treating ALL LIFE Expression with respect … noting my oldest sister with brain damage as a result of being hit by a drunk driver … or think of a child from a challenged household – with hygiene issues – being bullied at school for BEING DIFFERENT… or a person with dimentia – not aware of the present … it’s more than just religion, culture, skin color, gender bias …
IF YOU FEEL SO MOVED – PLEASE SHARE MY BLOG … it’s OPTIONAL …
I have seen so much in the news about racist comments, bullying, brain damage, and other bias. I feel there is a stronger need for me to promote my book – and I don’t currently have the funds.
Thank you for any support. Again, it’s OPTIONAL … whatever works for you! IN ACCEPTANCE AND PEACE …
Highlighted Helen Marie Szollosy
Living BOLD and in ITALICS!
Make LIFE a SONG!
Be in AWE of it ALL!
WORLD CHALLENGE! SMILE CAMPAIGN!
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
WORLD CHALLENGE! I DOUBLE-DARE ‘YA!
TRY MY HA HA HELEN OF LAFOLOT.COM ‘SMILE-CAMPAIGN’ GAME; AND LET ME KNOW HOW MANY POINTS YOU RECEIVED!
WWW.LAFOLOT.COM/SMILE-CAMPAIGN/
LET’S LIGHT THE WORLD WITH SMILES!
JUST SHARE A SIMPLE, CLOSED MOUTH SMILE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU PASS, TODAY – -
WATCH – IN AHHHH! MAZEMENT! AT HOW MANY – TOTAL STRANGERS – RETURN THE SMILE!
WATCH – IN AHHHH! MAZEMENT! AS THEY RESPOND … HI! HELLO! HOW ARE YOU! –
WATCH – IN AHHHHH! MAZEMENT! AS THEIR BODIES STAND TALLER AS THEY RECEIVE THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BEING NOTICED – AND SELF-WORTH!
LET THEM KNOW THAT – YOU JUST EARNED ME A POINT! AND SHARE THE GAME WITH THEM –
TELL THEM IT’S HA HA HELEN OF LAFOLOT’S WORLD-CHALLENGE – SMILE-CAMPAIGN GAME!
LIGHT THE WORLD WITH SMILES!
SPREAD SMILES BY THE MILES!
THEY’RE HEALTHY, YOU KNOW! and they WAKE UP BRAIN CELLS!
TRY IT – AND LET ME KNOW HOW YOU DID!
LIGHT THE WORLD WITH SMILE POWER!
Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com
OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER! Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Your Bill is Paid
Saturday, December 24th, 2011
‘Your Bill is Paid’ said the server at FRIENDLY’s, once I had finished my meal. It just happens to be CHRISTMAS EVE as I write this.
I said: “WHAT!?” I looked around, thinking it was the Manager, or the server, or another server – since they know me from dining there frequently.
Then the server indicated towards an empty booth near the window. She said: “It was the family who had been dining over there.” She was smiling.
I said: ‘WOW! My heart is TOUCHED!’ … ‘I wish I could have thanked them! … I’ll have to BLOG about it!’ She smiled and nodded, a warmth in her eyes as they twinkled.
WOW! I told her: ‘I have to laugh! People see me dining alone and sometimes feel sorry for me. I LOVE to go places on my own! I like meeting people! I’ve gone on a cruise and other vacations on my own; because I enjoy meeting people and am a free spirit!’ She agreed, and said she is the same way.
I had been ‘playing’ with customers with kids as they came in the door of the restaurant, by putting on my clown nose as they walked in.
I had to laugh! I had ordered a SENIOR menu item (they allow it at this restaurant, even though I’m 52). The cost is less and I don’t eat a lot. I had just ordered a FISHAMAJIG! But, I have to tell you – it’s the MOST PRICELESS Fishamajig I’ve ever had!
I am truly heart-warmed by THE THOUGHT that went through this family’s mind and heart as they MADE THAT DECISION. I noticed they had a little boy with them, around age 6 to 8 years. What a WONDERFUL lesson, a priceless lesson they taught that child!
What a WONDERFUL gift of WARMTH and GOOD-HEALTH they gave themselves by this PRICELESS act!
I was ‘where I wanted to be’, ‘doing what I wanted to do’, ‘being, where I wanted to be’ …freely being me – and I GOT MY MEAL FOR FREE! TEE HEE HEE!
I’m sending out a positive thought, positive prayer and gratitude and warmth towards this beautiful, kind family.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.COM
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!
Fruitcake Life Lessons
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
I have a beautifully witty, creative, kind friend who has shared the following story with me:
As a young child, in school, there was a holiday gift exchange. After the class picked their gift packages, another girl in the glass announced to the teacher: ‘I GOT MY OWN GIFT! THE ONE THAT I BROUGHT!’ Without ‘skipping a beat’, ‘without asking’ – the teacher told the girl to ‘JUST TRADE YOUR GIFT WITH (my friend’s name omitted). My friend noted she opened her gift to find A FRUIT CAKE! The girl who had FREELY given up the gift she brought in, got a wonderful, creative kit to play with and have fun!
My friend notes that THAT moment (jokingly) defined her life. My friend has a HIGHLY CREATIVE mind and EXCELLENT WIT!
OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING, now starts …
As an adult – we wonder WHAT the teacher was thinking!? I often note, just because a person is of a certain age, doesn’t mean they are able to ‘act as an adult’. Not always because of mental/emotional ability. Was the teacher Frazzled? Exhausted? Just wasn’t thinking… ??? who knows? Too bad we can’t ask “WHO” … BECAUSE “WHO” seems to be the one WHO knows the answers … now that I think about it! *smile Wonder where ‘WHO’ lives? Gonna have to look into that. Seems just like SANTA – maybe WHO lives at the South Pole?
As an adult – we look back and see that the ‘Other Girl’ might have known that her gift WAS the FRUITCAKE, and in no way wanted it! Maybe not, maybe her parent didn’t tell her what had been wrapped and she was trying to BE HONEST? Who knows … (I’m being fair in my outlook shift engineering view.)
So we fast forward in life, you have the girl that gave up the fruitcake …
you have my Creative-Minded, Beautiful, Witty ACTRESS friend who is GREAT with seeing life from an INTERESTING perspective, and being able to write and chuckle about it.
We all play these roles in impacting one another’s lives. I had MY instances, as a child, where ‘the other girl’ got the good stuff. I could share many stories. One of those girls in MY childhood, who seemed to ‘have it all’, lost her older brother to drugs in College – so even though she was an Honors student, she went into a clerical field seeing that College does bad things to people. Interesting how life turns out.
These FRUITCAKE Life Lessons – give us the opportunity to look back at this time of year and be GRATEFUL. Even if we are FULL of FRUITCAKE and sick of it.
I’m thinking my friend DIDN’T NEED the CREATIVE FUN KIT – because she was already Witty, and Beautifully Creative! Maybe the other girl needed the kit to boost her creativity? Maybe it helped her parent to see a different take on a gift versus a cake for a kid. Then again there are all the other scenarios that could come into play. I can think of MANY coming from a challenged family, with a mom who couldn’t drive, money being an issue, etc.
Another way of looking at it – it’s not always so bad to KNOW what’s in the package! This applies if you are the type to PREFER A SURPRISE be unwrapped!
Here’s to a new year, a new you and FRUITCAKE LIFE LESSONS! No matter WHAT you GET in LIFE; I think when you are able to do an OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING process on it all – in the end – you see it actually worked out perfectly!
Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com
Outlook Shift Engineer! Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
HAPPY ‘LIFE-HOLIDAY’, TO YOU!
Friday, December 16th, 2011
I teach what I need to learn, I share because I care. I don’t DO Christmas. At least not just ‘once during the year’ – I believe in LIVING LIFE in the SPIRIT of the SEASON.
I don’t believe in the once-a-year stress, mega-shopping, mega-debt, shock of seeing family members where one can’t relate and adjust, where addicts get into their mega-use to avoid it all, etc.
NOW for my OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEERING approach … AH! HA! HA HA!
I BELIEVE in LIVING LIFE! LAUGHING OFTEN!
I BELIEVE in LIVING in the SEASON and SPIRIT of Christmas year round! How does THAT SOUND?
My laughter leader trainer, Dr. Steve Wilson, wrote a wonderful book called: ‘GOOD-HEARTED LIVING’. We’ve seen these values and traits written and spoken about many times over: COMPLIMENTS, FLEXIBILITY, GRATITUDE, KINDNESS, FORGIVESS, and having fun and relaxing (CHOCOLATE).
I don’t DO Christmas … but I did awake this morning to the EXPECTATION, APPRECIATION of a BEAUTIFUL NEW DAY! I didn’t run out to find a tree with wrapped packages… I found the SUN streaming through my bedroom window! YES! A new PHresh Day! A new, PHresh Outlook on Life!
What a GIFT, this NEW day, this NEW start to a NEW outlook. ‘Pick myself up, dust myself off, start all over again!’ as the song says.
I get to LIVE LIFE! in AH! MAZEMENT! Each day I get to practice GOOD-HEARTED LIVING! I can awake to realize a NEW FORGIVENESS!
I look out my window as I prepare my healthy breakfast filled with GRATITUDE and see the MIRACLE OF LIFE as BIRDS flitter from branch to branch.
I get to PRACTICE this SPIRIT OF THE SEASON on a MOMENT to MOMENT basis … living in the GIFT of the PRESENT … constantly seeing a NEW SURPRISE … a NEW LESSON … a REASON to be GRATEFUL!
I get to EXCUSE, FORGIVE, RELEASE a minor irritation by a fellow DRIVER or SHOPPER when I am out-and-about.
I get to PRACTICE ‘A Little Kindness…’ and live in AH! MAZING! EXPECTATION of each new occurrence and miracle in my life!
Why only do this for a brief time each year? LIVE LIFE IN AH! MAZEMENT! LIVE LIFE! with EXPECTATION! on a moment to moment basis. LIVE, LIVE, LIVE IN the SPIRIT of the SEASON!
No need to wait for ‘once a year’ to SPEND TIME WITH THE KIDS, or a MISSED family member to BAKE SOME COOKIES or make some Ginger Bread Houses. It’s all about the SPECIAL QUALITY TIME … be creative! This translates to sandcastles and group gardening projects.
No need to wait for the ‘HOLIDAY SEASON’ to make donations or take food to a needy family.
No need to wait for the Holiday Season to take some time for YOURSELF, to ‘take a ME-DAY’ from work and CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LIFE!
As MAME said: ‘We need a Little Christmas, right this very minute …’ – in life, on a moment to moment basis … living in the moment, in the MIRACLE of each new day and minute … seeing the JOY, LOVE, MAGNIFICENCE around us.
The SPIRIT of the SEASON is about:
EXPECTANCY,
BEING IN THE MOMENT
GRATITUDE and THANKS
FORGIVING
Being a little KIND, a little FLEXIBLE
Enjoying those TREATS
Spending time with someone
SHARING those GIFTS …
Play the HA HA HELEN SMILE CAMPAIGN - GAME!, DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY!, take TIME 2 LAUGH … LIVE LIFE LIKE IT’S The Christmas Season!
THAT’S THE SPIRIT! L I V E IT! and share a Healthy Laugh or Smile while you’re at it!
Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com – OUTLOOK SHIFT ENGINEER, Hear! Here!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
A little kindness goes a long way …
Text and Tango away the barriers!
Friday, October 28th, 2011
I was working at my parttime HALLMARK Helen job, yesterday. I’m helping out a
fellow Hallmark card ‘lady’ while she’s on vacation.
As I walked down the main aisle, I saw a woman ‘SIGNING’ with one hand as she
held her ‘Wireless Device’ out from her.
I love talking to everyone and anyone when I am out and about. I have learned
how to say: Hello, Goodbye, How Are You? and Thank You! in many different
languages and dialects. I like to let people know, I’m willing to take a step
over the barrier to learn more about their culture, etc.
When I saw this woman, there was NO BARRIER, (I have a cousin who is Deaf and
I’ve learned the Alphabet and a FEW signs). I wasn’t READING what she was
saying, because I don’t know enough to be able to do that – and it would have
been an invasion of privacy. For anyone who is concerned.
I walked toward her in AH! MAZEMENT! of this wonderful device – and signed: H,
I (HI!) I indicated I was going to SAY HELLO to her friend on the phone. She
noted they had hung up.
I signed: MY COUSIN IS DEAF (I use this opening line when approaching someone
sho is signing, so they know I can speak, hear and that they may know my cousin
from their community meetings, of which I’m aware.)
We ‘talked a little bit’ – She knew I couldn’t sign MUCH. She helped me with a
few signs. She showed me her ‘phone’ – that there is a new APP known as TANGO
that allows someone who is deaf – to get a FULL SCREEN conversation window – in
order to communicate just as a speaking/hearing person would with a cell phone,
etc.
She was very excited, as was I! We communicated with BIG FACIAL expressions and
minimal signing – she read my lips as I spoke -
I agreed that I was AH! MAZED! Why? Prior to personal computers and e-mails -
the deaf community had to use an oversized, bulky machine in the home known as a
TTY. It limited communication; because of not being able to use phone for voice
communication.
I KNEW INSTANTLY – WHY she was SO EXCITED!
HOW WONDERFUL! This DEVICE – courtesy of Steve Jobs and those in the wireless
technology field – have now:
Brought the Deaf Community and the Hearing/Speaking community TOGETHER -
HEALTHILY – SOCIALLY with this WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL DEVICE!
I had been concerned that cell phones, texting, etc. were creating an
ANTI-SOCIAL atmosphere – taking away proper grammar, developing an entire new
language of TEXTING – etc…
and – once again – I’m learning to BE FLEXIBLE and GROW ALONG WITH IT – seeing
how these WONDERFUL CHANGES are BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER who would not have been able to communicate, before?
Since computers and e-mails – I can now – easily communicate with my cousin, NO
PROBLEM!
and now – we can TANGO! DANCE! and communicate VISUALLY via wireless devices
that allow the DEAF community to wirelessly communicate on the run!
I AM SO EXCITED BY ALL THIS! TALK ABOUT BRINGING THE WORLD TOGETHER!
FEEL THE TINGLE AND THE EXCITEMENT!
Ha Ha Helen of LAFOLOT.com (Outlook Shift Engineer!) typing with a smile and a big laugh out loud in her heart – IMAGINE THE BEAUTY OF IT ALL!
The Power of the VOICE!
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
I was helping my younger sister, by taking my mom to a doctor’s appointment years back. My mom, having reduced lung capacity, started to breathe heavily once getting back into the car. Having a creative mind and strong instinct, I quickly put my Russel Watson ‘The Voice – ENCORE’ CD into my car’s player.
He opened with his pop-raspy voice intro to the first song; and then BURST FORTH into FULL OPERATIC VOICE! What a VOICE! My mom exclaimed: ‘Wow! Buy me that CD!’ and she handed me $20.00 to pay for it! OH! …and her breathing started to calm!
I’m told my own singing voice can be very soothing, comforting, relaxing, and healing. I’ve had people buy my CD ( A Night at the Piano Bar with Helen of LAFOLOT) to give to freinds with health challenges.
The POWER of THE VOICE! With tone, with a look, with a feeling behind a word or statement – we have THE POWER to instantly change a mood, a situation, become a negotiator, an instigator, etc.
The POWER of THE VOICE! In Laughter Wellness and Outlook Shift Engineering talks, I share about ‘empathic response’ studied by Neuropsychologists. This is an area of the brain that receives WORD-VOICE and FACIAL-PHYSICAL transmissions from others with whom we are interracting. AH! MAZING! I say!
WE, have THE POWER – to diffuse or use! WE, have THE POWER to feel, assess, and SHARE-CARE due to the NATURAL empathy response of our AH! MAZING! BRAINS!
WHAT A GIFT!
I’m listening to my Russell Watson ‘THE VOICE’ CD as I type this. I LOVE the male, tenor voice!
Music, Voice, Word, Facial Expressions have such POWER! When I want to RESET, or have a personal OUTLOOK SHIFT – I often turn to MUSIC! ART! ENTERTAINMENT! SOCIALIZATION! LAUGHTER WELLNESS!
All these are received by the brain and have the power to:
MOTIVATE ME TO GET UP AND MOVE! CLEAN! Get OFF MY SEAT – and MOVE MY FEET!
to, RELAX, INSPIRE, FEEL, HEAL and MEDITATE!
In a slump? Feeling jittery or agitated? Need to relax and relieve stress? Need to get up and move?
Think Music, Voice, Action (Acting) and watch yourself move in a different direction!
Highlighted Helen! ‘Outlook Shift Engineer!’
Living BOLD and in ITALICS!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
‘Talking’ with DAD!
Sunday, June 19th, 2011
My dad passed on in August 2000. He worked 42 years for the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. In addition, he was a ‘jack of all trades. One of his favorite things was gardening. I ‘tagged around’ with my dad a lot and learned Electrical Fix stuff, carpentry, brick laying, tile laying, wall papering, how to fix a zipper, how to make toys out of wooden spools, dried gourds and walnut shells. He was VERY PROUD of his 2/2/22 birth date!
I also learned how to Entertain – by watching my dad do ‘silly Vaudeville act’ and ‘slapstick’ moves and phrases.
In honor of DAD’s day, I recalled a priceless moment. I used to like to go ‘fishing’ with my dad. The funny this is, we never caught any fish. The ONE time I caught a fish, I brought it home and put it in a bucket and watched it swim around. I COULD NEVER HAVE KILLED IT! My dad knew this and ‘took care of it’ when I wasn’t looking. I think my mom cooked it for him.
Because of the above, one time, when WE WENT FISHING, he just put an OPEN, Large Safety Pin on the end of a string attached to a stick. He let me sit on a bridge in Highspire/Middletown area – over the CANAL. He knew I ‘just liked the ACT of fishing and sitting’. Well, a man came walking towards us across the bridge at one point. The man inquired: ‘catch anything?’ I naturally started to pull the ‘makeship fishing apparatus’ out of the water.
NO! NO! my dad said. Just keep it in there. The man looked oddly after we said, ‘no’ and kept on walking. I realized, later – my dad KNEW I didn’t care to catch anything – so just to keep me happy – he rigged a fake fishing line and JUST LET ME SIT.
I would JUST SIT a lot – with my dad – there was no need for words. It was VERY EFFECTIVE communication. When he was ‘passing on’ – I would go to the hospital and JUST SIT. It’s how we communicated. Sometimes – there isn’t a need for words.
I was driving today and saw the personalized bumper display: 1AMB1C 1 (IAMBIC 1) Per Wikipedia: Iambic rhythms come relatively naturally in English. Iambic pentameter is the most common meter in English poetry; it is used in many of the major English poetic forms, including blank verse, the heroic couplet, and some of the traditional rhymed stanza forms. William Shakespeare used iambic pentameter in his plays and sonnets. [I notice these things and started a: DRIVE YOURSELF HAPPY! campaign via LAFOLOT.com by 'getting people to enjoy the GIFT of the PRESENT moment - by noticing interesting license plates while driving. This was ANOTHER GAME I learned from MY DAD! He would make funny words out of the 3 letters in the beginning of license plates.]
I figured the driver was announced that they were A POET! Another form of Communication in ART.
Sometimes, ACTing or ACTions speak louder than words – such as in a play or a relationship between a father and daughter.
Sometimes, adding a LITTLE RYTHM with an IAMBIC Pentameter or RAP beat helps to get the message across. When my dad passed on, I was the only one in his hospital room, and I told the young nurse on duty – the story about the SAFETY PIN FISHING LINE. It makes me smile – it has DAD written all over it!
I personally feel, the way to bring PEACE to the WORLD is to put an EMPHASIS on: THE ART OF COMMUNICATION
Whether it’s WRITING, SPEAKING, SINGING, POETRY, ACTING, JOURNALING – communicating with one’s self or with others. But, I feel there is a REAL NEED for THE WORLD to EXPRESS its needs, feelings, wants, desires – IN A HEALTHY WAY.
I think – like my dad – sometimes – we just need to SIT IN THE SILENCE and ponder life – through fishing – even if it’s with a safety pin.
The ART of Communication and NON-Communication – a priceless gift/skill to HONE.
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com
Living Life! and Laughing Often!
Living in AH! Mazement of it all! … and LEARNING A LOT – from DAD!
Something to Crow About!
Thursday, June 16th, 2011
I was just sitting at a busy intersection, and observed a Crow ‘CALLING OUT’ – while sitting atop a power line. I had my car windows open, but even though I was near the crow, due to the loudness of a tractor trailer truck and other vehicle engines flying by, the Crow’s ‘CAW!’ could not be heard.
I thought, ‘how sad’ – this Crow has ‘something to crow about’ and no one – not even another crow, is able to hear.
I then thought, how many times in life do we have ‘something to crow about’ and WE aren’t heard nor noticed.
I am passionate about what I do, ‘Outlook Shift Engineer!’, Laughter Wellness (Healthy Socialization) and Healthy interaction through smiling and kindness – but so many times – I feel like this Crow – in the middle of a busy intersection, not being heard nor noticed.
I was cleaning my office this morning and noticed all the ‘THANK YOU NOTES’ and ‘NOTES OF APPRECIATION’ I have ‘salt and peppered’ around my desk. These ‘PRICELESS FORMS OF COMMUNICATION’ are highly cherished! I keep them around to ‘keep me going’ when I ‘FEEL LIKE THE CROW WHO WAS NOT HEARD.’
The ART of communication is a wonderful, priceless thing!
The ART of listening.
The ART of a kind word, a smile, a simple FREE-ly giving gesture.
I was driving along the road and saw a woman in the lane to the right of me, her window halfway down – and a cigarette in her hand. Normally, I would get very annoyed, because of not wanting to breathe in the smoke and I would be judgemental.
I did an OUTLOOK SHIFT at that moment, put on my CLOWN NOSE – looked to the right in the woman’s direction (my car window was up) and I WAVED and SMILED!
The woman instantly waved and smiled back at me. I felt good that I had ‘changed my outlook’ and chosen to SHARE A HEALTHY SMILE AND A WAVE with this soul – traveling on the same road of life as I.
May you have a day filled with ART-full, Kind, Free-ly given beautiful communication -
and while ‘THE MASSES’ may not HEAR you nor I – perhaps, like me – being the only one noticing the CROW ‘CAWING’ out its message – you, too – will have ‘one special soul’ with whom to share your message.
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com
Outlook Shift Engineer!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
Picture Perfect Life-moment
Sunday, June 12th, 2011
The classic ‘Madonna and Child’, or was it ‘Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth?
I work parttime at one of the large, local grocery store chains. I happened to be ‘monitoring’ the EASY SCAN lane. There are 4 unit/checkouts there, but none were being used at the moment.
Queue the modern art painting scene figures: Enter one Mother with a few items to purchase, followed by a beautiful young girl (woman) – her daughter? – in two. The daughter appeared to have Downs Syndrome. What a beautiful soul whose presence graced this moment I was observing!
The young girl (woman) had sandy blonde hair, was wearing a fresh/crisp, short-sleeved, waste length cotton top and a beautiful, ankle length fresh/spring print skirt. A vision in motion.
As her mother went about scanning her items, the young girl (as graceful as a Ballerina-in order to balance herself) placed one hand on the preparation area of the Easy Scan station opposite her mother. She then, GRACEFULLY, lowered herself, with ankles assuming a crossed position, to the floor. It was the most graceful move I had ever witnessed!
She then proceeded to sing in a low tone voice (which I appreciated due to having the same and always having felt LEFT OUT – till I found out as an adult – I have a torch singing voice). As she sang, she twirled a colorful strip or streamer about 12 inches long.
I stood at the Easy Scan monitoring station IN AWE of this ‘MODERN DAY ANDREW WYETH SCENE’! I said to the mother, who turned and smiled to me as I shared: ‘Wow! What a wonderful spot she has picked to sit and relax! It’s directly next to the magazines!’ The mother smiled and agreed.
I was so thrilled that this ‘young woman/girl’ had felt comfortable enough with herself to: MAKE HERSELF COMFORTABLE!
I was also thrilled to see how AT EASE the mother was – not quick to correct or ask her to ‘get up’. There was no one else around and it was the most PICTURE PERFECT moment!
I got to experience a MODERN DAY VERSION of ANDREW WYETH’S ‘Christina’s World’ or the classic painting: ‘MADONNA and CHILD’.
It was just the 2011 version. I didn’t have a camera, nor did I have an oil canvas, all I had was the opportunity to CAPTURE that moment IN MY MIND and IN MY HEART and see the BEAUTY of it – at an Easy Scan Checkout, nonetheless!
I knew I could, however, CAPTURE it in WORDS and hope that I have adequately portrayed the beauty I saw before my eyes – of the MADONNA AND CHILD in motion.
What precious moments are YOU noticing while out and about in the world today? You never know when they’ll appear in your path.
Have an art-filled, beauty-filled, heart-filled day!
Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT.com
O.S.E. (Outlook Shift Engineer!)
How do YOU see YOUR world, today?
