LAFOLOT

I had the opportunity to ‘take a moment’ at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs PA (Central Pennsylvania), today.

I slowly approached a wooden bench, near some ducks sleeping at the waters edge. They had their heads tucked into their wings. I was successful, they continued to relax.

As I sat there, enjoying the sunlight reflecting on the water ripples, made by the ducks and geese navigating the water – I had to smile.

I listened to the variety of sounds coming from the geese and the ducks. Every so often, a goose would let out a Phyllis Diller (comic) type laugh. Hehhhhh Hehhhhhh Hehhhhh I ‘HAD’ to laugh!

Every so often, a duck would let out a ‘chatter-type’ laugh, as it vocalized and pecked for food on the water surface.

After a while, it got to be quite comical! Since I am a certified, trained Laughter Therapist/Leader with the World Laughter Tour, Co. – I felt it only NATURAL to ‘take the lead’ from the FOWLS (birds) and join in on the NATURAL LAUGHTER CLUB!

The goose would start its laugh – hehh hehhh hehhh and I would repeat!
The duck would start its laugh – hehhehheh, hehhehheh and I would repeat!

I naturally started to LAUGH OUT LOUD at the beauty, wonder and naturally healthy silliness of it all! GUFFAW!

All this time, I was looking for places to hold Laughter Clubs and frustrated when folks wouldn’t show – and here it was – right in front of me, naturally *HEE HEE HEE

I have to tell you, those BIRDS of a FEATHER do FLOCK together! They also know how to get together and laugh and have a good time!

I’m so glad they accepted me into their LAUGHTER CLUB! LAUGHTER, it’s NOT just FOR THE BIRDS!

HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT … in gratitude!

A friend of mine sent me this ‘daily inspiration’ message yesterday:

I once spoke to my friend, an old squirrel,
about the Sacraments -
he got so excited
and ran into a hollow in his tree and came
back holding some acorns, an owl feather
and a ribbon he found.
And I just smiled and said, “Yes, dear,
you understand
everything imparts
His grace.” –St. Francis of Assisi

No matter WHERE you get your inspiration or place your beliefs; I have personally observed how animals and insects can teach us wonderful life and spiritual lessons!

This morning I was awakened by my cats to; meow! meow! get up and seize the day! (They don’t speak latin, so it wasn’t Carpe’ Diem!) It was 5:55 when I looked at the clock! I like turning on the patio light so my cats can watch any critters going by the sliding glass doors. I noticed a brown rabbit sitting 10 feet out from the patio. I immediately shut off the light; allowing the rabbit its peace.

As dawn broke and I sat at my office computer, I saw the brown rabbit continued to ‘just sit’ in the grass. I put on my distance glasses (being over 50 and now wearing tri-focals), and noticed it was just BEing. I went about my BUSY-ness, and occassionally noticed the rabbit was still there. I avoided eating my healthy breakfast; being too caught up in wondering why the updates on my computer were taking so long! Again, the rabbit was JUST BEing. I noticed it decided to take a little ‘munch’ out of the grass.

I took the rabbits advice around 6:00 AM and started my healthy breakfast. I sat in my comfy sofa with my accent table containing my healthy breakfast items; and had breakfast while just BEing with the rabbit. When I was done, and continued to sit as the rabbit was, it started to twitch its nose. I realized I was tapping my finger on the sofa in time with the rabbit.

Was the next clue to ‘get moving now’ since I had finished my breakfast? I went back to my computer to see if the updates were completed, so I could access my e-mail; it was now about 7:09 AM. The rabbit stretched its legs by going into a partial sit-up position then went back into resting mode. It took a few more nibbles out of the grass; and at 7:11 AM it hopped off to its right, across the back lawn.

I wished the rabbit a HOPPY day and thanked it for inviting me into its EARLY MORNING RABBITATION (meditation/prayers).

I have a ferrel cat named Fonzie; who was rescued from under a local playhouse, after its mother had been hit by a car. The meows were heard by actors in rehearsal at the theatre. I got Fonzie (so named for his softness and survivor abilities), to be a ‘playmate’ to my Alpha Male cat Buddy. Fonzie wasn’t more than 4 inches long and high, and STOOD UP to Buddy (arching his back) when he first met him. What a brave cat! I thought! Fonzie saw himself BIGGER than his body gave him credit for! (John Maher)

It has taken 4 years, but Fonzie has taught me a lot. Be Brave, Be Cautious, Be Bold and Be a good friend to Alpha characters; you never know when you’ll need their help! Fonzie went from constantly hiding in the closets, under the bed, to finally showing himself. He then went from jumping, running and hiding EVERY time he saw me, to now ALLOWING me to sit near him on the sofa without running away. He now comes to me to ALLOW me to pet him! (ha ha ha) I watch the way he slowly approaches Buddy and then gets groomed and allowed to cuddle with Buddy for a nap. I got to watch how GENTLY Buddy introduced Fonzie into the family. Buddy would gently give ‘fake nips/bites at Fonzie and then follow with gentle licking’. I saw the message he was giving Fonzie, ‘it’s OK, don’t stress, relax’. I saw how he could calm Fonzie with his Alpha Male Cat wisdom and gentleness.

I saw a duck ‘just sitting’ out in our parking lot yesterday. It was raining, and puddles were forming. We RUN from the rain; this duck said ‘bring it on!’ – YES! I’ve got more puddles!

When I’m spending too much time at my computer, my Alpha femal cat ‘Kitty’ jumps up on the desk and insists I pet her. Not only that, she plops down and insists I scratch behind her head and also gently rub her belly. She then, shows me TOTAL TRUST, closes her eyes and goes into a sleep. ‘Enough of that computer!’ she is gently telling me; time to take a break and rest. She has total trust while she allows me to cradle her; since she would surely slip off the desk if I wasn’t supporting her while she rests.

I am grateful for all the creatures and insects that present themselves to me, each day, to teach me life and spiritual lessons.

Allow me to give a SHOUT OUT to the mammal and insect world: Meow! Woof! Buzzz! Rabbit Nose Twitch! Tweet! Chirp! etc.
Thank you for taking the time to allow me to attend your classes. Where can I sign up for the next lesson?

Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living Life in A-Maze-Ment!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com
[this blog can also be seen at Vibrant Nation under Blog Circle name: Helenoflafolot]

When you can LAUGH at the amazing spiritual lessons that are going on around you, no matter how absurd, joy comes to your heart!

I started out the day, peacefully and productively. I was so proud of my positive way in which I dealt with the latest ‘Loonie-fields’ condo board actions! As I shared, previously, about bringing my NOW ILLEGAL birdbath into my home as a water-reflection bowl for candles; I got to enjoy mini rainbow spots all over my dining room walls and ceiling as the sun passed through the votive candle holders yesterday!

So, there I was, sitting at my computer, looking out my PEACEFUL view of daffodils, birds, a beautiful gray stone wall surrounding a church cemetery when: da dun, da dun … da dun da dun… JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS SAFE!

Ha Ha! Two men, one with a notepad, examing my plant hanger with silk flower basket outside my office window. (delete explitives here – ha ha) – NOW WHAT! I had my sliding glass doors open, so I went over and asked: IS THERE A PROBLEM? BECAUSE IF THERE’S A PROBLEM, TELL ME NOW – SO I CAN REMOVE THE OFFENDING PLANT HANGER AND POT SO AS NOT TO ADD TO THE 10 LETTERS THE BOARD HAS ALREADY SENT ME – AS WELL AS BEING TOLD I’LL BE FINED! The men said, oh no no no, we’re just walking around to check things.

I said, ‘Well, I read your letter and removed all the mums and daffodils per the note to remove all perennials from the grounds around the buildings. What else is it that is a problem so we can take care of it, so I can have some peace!’ They said, oh no, we don’t know anything about that. I said: ‘Well, I guess you haven’t read your Board letter.’ ha ha (How was I doing with my spiritual growth in this moment? hmm?) Gotta laugh at myself!

So, I realize I need to take a deep breath and calm down. I get myself focused, and get ready to go ‘out and about’ to pick up the paper to see my Book Signing AD, stop at the grocery store and then head out to lunch. I accomplish all this in a gradually more calming manner. I even got to try some of my uplifting, motivational talk with a friend’s daughter who recently lost her job, lost her boyfriend and relocated to the area. Isn’t it said, if you’re feeling down, reach out and help someone else? So, I felt good that I took the focus off myself, long enough, to help another soul.

Then, I thought to myself – I need a mini-vacation. If you got to read my CHUCKLING WITH THE DUCKS blog from last Fall; I decided to head over to Boiling Springs Children’s Lake (Central PA area of USA).

My intention was to sit in the same spot as before (I noticed the HA HA HA black marker letters were no longer there). My intention was to SIT, BE STILL, AND ALLOW NATURE TO CONTINUE ‘BEing’ around me. So, I find a nice spot on the gray stone step right down at the water level. The lake is fed by a natural water bubble, bubbling up from the earth. It was great. It was within a foot of me, where I sat!

I knew if I sat there long enough, even though it is a big lake, eventually the ducks, geese and white swans would slowly come by to visit. I knew all I had to do was relax and BE. I even got so relaxed as to remove my sneakers and socks (It was 74 degrees fahrenheit out!).

So, there I was, just BEing. Far from the madding crowd (ha ha). Ah, yes, *sigh – breathe in and out – far from thoughts of the Loonie-fields condo board ….. *sigh – ah yes – breathe in and out – just BEing – yessssss – birds twittering, flying, chirping…
feel the peace …

“HEY, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY SNAKES!” (laugh out loud) A red headed, freckled kid about 9 years old comes stomping towards me from the road. I look up and smile, telling him no, I hadn’t. I like kids and like talking and joking with them, so I didn’t mind.
The hilarious part is, (as I got up to help him look around for snakes and dip my feet in the cool refreshing water) he started to get more and more exaggerated with his LOVE of violence with animals! He let me know he had two days off school for the holiday.
He started to describe, in detail, the most deadly snakes of the world; how they bite and bite and bite and watch their prey slowly die! He went on and on and on! [WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PEACEFUL MOMENT?]

I asked where he had learned so much about snakes? He proudly revealed he had gone to the library! I told him that was great. He was frustrated that he had recently had to do a report on an animal for school. He said it had to be on the Polar Bear. I said, don’t you like Polar Bears? He said no, but all the GOOD animals were taken. He said he was 24th on the list to pick an animal and all the: SNAKES, LIONS, TIGERS – the good animals that kill stuff, were taken! I said, ‘Oh!’ (Was I talking to a future Charles Manson, here!) I said: Next time, if you want an interesting animal, try a rat or cockroach – they’ve been around since prehistoric times. They are amazing creatures. They adapt to all situations. HE WALKED AWAY! (laugh out loud!)

So, then – back to my PEACEFUL just BEing. Ah yess….. some ducks started to come towards me… a black bird… ah yess…. just BEing – then…. ‘JUMP DOWN TO THE GRAY ROCK NEAR THE WATER’S EDGE demanding: WHAT’S THIS!’ A woman coming behind the child, stating: THAT’S SEAWEED! (What seaweed was doing along the rock’s edge of a lake, I don’t know. ha ha The older woman was caught off-guard by the child’s question. She then said: ALGAE) Along comes another woman, who sits on the step directly behind me.

The first woman asks directly, as she sees my shoes and sneakers sitting on the wall to my left: FEET TIRED FROM WALKING? The little girl joins in: WHY DID YOU TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF!? (laugh out loud)

I said: ‘Because I’m a stressed out older woman who is working on relaxing.’ The older woman laughed. Then, an older gentleman (seemed to be a friend of the older woman) joined them. He came over to observe the little girl poking her stick at the: SHE ANNOUNCED – IT’S SEAWEED, GEORGE! IT’S SEAWEED! He said, Oh? (I had to laugh). Then, the little girl decided she needed to get up and down the steps by squeezing through the 2 inch space between the step I was sitting on and the wall. I was happy to accommodate. I thought it was funny. At one point, she was holding her stick with GOOPS AND GOOPS of dripping SEAWEED on it, about an inch from my head. The older woman asked her to not drip the GOOP ON THE LADY. (that was nice)

From listening to the foursome, it appeared the woman sitting behind me was the mother of the little girl. The mother had a back problem and had to take sitting breaks while walking around the lake. The older woman may have been a friend or grandparent.

I just had to laugh. I thought to myself while the little kid STORMED in with the SNAKES! question and the little girl who JUMPED freely off the wall down to the rock where I was sitting (along with the older woman talking to the girl’s mother about: MURDEROUS birds outside her window, knocking eggs out of a nest and killing the birds) – WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

I laughed to myself, and asked the question: ‘What am I learning here?’ I thought, ‘I drove AWAY from the Condo People to get some emotional and mental relaxation and I start to get VISITED by SNAKES, AND KIDS AND PEOPLE, OH MY!

Well, Dorothy, you didn’t have to leave Kansas to learn the lesson! I knew, when I got there, if I JUST SAT – the birds, swans, ducks and geese would softly, quietly, eventually float or fly over to me. I then realized, if I JUST SAT – the little boy with his snakes, the little girl with her seaweed goo, the woman with the murderous bird stories, eventually CAME and WENT!

After I realized this, I noticed the buds had started to sprout on the cherry blossom tree to my left. I noticed green buds appearing on the tree to my right. I noticed the Beautiful White Swans had suddenly appeared within viewing distance of me!

All I had to do was BE. Just BE. Sometimes loud little boys with stories of KILLER snakes appeared; sometimes little girls with Seaweed Goop, and sometimes blackbirds, ducks, geese or swans… but THEY ALL came and went.

It appears I experienced all the lessons of the Bible, Budhist Mindfulness, Rumi, and other great sources of inspiration – just by BEing at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs this afternoon. As I type this, a little bird is working its way through the grass outside my window…. it came and now it is going. My cat Kitty stopped by to visit and lounge across the keyboard so I would pet her furry belly while she relaxed… then, she left…

Thanks to ALL that visited me today!
Living life in amazement!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
LOOK OUT! IT’S A SNAKE COVERED IN SEAWEED GOO! …just kidding!
Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Living in the moment…
www.lafolot.com
[this blog post may also be seen at Vibrant Nation - Blog Circle name: Helenoflafolot ]

Rockin’ with Red Robin or Constructing, Wallowing and Waddling (…a Ha Ha Highlighted Helen moment)

Or should I say – getting through a menopausal, hormonal Helen kinda’ day? Oy Vey!
I feel like I’m on a scary Amusement Park ride with the ups and downs of the menopausal, hormonal cycle! Whew!

So, to start the day off, I got myself out of the house, to get myself ‘out of my mood’ and tried promoting myself, as far as being a singer, goes! Success, I made 4 new Helen of LAFOLOT sample singing demo CDs and dropped them off at 3 places! On the way to the one coffee house, I encountered some road construction. I like to ‘mess’ with construction folk when I drive by, to make their days a little more interesting. I’m SURE they love it! eh hem

On the way back home from the coffee house where I promoted my singing to the owner, I saw the heavy duty road equipment being maneuvered to place one of those cement segments used to redirect traffic on a highway. I saw them c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y trying to place the one concrete segment up against another. All I could think of is the old scenario where a person has a piano delivered and keeps telling the delivery guys to move it a little this way or that.

So, I rolled my window down to indicate that to the workers, but the equipment was too loud. Since no one was driving behind me, I slowly pulled up to the two workers, standing a little farther down the road, and hollered out the window; “I think they need to move that a Leeeeetle more to the left!” The workers smiled and laughed and I got out of there quickly. Ha Ha!

Then, as I approached the first stop light in the town/borough where I live; it was backed up a couple blocks. I rolled down my car window and put on my clown nose. I wanted to play with the guy who had his car hood open for maintenance while his girlfriend looked on. The traffic was stopped, so even though I didn’t end up getting their attention; a couple handymen working on the front porch of a house just behind my car saw what I was doing. I turned, and they were looking and laughing at me; poking my clown-nosed face out of the car window. Mission accomplished; I got a smile and laugh!

Well, being hormonal Helen, when I got home my mood instantly shifted from 0 to 60 and I got to make a fool of myself with the business dealings of all things. *sigh

Since I had a call from my accountant to pick up my tax forms, I thought it best to, once again, change my environment. I left to pick up the forms, review, sign and mail them. I headed over to my chiropractor appointment, he allowed me to ‘dump my frustrations’ about my hormonal mood swings and making a fool of myself on a daily basis. No extra charge!

Then, of course, I went to our local Red Robin restaurant to WALLOW in self-pity and order one of the mega-apple crisp with ice cream desserts!

Well, let me tell ‘ya! If you are ever ‘down in the dumps’ – go to a family/kid-oriented restaurant with birthday celebrations, a mingling mascot and balloon character artist! By the time I left that place, I was all smiles!

First, what luck! My server was a young, pregnant girl! I told her about my HORMONAL day and she said: no problem – I’m pregnant, I understand! I said, ‘thank goodness’ – so just ignore me if I snap at you. What a miracle this was!

Then, how wonderful, the Red Robin mascot was mingling with customers! Red Robin came over to my table. I had on my I LOVE TO LAFOLOT IT’S HEALTHY! Pin-back Button. I asked her if she remembered me from the summer when I met her at a park across the road. She had me stick my ‘LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!’ Bumper sticker on her bird tail! She said YES! Giving me a Thumbs up with her mascot hands.

Then, it got really funny! She started talking to me through her mascot beak! I gave her some of my LAFOLOT Smiley Face bookmarks to hand out to folks. She thanked me, because she said there is a family that comes in often, and they have a young daughter with juvenile diabetes. She gave me a ‘thumbs up’, because she likes giving gifts out to folks.

She got her box of goodies and gave me a GUMMY WORM! Hooray! I told her how I like worms, because they loosen the soil and help crops. She gave me a Red Robin thumbs up! We were talking more – her through her beak, and I laughed. I said it reminded me of the ‘GET SMART’ television show where ‘Agent 86’ used to talk to his informant ‘Heimie’ – who would hide in building air vents, etc. I told her she was an UNDER-COVER BIRD! This RUFFLED HER FEATHERS! Ha Ha

So she continued her mingling. When a dad came in with his wife and 3 daughters, she went to their table. She gave one of my smiley bookmarks to the mom, I think. I saw the mom and dad looking at it curiously. Why had Red Robin given them a LAFOLOT bookmark? Ha Ha

I got up and went over to explain. They laughed. I gave them 4 of my ‘REFLECT A SMILE’ Popsicle sticks that have a little mirror glued on the end. I told them all the silly uses for it, and they got a kick out of the gifts.

Then, a woman came to my table and said her mom was getting jealous and curious, wanting to know what I was handing out! WOW! I FOUND A NEW PLACE TO MARKET LAFOLOT! So, I got out some bookmarks, singing business cards, my LAFOLOT pamphlet and I still had a REFLECT A SMILE Popsicle stick. This lady was great! She said she was very aware of the health effects of laughter and we exchanged all our knowledge.

I showed her how to do my friend Kelly’s ‘Clap Clap Stomp Stomp Wiggle Wiggle’ remove snow before you go in the house dance. I told her where to find it at: www.youtube.com/Helenoflafolot
She told me she still loves to catch snowflakes on her tongue. I said, ‘Don’t forget jumping in puddles!’ ‘Or, through piles of leaves!’ she shared.

She had to run to the women’s room, so I went over to her mom at their booth. I only had the I LOVE TO LAFOLOT it’s Healthy! Button I was wearing. I asked her mom if she would like it? Her face lit up and she said ‘Yes!’ I gave her the pin. When I saw them leaving the restaurant, her mom was wearing the pin!

By the time I left Red Robin restaurant, I didn’t need the mega dessert. My mood had pleasantly shifted.
There’s a book by Don Miguel Ruiz called ‘The Four Agreements’. He notes that each day we do our best. Some days, our best is better than other days, but as long as we do our best, there’s no need to beat ourselves up. So, with all the hormonal Helen moments going on today; I guess I have to say I made many efforts to TURN IT AROUND and in the end got: ROCKIN’ WITH ROCKIN’ ROBIN and the rest of the gang!

Live Life! Laugh Often!
Live Life in a-MAZE-ment!
This has been a Ha Ha Highlighted Helen of LAFOLOT series of moments…
www.lafolot.com

BUILDING BLOCKS? (…a Highlighted Helen moment)

I think, sometimes, life throws blocks in our path to stir up the pot. It gets us to get out of a rut and change our direction; take a turn towards a different road.

Having taken early retirement in January of 2009, it’s been an adjustment working from home. It’s very easy to sleep in, lounge around in ‘jammies’, and get caught up in computer games or all day television show marathons!

I took the bull by the horns to help with the budget of both my money and time. I got rid of my television cable connection! But, the computer (while I use it for my business) is still there for the games; which are a great distraction when finding a reason not to work!

So, I had to laugh, this morning! I have had challenges with my internet service provider since I first went with them almost two years ago. It seems the internet connection goes down between 2:00-7:00am every day! Yes, I have called and called and called… did I say I called; over and over. This has not helped. Because I like the speed, extra services provided, and not wanting to have to change, I have stayed with them. Well, this morning, the connection was down till after 8:00am and continued to be unstable after that. [Oh! I also discovered a great use for GIBBERISH when trying to get past the electronic voice prompt, that won't allow you to talk to a live person. I started to talk nonsense/giggerish, which caused her to say: 'I'm sorry, I don't understand you.' This caused her to put me through to the Live Tech Support person queue!] HA HA!

Of course, I had plenty of other things to do! But my focus was on the internet connection. Yes, the thought came to mind: ‘Helen, this is a gift, now you can get focused on those non-internet, work related things you need to do. *cough, laugh, eh hem Right! Not getting the message, I phased out playing some non-internet computer games! I’m a tough one to get the hint!

So that was my first BLOCK of the day, trying to conk me on the head to give me the message to MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION! Step away from the computer, so to speak.

I decide to shower and then go to lunch and do grocery shopping. I had been putting off grocery shopping for 3 days. I conveniently kept forgetting. I was out of breakfast foods, this morning, as a result. So, I get myself out of the house and start to drive out of my condo development. It has a curved driveway with a stop sign at either exit. Well, second BLOCK! We have a condo owner who lives on the corner by the one exit. This woman has a habit of stopping people in their cars, leaning in their passenger windows and talking, talking, talking. This blocks the exit. So THERE SHE WAS, I had to beep my horn and she just looked at me. Finally, the driver pulled over a bit. The really funny thing is that there are many parking spaces where these people can pull in to talk to her, but they just sit at the exit by the stop sign.

So, grumbling as I was finally able to pull around her, I kept my mind, stopped at the stop sign and made use of the STOP and SMILE (taking a deep breath) technique at several other stop signs, once I started on my journey. I didn’t want to let the internet BLOCK and the driver talking BLOCK ruin my day.

I got to one of my favorite dining spots, ‘ISAACS’ and had a pleasant lunch. Upon leaving the restaurant, there was a car parked two spaces from me with the license plate: LAFNLAF I looked at it and HAD TO LAUGH and SMILE! I still wasn’t getting the messages about the BLOCKS, but I had to laugh that some sort of lesson or message was coming my way!

So I drive over to the grocery store and have a successful shopping experience. I even gave a Smiley Face bookmark to a cashier who smiled back at me when I was starting to exit the store! I told her about my smile campaign, being a laughter leader, etc.

BLOCK 3 – I’m trying to leave the store and there is a woman in front of me with a MEGA cart totally filled! She had to use all available muscles to push the cart. Glued to her side is her teenage daughter, tagging along as if behind a momma duck. As a result, the exit was very slow, due to the oversized, overstuffed cart, slow movement and the daughter in close proximity hugging her mother’s every move.

When I finally got to my car and unloaded my few groceries, just as I was unlocking my driver side door, a car pulls behind me BLOCKING my exit from my parking space! BLOCK 4! I look and it is a ‘senior gentleman’ sitting and waiting for specific parking space 3 spaces back from the main lane. It wasn’t a handicap spot, I guess he just wanted THAT particular spot. Problem was, the person in the space had an oversized, overstuffed cart and was slowly unloading their groceries. They weren’t even ready to pull out of their space! But, there he sat, waiting and waiting. I beeped to get his attention and signal him to move forward. He must have been hard of hearing, I beeped a second time and he continued to sit, determined to get his selected spot. Maybe it had sentimental value to him?

So, I started to get the gist of all the BLOCKS I was having fall into my path. I had received 4 BLOCKS thus far, today. Now that I have four blocks, I can actually start to BUILD on these blocks! Oh, yes! Another message I received was when I sat down to read my daily meditation while dining out for lunch. It mentioned about, you guessed it, interferences in life being opportunities! HA HA

So, I guess now I’m going to have to take all these ‘earlier seeming’ irritating BLOCKS; turn them into BUILDING BLOCKS, and see what interesting thing I can create out of them!

Excuse me, now I’m going to go play with my BUILDING BLOCKS! 

This has been a Highlighted Helen moment…
Live life in A-MAZE-MENT!
www.lafolot.com
[This blog can also be seen at Vibrant Nation, a website for women over 50. It's full of wonderful information and sharing.]

Feeling the love…

On my way to singing the music for a Sunday service UNITY Church in Palymra, PA (just outside of Hershey, PA) – I spotted a ROBIN!!! hopping around in a stream along with some starlings! What a thrill! Spring is just around the corner!

What a welcome relief after two weeks of 18 inches or more of snow! We’re expecting another 3 to 6 inches Monday and Tuesday; but that’s a ‘walk in the park’ after the dumploads we’ve received!

So if the Robin’s are feeling it is safe to come back to the area, I’m ‘feelin’ the love!’ ahahaha on Valentine’s Day!

I love singing at this Palmyra, PA Church because they are so warm and receiving of my music! I sang: ‘Perhaps Love’ by John Denver and ‘Love’s Divine’ by SEAL – both beautiful songs about giving, receiving and accepting/opening one’s self to love!

I felt like the moment in the GRINCH Christmas Special where it notes: ‘His heart grew so many times bigger, that day…” – because of the warm compliments and sharing of how the congregants felt hearing me sing! I felt like my heart was swelling with love and there was a golden glow radiating around me! I allowed myself to ‘FEEL THE LOVE’. One woman said she enjoyed hearing me sing; because my songs are personal and I share how they have impacted or express my own life experiences. THAT made me smile!

So here’s a plug for ‘Giving the GIFT of a Compliment’ as noted in Steve Wilson’s ‘Good Hearted Living’ principles.

During the service, a little boy didn’t want to leave his mom’s side to go to the Chidren’s Sunday school event. So, I gave him one of my Smiley Face LAFOLOT bookmarks and a popsicle stick with the words: ‘Reflect a Smile’ written on it along with a little round mirror glued to one end. It’s my latest promotional item to promote my talk called: REFLECTIONS

After the service, I headed out to lunch. The booth I was sitting in had an ‘open window’ looking into another booth. At one point, a toddler’s grandmother had corrected the little girl who was trying to get her hands on the salt and pepper shakers. I handed one of my bookmarks and Reflection popsicle sticks through the window opening into the other booth, for the grandmother to give to the little girl. A bit later, the little girl started to play ‘peek a boo’ with me into my booth. Guess she was: ‘Feeling the love!’ HA HA

Then, off to go grocery shopping. I keep my grocery list in my head by making up words out of the first letter of each item needed. I get a kick out of making up silly words. Today, it was: B BLAND ;o)

B=Berries (Cranberries)
B=Bananas
L=Litter (cat litter)
A=Apples
N=Nuts (slivered almonds)
D=Dressing (Salad dressing)

So – as I go shopping (something I don’t enjoy) I have to laugh or smile due to the silly phrase or words I make up to remember my grocery list! Guess I’m ‘saving a tree’ in the process as well as exercising my brain cells!

Then, on to fill up my gas tank, which was great because I had earned the 100 (plus) shopping points from the grocery store which got me 10 cents off per gallon (since the store sells gasoline, too!)

Due to the cold winds howling by the gas pumps (and, me not having worn ear muffs or brought a scarf) – I was standing there using my: ‘PORTABLE EAR MUFFS’ aka holding my gloved hands up to my ears to keep them warm! This made a man, who was putting air in his tires, look over and laugh at the silly pose I was striking at the gas pumps!

On my way home, I was sitting at the long traffic light, caught a young boy in an SUV looking over at me. I put on my clown nose and looked back over, he turned, saw me and tapped his mom on the shoulder. She looked over and started to laugh – just as their turning lane light changed.

So, for Valentines Day, I guess you could say I was ‘Feeling’ and ‘Sharing’ the LOVE!

This has been a series of HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT moments…
thank you very much!

www.lafolot.com

GIFT OF THE TINSEL HEADBAND DEELY BOBBER
December 22, 2009

Heading over to one of my favorite business supply stores: A.C. MOORE Crafts; I parked at the far end of the parking lot. I was wearing my SKECHER SHAPE UPS and wanted to get some exercise, walking to the store.

I also like parking farther out in the lot, because of the shore birds. Yes! Even though we live ‘in-land’, shore birds hang out in the parking lot in the winter! They have food and a creek, nearby – so this has become their ‘chill out’ place. I love watching them interact with each other. They are used to the shoppers, as well as get excited when one of the residents of the area brings bread and stuff for them.

So, I start my trek towards A.C. Moore Crafts, hearing the familiar ding, a ling, a ling of the Salvation Army Holiday bell; getting the attention of shoppers to drop a donation into the bucket.

As a Certified Laughter Leader, my ‘yearly’ uniform headdress is a ‘tinsel deely bobber headband’. This is because I have stick-straight, fine hair and it doesn’t mess up my hair like a hat would. Being the Christmas Season, at the moment, I’ve been wearing it when I go food shopping or any other shopping.
Actually – I don’t need a reason, I wear it in the middle of the summer into restaurants! Ha Ha

So, as I approach the store and the Salvation Army volunteer sees me, she starts to smile and laugh. She calls out, ‘WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE?’ I walk closer and let her know, Oriental Trading Co., but would YOU like them, even though I have worn them?

She said YES, and smiled. I said, ‘Here, let me put them on for you!’ She had her hands full and was busy doing her volunteer work, so I didn’t want to interrupt her! She was a cute, a bit unkempt; her hair seemed as if it hadn’t been washed.

As I placed the Tinsel Deely Bobber Headband (it also has bells attached) on her head, I stated: ‘I now pronounce you QUEEN!’ She smiled and laughed, wore them with pride, as she rang her volunteer bell!

When I was exiting the store, I called out loudly as another customer was going by her: ‘Where DID you get that wonderful tinsel headband?’ She smiled and laughed, saying: ‘I WONDER!?’ Her eyes were sparking.

I teach the gift is in the giving. I love wearing those headbands because people give me a lot of smiles and laughs and odd looks while I’m wearing them and catching people off guard. I didn’t mind giving that up so this young girl could experience some of that herself. People tend to run in the opposite direction of the Salvation Army Bell ringers. Hopefully, the headband will draw more smiling, laughing face to her, this season!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! PEACE AND PROPERITY TO ALL, THIS SEASON AND INTO THE NEW YEAR!
HA HA Helen of LAFOLOT
Living Life in Amazement!
Live Life! Laugh Often!
www.lafolot.com

CHUCKLING WITH THE DUCKS!
September 15, 2009

Due to having had a highly stressful past week, I decided to do something healthy for myself. I drove 6 miles to the quaint rural town of Boiling Springs, PA to ‘take a nature moment’. [I ended up having a casual LAUGHTER session with the CHUCKLING, CHATTERING, HONKING, HEH HEH HEHing DUCKS as I released my stress and communed with nature.]

My destination: Boiling Springs Children’s Lake
This is a beautiful, pristine lake made by the BUBBLING waters from a natural, Artesian Well!
There are stone steps at various areas, leading to the water. There is a path all around the lake. It’s beautiful! It is home to a variety of Mallard Ducks, White Geese with Bright Orange beaks, Brown Geese, and some swans!

I made sure to wear my bug spray, due to the swarms of mosquitoes in our area.
My intention was to have a peaceful, meditative time, communing with nature.

I STEALTHILY walked across the grass towards the first stone step area I saw, leading down to the water.
There was a group of Mallard Ducks ‘just hanging out’ along the grass near the stone wall surrounding the lake. I didn’t want to disturb them…. So sloooowwwwwly I approached with ‘KUNG FU – GRASSHOPPER-like’ stealthiness. (is that a word? ;o) )

As I reached the top, stone step – NO FOOLING! I SWEAR! – what had someone written on the stone with black marker but: HAHAHA (one HA on top of the other in columnar form)

Just then, some of the sleeping mallard ducks started to honk/cluck??; but they sounded like they were LAUGHING! Quack quack quack! Heh Heh Hehhhhhh!

So! Taking the synchronistic message from the Universe – HA HA HELEN sat on the HA HA HA STEP!

My stealth walking worked! I hadn’t disturbed the Mallard ducks nestled to the right of me, on the grass! *pfew!

Some Mallard ducks were in the lake water, just 3 steps down from where I was sitting.
I was thrilled to not have disturbed their routine.

There were a bunch of Geese, farther out in the lake, HONKING HONKING HONKING –

The longer I sat there, the more the natural movement of the FOWL FRIENDS continued around me.

At one point – 7 White Geese and two – inter-FOWL geese (1/2 white ½ brown) – there’s no prejudice in this community! – swam towards me. Then, they went to an area to my left where they could walk out of the lake onto the grass. It was so wonderful, I guess the lead/guard goose came over to ‘check me out’ for safety sake. I remained still. Then they happily went around, finding food items in the grass/dirt.

Having gotten past my bug phobia a year ago – now being in appreciation of all life – a bee started to fly around my hand. I sat still, THRILLED that I could accept it. It lightly flew around my hand and graced me with a soft kiss of its furry body. I had to SMILE – having allowed myself to have this peaceful interaction with this industrious insect.

Then came the loud, boisterous geese from the far end of the lake. It was great! They were flapping their wings with vigor – flying about 15 feet as their webbed feet skimmed the water – then they would THRUST themselves INTO the water – SWIM 15 FEET UNDER WATER! – and pop up out of the water! I had never seen this before! It seemed to be the larger geese that were doing this – possibly strengthening their wings, getting ready to fly South? The smaller geese seemed to be staying out of it. So, I thought it might be a way of showing their strength? Either way, it was a joy to behold!

Later, the large, white, orange billed geese PLOPPED one by one, off the stone wall, back into the lake.

Then, two Mallard ducks swam towards where I was sitting. It was like one of them was CHATTERING with the other one, telling a story. It was making this very fast CHATTERING sound as if it was LAUGHING as it was telling a story to its friend! I LAUGHED OUT LOUD when I heard it!

So, I had a casual LAUGHTER session with the CHUCKLING, CHATTERING, HONKING, HEH HEH HEHing DUCKS as I released my stress and communed with nature.

It was a HA HA HAPPY TIME!
HA HA HELEN OF LAFOLOT
LIVING IN THE MOMENT…
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!

[this blog can also be read at the Vibrant Nation site under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]