LAFOLOT

I made the choice of taking an early, early retirement and living off a very limited income in February of 2008. I decided to start my own business due to my SCHOOL OF LIFE lessons and big AH HA! moment causing me to SHIFT my Perception of my Life and Personal Awareness.

Part of my growth, for the 10 years prior, was to get familiar with 12 Step Programs which involved letting go of anger and frustration with my personal awareness of a GOD. Suggestions came at me to ‘pick my own name’ for my higher power. At one point it was G.U.S. (Guidance, Understanding and Support), it then grew to WILSON (named after the friendly, kind-hearted, always ready with the helpful advice) neighbor on the sitcom HOME IMPROVEMENT. You never saw his face, but he always helped worked out their questions and problems – even if they had trouble interpreting what he was conveying.

Fastforward to September 2010. I am now into MOSEY-ING (is that a word) at my MOBILE Park. I’ve chosen over the years to release more and more material possessions, downsize and release physical as well as emotional baggage.

Lately, I’ve been jokingly saying I’m taking my lifestyle from the ANDY GRIFFITH show. As I was out in the beautiful weather, blue sky, upper 70s (fahrenheit), crickets chirping ‘Weed Whacka HA HA HAing’ my mini-lawn – I thought: I think I’ll rename my higher power ANDY GRIFFITH. HAHAHAHa

What did Andy do when ‘car thieves’ came to Mayberry R.F.D? Well the crooks didn’t know there was only one main road in and out of town. Andy just got in his patrol car, took a back road – and while the car thieves were racing to get out of town – Sherriff Andy was just Sitting on the hood of his car – waiting for them to come to him – since it was the only way out of town.

No stress, no worry, just calm, collected easy-going thinking – addressing the problem (was there a problem to him?) head on.

So, as I weed-whacka-ha ha ha’d my yard and started to clean up. I’ve started to sit on my freshly mowed/whacked lawn, I slowly, easily, no stress start to coil the verrrrry long, outdoor extension cord. I love that everytime I go to reuse it, it unravels easily.

When I did technical support, I saw how FAST technology was progressing. I feel there is good to technology; but that NOW – it’s nice to ‘take the Andy Griffith’ approach and kick back, slowly doing a task like winding the power cord neatly back into place.

I am enjoying doing things MORE SLOWLY and METHODICALLY – SMILING as I do them –
grateful for my mind which helps me to untangle the cord when it does get tangled.
grateful for the ability to weed whack my own yard -
grateful for the mind and physical ability to UNPLUG and work at untangling the weed wacking cord if I haven’t put it back together properly when checking the line feed.

Just like washing dishes by hand, and getting to watch the birds and butterflies outside my kitchen window, little tasks can take on CALMING effects and help to take a break from the FAST PACED technology zooming by us, today.

Just like ANDY GRIFFITH on Mayberry R.F.D. – taking time to SMILE at another driver at an intersection and DRIVE MYSELF and OTHERS happy – helping to deal with road rage, and getting them to get off a cell phone or stop texting –

ANDY GRIFFITH, WILSON, or whatever/whoever you call your Higher Power would enjoy MOSEY-ING at my mobile park, too – I’d like to think. *smile

Have a pleasant day, turn off the cell phone, toss it in the back seat while you drive, and stop and smile at someone at a large, traffic light intersection.

Mentally sitting on my porch, rocking and widdling and singing the Mayberry R.F.D. theme song …

Highlighted Ha Ha Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
Stay Sweet!
Live life in A-MAZE-Ment – it’s how it’s meant to be lived – I think…
What do YOU think?
www.lafolot.com

Finally settling into my new modular home after letting go of my condo and putting it on the market –
this has been a day full of surprises!

I tend to have premonitions. I thought this morning, ‘I need to move some of my LAFOLOT Live Life! Laugh Often!’ inventory’. As I was getting ready to leave my favorite Thai restaurant, Thai Palace – the owner/chef peeked out of the kitchen: ‘Do you have any more of those T-Shirts he asked?’ His cute daughter, Elizabeth was there also. YES! I said! Then, I realized he was talking about the new, ‘ME!’ t-shirt I had created and was wearing.

What size? I asked. XL – Yes – I had one in my stash in the car! So I sold him a ME! (LAFOLOT) t-shirt as well as an “I Love to LAFOLOT and GIGGLE, too!” shirt for his daughter, in exchange for a free lunch, tomorrow! I love bartering t-shirts for Thai food!

Then, I headed up the road to complete a few more errands. On the way home, I stopped at a Burger King drive-thru for a soda. My throat was feeling crappy from the hot/humid/allergin-ridden air. It was really hot, even with the A/C, waiting behind one other car. Seemed like it was taking awhile for their ‘fast food’ order. I got my money ready, pulled up to the window and the girl announced: ‘HERE! IT’S FREE! SINCE YOU HAD TO WAIT SO LONG!’
WOW! What a nice surprise!

I instantly thought of the ‘Good Hearted Living Principles’ by Steve Wilson, CSP (my Certified Laughter Leader teacher). I thought, Thursdays may be for Kindness; but we need a day for SURPRISES! Then, I realized, the SURPRISE is the RESULT of the KINDNESS for the recipient!

As I got to a major intersection traffic light, traffic in front of me was doing the usual STOP, Look and make a RIGHT turn on RED – which is allowed in my neck of the woods. So, I did the same. Well, BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
I automatically screamed and my hands almost flew off the steering wheel! A car was directly on my bumper! From WHERE had it come?

That was my LAST SURPRISE! All I have to say is, it’s best not to do a strong, loud, BEEP when something like that happens. I certainly didn’t pull out in front of anyone on purpose. It looked like I had the ‘all clear.’ Plus, traffic was at a stand still due to another red light up the road and traffic having to merge. No one was going anywhere fast.
So, I don’t really know why the vehicle that beep, did so loudly and aggressively, since we both had to slowly merge into the congested traffic.

So SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE as Gomer Pyle used to say! Some from a psychic premonition, some from a treat for being nice and waiting patiently and some from aggressive, angry drivers –

either way – my blood is pumping and my heart is functioning fine! Thank you very much!

Have a happily, surprising day!
HA HA Helen Szollosy of LAFOLOT
www.lafolot.com
LIVE LIFE! LAUGH OFTEN!

[this blog can also be seen at VIBRANT NATION under blogger name: Helenoflafolot]