I am borrowing the name of the iconic 1952 movie musical - and its title song – in an attempt to describe one of those priceless New York evenings that contain all the ingredients of unexpected magic.

Last night was cold and wet enough to discourage all but the most intrepid to stay home with a good book. But my friend Margie and I had tickets to a concert at The Church of the Transfiguration, (famously known as “The Little Church Around the Corner”), presenting an emerging star, a lyric coloratura soprano, Siobhan Stagg from Australia, in a tribute to renowned opera royalty, Dame Nellie Melba and Dame Joan Sutherland.

The venue, a landmark Episcopalian church that looks like it would be at home in Switzerland, is famous among Broadway elite for intimate weddings and other occasions deemed too low-brow by more imposing houses of worship.

I would rather hang out at Jazz at Lincoln Center than the Metropolitan Opera. But Margie is a connoisseur of opera so what the heck, a short recital in an exquisite jewel box of a setting was quite inviting.

THE WARMTH AND LIGHT WITHIN WAS SUCH A COUNTERPOINT TO THE DAMP DREARY CITY THAT, IN A STRANGE WAY, THE WEATHER ACTUALLY ENHANCED THE CELEBRATORY TONE OF ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS.

AND WHAT ELEMENTS!

This lovely young lady’s glorious voice would have exploded any crystal present.

Speaking of elements, when Margie and I emerged into the wintry night, in search of food and then an available taxi, it was business as usual. The Thai cooking was served lukewarm and all the drivers were off-duty. The enchantment nonetheless remained. We were grateful there was no ice underfoot.

I guess this blog is really about finding a true voice; in this case the voice of a singer, a religious community, a city. Taking whatever nature or circumstances throw at us and transforming the mundane into melody takes attitude and insight plus talent.

Who will ever forget Gene Kelly, grinning ear to ear, splashing blissfully through drenched streets singing at the top of his voice while kicking up a storm?

THINK OF SOME METAPHORS FOR MUSIC.

FINDING ONE’S VOICE IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO SINGING OR EVEN SPEAKING.

An artist expresses harmony in a painting.

A guy wears a great tie, a bright grace note.

She is a symphony in silk.

I WENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF TRAINING SKILLS BEFORE I FOUND MY WRITING VOICE.

As an image consultant I published a newsletter – a how-to guide for my clients; also an office etiquette manual.

Learning to write grant proposals with convincing passion to fund my nonprofit was a key to survival - assisting disadvantaged folk toward self-sufficiency takes bucks.

When my precious Pekinese, Princess Yin, crossed over, my sole salvation in coping with grief was writing an unpublished memoir, “Forever Princess”.

I entered a contest for a writing contract with a proposal for a book to be called, “Darling, You Are Divine.” I thought it was good. I lost.

TO EXPRESS ONE’S HIGHEST SELF IN DRESS, DEMEANOR AND LIFE WORK FORGES A PATH THROUGH CONFUSED THOUGHT,  BRINGING TRUTH TO IDENTITY,
REVEALING AUTHENTICITY, INTEGRITY AND BEAUTY.

WRITING FOR ME HAS ALWAYS SERVED AS A LAMP TO LIGHT THE DARKNESS, SHOWING THE WAY FOR INDIVIDUALITY EXPLORATION, AND EXPERIMENTATION – ALWAYS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

 ALL FACETS OF A DIAMOND ARE CUT TO MAXIMIZE THE BRILLIANCE HIDDEN WITHIN.

SING IN THE RAIN!

GLOW WITH YOUR UNIQUE GLORY!

This week I traveled by Second Avenue bus from East 79^th St. to 60^th St., on my way to Bed, Bath and Beyond, a favorite store for variety, value and service. I seldom ride the new “blue light” express around 3 PM because it bursts with screaming boisterous children escaping from school.

 So I’m waiting endlessly for the local and looking over my fellow passengers. As usual, impaired folk are frequently among the group. Most riders are fairly patient with the slow-mo pace caused by the boarding of people with walkers and motorized wheel chairs, understanding what a blessing in mobility for the disabled is bought at the price of a little inconvenience.

 One lady was particularly outstanding. Riding her smart black vehicle, accompanied by her daughter, she wore a cherry red down coat, wrapped against the wind in a voluminous black and white animal print throw. Peeking out from on top, anchored by a small plaid scarf, was a taupe knit beret; below were fashionable taupe suede booties.

 Blank blue eyes stared out from her tiny ninety-eight year old face, as I spoke to her daughter - so solicitous in making sure her aged mother maintained as much dignity and presence as possible. The love was tangible, touching all who bothered to notice.

 Another woman, somewhat younger, still mobile and quite vocal looked pityingly at the ancient one and announced, “I hope they shoot me when I get to that point, don’t you?” I replied, “You really don’t mean that.” She sheepishly said “I guess not.” To her credit, she faced the blustery day in a oversized black and brown leopard spotted faux fur coat, crocheted cap and beige khakis.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO TODAY’S LADY OF EIGHTY? GONE ARE THE DOWDY DUDS, THE DATED HANDBAG. LET THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER TAKE NOTE AND VOW VERILY THAT THEY WILL MAINTAIN THEIR VISIBILITY AND VIABILITY TILL THEY DEPART FOR A NEW ADVENTURE.

 Could there be a connection between this improved transportation technology and the rejuvenated outward appearance and activity of so many seasoned citizens? After all when one is housebound, a housedress or ratty robe will do. Who’s to see? Who cares? It becomes a stale leftover life. When dependent on others to glimpse the light of day and diversified faces, discouragement sets in and it gets easier to give up. When out and about, new trends are noticed, shop windows invite, restaurants beckon, fresh relationships can begin. An appetite for living as well as nourishment can be stimulated.

 Kudos to the powers that be for providing access for our older and/or infirm residents. Now if only there were more effective ways to facilitate positive change in minds as well as bodies so that they may enjoy expanded horizons!

 Of course there are books, some organizations and occasional television programs that address this issue; however the previous conditioning of the past almost always blocks acceptance of the new, even preventing willingness to explore possibilities.

 PERHAPS A PARTIAL SOLUTION LIES IN BETTER PREPARATION FOR THE INEVITABILITY OF LIFE CHANGES.

 PRACTICING ONGOING VERSATILITY, ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY OF THE BRAIN AS WELL AS THE BODY MUST BE A DISCIPLINE, ENTHUSIASTICALLY ACCEPTED, IN ORDER TO RETAIN AT LEAST SOME OF THE PROMISES OF YOUTH.

 I just remembered/realized that there is something else going on here, something critically important:

 THE ACCRUED FALSE BELIEFS THAT ARE OUR LEGACIES
FROM OUR PREDECESSORS.

 ONE OF THESE MANY ASSUMPTIONS IS THAT:
 AGE = DETERIORATION AND LOSS

 THIS ERROR IS SO INGRAINED IN PSYCHE THAT IT MIGHT AS WELL BE CARVED IN GRANITE.

When Michelangelo was asked how he created his famous statue of David he replied that he could see the statue was already within the stone and merely chipped away the superfluous pieces until David was revealed.

In a similar way our truth is revealed beneath our programming.

GET THE TOOLS OF YOUR INTELLECT SHARPENED TO CHIP AWAY ALL FALSEHOOD.

 BE MASTER OF YOUR MIND OR LOSE IT!

In the heyday of the textile converting business in New York, before its relocation to the Far East, a firm’s sales manager worked closely with the stylist, coordinating products according to the requirements of its customers. My sales manager was a guy named Sy, known for his hard driven Type A work (and play) habits.

One Tuesday afternoon I needed to consult with Sy on a matter important to both us and our client. No way was this going to happen. Sy ALWAYS played tennis on Tuesdays after work, or should I say overwork. As I chased him toward the elevator pleading for five minutes, he turned to me as the doors closed and said, “Irene, I hope I never have another day like this one!”

SY DROPPED DEAD ON THE TENNIS COURT THAT EVENING! HE WAS 43. 

One of Sys’ favorite descriptive phrases was “pain in the ass” – it was not surprising when he was rushed to the hospital one night in Memphis for an emergency hemorrhoid operation. 

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT UNCONSIDERED EVERYDAY SPEECH CONTAINS SELF-FULFILLING PROPHESIES? 

When agreeing to a request, I had always replied “My pleasure.” Then I began to use “no problem”, until I realized that I was voicing two negative words, asking for trouble. 

The subconscious mind is very literal, taking all thought and word input at face value. “Oh, so you want more problems?” O.K. 

I’M BACK TO “MY PLEASURE.” 

This sort of phenomenon is very popular with folks who make up jokes: 

A man and his wife, in their sixties, were celebrating their wedding anniversary. On their special day a good fairy came to them and said that because they had been such a devoted couple she would grant each of them a very special wish. 

The wife wished for a trip around the world with her husband. 

Whoosh! Immediately she had airline/cruise tickets in her hands. 

The man wished for a female companion 30 years his junior. 

Whoosh! Immediately he turned ninety!!!

When two opponents differ (read argue) and the verbal exchange escalates, the best possible outcome is an angry stalemate – a cold war in which no one wins and both lose. 

Unless one party decides to hold fire (or his tongue), allowing the other to vent and run out of steam. The pressure is then off; resolution is possible. 

 This conscious cessation of assault by one individual forces the other to listen to his own words without interruption – eventually there is nothing left to say.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SILENCE!

FREQUENTLY PEOPLE JUST WANT TO BE HEARD.

FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT; THEN GIVE IT TO THEM.

 LISTEN TO YOURSELF; WOULD YOU RATHER BE RIGHT OR HAPPY?

As the number of candles increase on my birthday cake, I marvel that my creative powers accelerate as my physical powers do their very best to maintain.

There is reason to rejoice to be aging at a time that a groundswell is unmistakably rising that puts a positive spin on what has usually been regarded as a one way downhill street.

I was originally going to title this blog “Late Bloomers”. While exploring the possibilities, I discovered that one of my favorite writers, Malcolm Gladwell, had written an article for the “New Yorker” in which he presented examples of evidence to the contrary. According to Gladwell:

 Late bloomers frequently enjoy an extended and productive Indian summer!

Fellow HuffPost blogger Ari Seth Cohen, on his website “Advanced Style”, celebrates courageous seasoned citizens who defy stereotyping, have fun along the way and inspire others.

I AM SAYING THAT EVEN AN EARLY BLOOMER CAN CONTINUE TO BEAR BLOSSOMS IN MATURITY; THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT FLOWERS OR EVEN FRUIT INSTEAD!

My life has born witness to several incarnations: from textile designer/stylist to image consultant to founder/CEO of a non-profit organization to workshop developer/presenter to what I now have decided to call “Life Stylist”.

OTHERS MUST HAVE SIMILAR RESUMES.

So I went to the web and typed in “consecutive careers”. Guess what? As usual my history was way ahead of the curve. Perhaps because people are living longer and more actively; perhaps as a result of economic necessity or sheer boredom, employees no longer work for one firm for decades and get a gold watch on retirement.

THERE WERE A DEARTH OF EXAMPLES BEYOND PERFORMERS BECOMING POLITICIANS AND VICE-VERSA! SUSAN BOYLE CAN’T BE THE ONLY POSTER CHILD FOR LATE BLOOMERS! I WOULD WELCOME STORIES.

When the textile business in the United States migrated to the Far East, I was literally forced to use “transferable skills” to make a living. Since working with pattern was no longer an option, I used my talent for fashion and fabric to work with women and men on their professional appearance. This turned a bummer into a blessing as the world opened to new and exciting possibilities.

The heyday of the eighties became the somber realities of the nineties; that presented a cue to offer disadvantaged women and at-risk youth a better chance for self-sufficiency through providing appropriate clothing and workshops to sharpen workplace skills.

 AS CAREERS MOVE THROUGH INEVITABLE TWISTS AND TURNS OF THE MARKETPLACE, ONE CAN STEP UP TO A NEW LEVEL BY BUILDING ON AND IMPROVING THE OLD. 

FROM EXPERIENCE I HAVE LEARNED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT SURFACES IN LIFE, SEEMINGLY RANDOMLY.

 While checking out possible sources geared to documenting success in older individuals, a site offering info based on numerology appeared. Years ago I had toyed with this system and found it interesting and informative.

So I purchased and downloaded my personal profile, comprising what amounted to a biography; to my amazement I discovered that through a long and diversified path I had already mastered most of the challenges of this lifetime. (OK, so there are a couple left.)

MY PRESENT COURSE IS CRYSTAL CLEAR!

WHEN THE TIME BEFORE IS CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN THE TIME AHEAD, IT BEHOOVES ONE TO CAREFULLY CHOOSE ONE’S THOUGHTS AND ACTIVITIES!

 Kids do it delightfully and effortlessly.

News couldn’t exist without doing it.

Photographers, before digital, did it in a darkroom.

“LET’S DO IT”, SANG THE SEDUCER IN THE AMUSING LYRIC, “LET’S FALL IN LOVE”!
Cole Porter

We’re all evolving all the time – evolvement is an integral component of the word development.

The children who lived in my apartment building when I moved in with my six year old son in the fifties are now parents and grandparents.

This apartment house has more children residents than adults – or so it seems when boarding its one elevator.

REAL ESTATE IS ALWAYS ON THE MOVE.

My first job after art school was in an ancient factory on Wooster Street. The lift there was actually manually operated using a pulley system. Fire engines clanged every five minutes. Talk about development! That neighborhood was about as far away from fashionable Soho as you could get, housing small industries and penniless artists’ lofts. I worked making screens for printing textiles. Well, a girl’s got to eat. And a city’s got to gentrify.

IT DAWNED ON MY AWARENESS RECENTLY THAT CHALLENGE, WHICH DEFINES OUR LIVES AND PRECEDES CHANGE, IS DEVELOPMENT’S NOT-SO-SILENT PARTNER, WITHOUT WHICH NO GROWTH IS POSSIBLE.

WITH THIS REALIZATION I KNEW WITHOUT DOUBT THAT I COULD NOT EVEN SO MUCH AS WRITE THIS BLOG WITHOUT THE TOTALITY OF LIFE’S EXPERIENCES.

DEVELOPMENT CAN BE DAUNTING.

My darling friend Beverly is just about the best example of the courage it sometimes takes to literally go through the valley of the shadow of death with wit and grace.

We met as teen agers, double-dating cousins – she the rich one – me the poor one – we both ended up divorced. She was a rising singer in the chorus of several Rogers and Hammerstein musicals on Broadway - a true Alice in Wonderland with long blond hair and an outsized mezzo-soprano voice.

A couple of years ago Bev was diagnosed with a virulent form of cancer. Treatment required the removal and replacement of her blood.

When we talked, after her remarkable recovery, Bev told me that this ordeal was - for her - the highest form of adventure - that the kindness she received during her care in the form of medical professionals, family and friends enabled her to literally take the high road to wellness!

DEVELOPMENT CAN TAKE ANY DIRECTION.

EVOLVEMENT UPWARD IS AN OPTION.

ANY CHOICE MUST BID FAREWELL TO THE PAST.

AS 2012 SPIRALS INTO THE FUTURE AND THE WORLD SEEMS HELLBENT ON SPIRALING DOWNWARD INTO OBLIVION, LET’S BE OH SO THANKFUL THAT -

AS INDIVIDUALS WHO COALESS INTO ONE ENTITY WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE WISELY AND USE OUR CHALLENGES AS LEVERAGES THAT WILL ELEVATE OUR COLLECTIVE GOOD.

IN ADDITION TO THE GATES AND WINFREYS WHO GRATEFULLY ARE GIVING BACK FROM THEIR ABUNDANCE – THE REST OF US MAY RECOGNIZE THAT HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL ACROSS THE BOARDS AND BOARDROOMS AND BEDROOMS OF OUR NATION.

NOTHING WE HAVE CAN BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

NOTHING REVERBERATES LIKE A BOOMERANG.

NOTHING MATTERS MORE THAN FAMILY EXCEPT THE REALIZATION THAT WE ARE ALL FAMILY.

DELVE INTO THIS ETERNALLY DEVELOPING LIFESPRING

HEART FIRST!

"Follow the Leader" is a childhood game which almost universally is played unquestioningly throughout life.

Somewhere along the way Thomas Paine upgraded and expanded the rules. He gave us options, advising
“Be a leader, follow a leader or get out of the way.”

On a personal level, presumably, one’s ego decides which path to pursue – which train to board that will arrive promptly and safely at one’s intended destination.

It’s wisest to make certain that all the decisions of the ego are guided by a Higher Intelligence.

I LIKE THE ANALOGY OF A TRAIN.

THERE’S THE ENGINE UP FRONT GRINDING ITS GEARS, PUFFING AWAY WITH ALL THE CARS CHUGGING BEHIND AND THE CABOOSE BRINGING UP THE REAR!

THE TRACKS, OR PROGRAMING, DETERMINE THE COURSE OF THE TRIP.

THE ENGINEER SEEMINGLY HAS CONTROL, YET HE RUNS ALONG ESTABLISHED ROUTES – INCAPABLE OF INDEPENDENT ACTION.

THE ENGINEER, OR EGO, THINKS HE’S IN CHARGE!

This thought is delusional, since the Master Mind behind the mechanisms of the railroad is clearly the Originator and Architect - Who conceived and constructed the system which is perfectly designed to take passengers where they choose to go.

I received an amusing animated email today, depicting a paunchy pink pig pulling every trick to reach a jar of cookies perched atop a refrigerator. He is totally frustrated by his failure, driven to ever more desperate measures.

Finally the jar topples, spilling the cookies – then - at last! - yummy! – the instant that Porky is about to pop one into his eager mouth the upturned jar crashes down covering his head!

Frequently goals remain out of reach, slipping through fingers at the last moment or, if attained, the cookies don’t taste so good or produce indigestion. We label failure bad luck, take an antacid, go back to bed or give up the struggle. Few have the tenacity of Thomas Edison. Or his true inspiration.

THOUGH IT IS PROBABLE THAT
TRY, TRY AGAIN IS THE MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA OF MANY WHO EVENTUALLY SUCCEED TO SOME DEGREE,
MOST PLANS ARE MISDIRECTED...GUIDED BY THE INFLATED EGOTISTICAL MIND!

So what’s the connection between trains and brains?

THEY BOTH RUN ON WELLWORN TRACKS!

THE RAILS ARE RE-ENFORCED TO LAST INDEFINITELY!

ONLY A HIGHER DEGREE OF INTELLIGENCE CAN CHANGE THEIR COURSE!

The ego is a needed and valuable component of the human experience, making life’s logistics doable.

The ego is the go to for expediting the mundane and ordinary.

The ego is the bean counter for our being.

APPRECIATE, VALUE AND REWARD YOUR EGO AS A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.

ALWAYS KEEP THE KEYS TO YOUR CAR UNDER THE ULTIMATE CONTROL OF THE CREATOR AND HIS DESIGNATED DRIVERS, OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS.

BLESS THE PILOTS, THE CABBIES, CONDUCTORS AND OTHER CUSTODIANS OF OUR SAFETY...MAY THEY TRANSPORT US COMPETENTLY AND COMFORTABLY.

Society is to some degree responsible for its citizens.

Systems are fallible. So are people.

Rules are broken. So are hearts.

Both trains and brains, when in alignment with a Higher Purpose, will serve us well.

 MAY YOU ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR!

MAY YOU ARRIVE HAPPILY AT YOUR DESTINATION!

MAY YOUR COOKIES BE DELICIOUS AND SATISFYING!

Happy 2012!!!

Picture this: I am sixteen years old attending my first English 101 class at Women’s College,University of North Carolina. Our professor is Elizabeth Bowen, a small spritely silver-haired lady who instructs us to outline Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance” as our initial assignment.

 My roommate, Rita Robbins, and I turn in our work. When we return to class we see our outlines on the blackboard as being the only two acceptable examples. Now Rita is a bright girl from a good school in Brooklyn– no big deal for her.

I hailed from High Point High in North Carolina and had rarely outlined anything before. Furthermore, it was only through the grace of God that I graduated high school and went on to higher education. I was far more interested in daydreaming, drawing in my notebook or just gazing out of the window.

I SHALL ALWAYS ADORE ELIZABETH BOWEN. SHE WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN MY LIFE TO SEE POTENTIAL IN HER ARTISTIC, DYSLEXIC, INSECURE STUDENT.

I ALSO ADORED EMERSON’S IDEAS, WHICH RESONATED AT A LEVEL NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED AND TO WHICH I WAS ABLE TO RELATE.

This morning I awoke with a biblical refrain running through my brain – “And be ye not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2

Always alert to messages bubbling to the surface of my mind upon awakening, I sensed a blog coming on. After coffee I hit the keyboard;

Mining the word “conformed” revealed pure gold!

Digging into “The Quote Garden” yielded these nuggets:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind."
Dr. Seuss

‘Not all those who wander are lost.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
Mark Twain

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.”
Herman Melville

“Fashion is what you adopt when you don’t know who you are.”
Quentin Crisp

“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.”
Katherine Hepburn

THEN – AHA!!!

“IT IS EASY IN THE WORLD TO LIVE AFTER THE WORLD’S OPINION; IT IS EASY IN SOLITUDE TO LIVE AFTER OUR OWN; BUT THE GREAT MAN IS HE WHO IN THE MIDST OF THE CROWD KEEPS IN PERFECT SWEETNESS THE INDEPENDENCE OF SOLITUDE.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson.”Self-Reliance”

Others agree, including me.

THE BARD FAMOUSLY SAID:

“To thine own self be true.
And it must follow as night the day,
 Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

FRIEDRICH NIETZCHE REMARKED:

“Giving style to one’s character – a great and rare art! It is exercised by those who see all the strengths and weaknesses of their own natures and then comprehend them in an artistic plan until everything appears as art and reason and even weakness delights the eye.”

IN THE OPINION OF MICHAEL CHRICHTON, FROM “THE LOST WORLD”:

"What makes you think that human beings are sentient and aware? Human beings never think for themselves, they find it too uncomfortable. For the most part, members of our species simply repeat what they are told – and become upset if they are exposed to any different view."

EVEN BUDDHA OBSERVED:

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it – unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

 OF COURSE RALPH WALDO EMERSON WILL HAVE THE LAST WORDS:

"DO NOT FOLLOW WHERE THE PATH MAY LEAD. GO, INSTEAD WHERE THERE IS NO PATH AND LEAVE A TRAIL."

So follow your own star...dance to your own drummer...

BLAZE YOUR OWN TRAIL!

When I first moved into my rent controlled Upper East Side apartment a gazillion years ago nobody spoke to anybody – the chill in the elevator was palpable. After the building went co-op in the nineties things began to shift slightly and slowly as older tenants moved to other locations or dimensions and a new generation replaced them.

This was especially noticeable on the tenth floor where I live when, several years ago, two single women moved into two vacant apartments. Both are friendly. One of them, Chandley, is a born Auntie Mame. She started a revolution by inviting everyone on our floor (and others she met in the building) to her annual Christmas party.

There is quite a crowd since in addition to her neighbors; Chandley invites her family, childhood friends from her home state of Ohio, and both old and new business acquaintances to partake of her warm hearted bounty and hospitality. Space is tight so I gladly allow some of her furniture to overnight at my place.

Love is thriving on the tenth floor. The other single lady has reunited with her pre-marital romance and they are soooooo happy! Chandley’s divorced contractor married last years’ girlfriend. Ditto.

LAST NIGHT’S CAMARADARIE WAS EXCEPTIONAL.

Perhaps this is a reflection of a shift in how we relate to one another. After 9/11 we felt closer to fellow citizens on the street. New Yorkers tend to bond in times of crisis, giving evidence that we are really not as rude and uncaring as our reputation.

One of my core practices, after migrating from my southern roots to the Mecca that is New York
– was and is – 

Travel alone and talk to strangers.

Somehow these crossings of paths seem predestined, producing friendships and partnerships that are like a continuance of past experience.

In 1971, I maxed out my credit card to buy a plum and raspberry outfit to wear on a ski weekend - at breakfast I walked over to a table and introduced myself to my future significant other of almost thirty years.

About five years ago, in an exotic shop in the East Village, I admired a handmade bracelet worn by a woman who bought it in Uruguay. This beacon led to a trip to one of the poorest countries in South America with one of the richest stores of artisans.

And a warm reception by an open and welcoming population.

In July of 2009 I cruised to Alaska. On board ship I said hello to Rebecca Low, a vocal coach and motivational speaker from Singapore. Since then she has visited me in NY where we planned joint workshops which we presented at the National University of Singapore in 2010. Our next collaboration will be a book based on sound combining our expertise.

Rebecca calls me her Metaphysical Mom. 

PERHAPS WE ARE INTENDED FROM CONCEPTION TO BE FEARLESS. AFTER ALL, THE WALLS OF THE WOMB ARE PROTECTIVE, SAFE AND NURTURING.

THEN AFTER EMERGENCE WE LEARN FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT THIS MAY NOT WORK ON THE OUTSIDE. 

WE ENCOUNTER THE DANGERS PERCEIVED (CORRECTLY) TO BE INHERANT IN SEPARATION.

WOULDN’T IT BE NICE IF –

THE WORLD ITSELF WERE MORE WOMB-LIKE WHERE WITHIN ITS’ CHILDREN COULD CO-EXIST WITHOUT MENACE FROM EACH OTHER?

After decades of exploring the human potential movement and studying many methods of its gurus, I now believe that I have garnered enough information, instruction and experience to edit it all down to some simple guidelines that have proven invaluable to me.

I SHALL LIVE BY THOSE PRINCIPLES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

IF THESE IDEAS ARE WRONG, I PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE TIME – OR THE INCLINATION – TO CORRECT THEM.

SO I SHALL PUT ALL MY EGGS (OR EGO) IN ONE BASKET AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

These thoughts may serve as a model for like-minded seekers who are, in spite of appearances that promise gloom and doom, optimistic that, individual by individual, a critical mass may be created that will avert disaster and grant us a do-over.

THE OBSERVATIONS PRESENTED ARE FAR FROM ORIGINAL AND DERIVE FROM SOURCES TOO NUMEROUS TO CREDIT. MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APOLOGIES TO ALL BELIEF SYSTEMS AND INDIVIDUALS - RELIGIOUS, PHILOSOPHICAL OR OTHERWISE.

 First and foremost, I accept ownership of and responsibility for every thought/experience that has entered my consciousness from the moment my soul was born. Since I can perceive reality only through my personal mechanism, all of my conclusions belong solely to me. Yours belong to you, though since we are all connected, this is a pointless point.

This requisite is similar to the conditions for a happy marriage. (On this point my track record would certainly disqualify me as an authority.) Nonetheless, in any successful relationship between two or more people there is an additional partner – besides those that are directly involved there is an overall unifying Entity; The Marriage. The Partnership. The Organization.

I am suggesting that, for survival, individuals and institutions place consideration of the welfare of the whole above their personal and group agendas.

BECAUSE MY MEMORY IS FLAWED, I USUALLY CHOOSE TO TELL THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT. THIS IS THE SIMPLEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO KEEP MY STORIES STRAIGHT. 

SO HERE ARE TWELVE TIPS WORTH TESTING!
(In no particular sequence of importance except for the last)

1 -Every unkind act is a cry for love.

2 -No one repeats any action unless there is a payoff – positive or negative – conscious or not.

3 - We have precious little control, if any, over our lives. Instead we have choice and discernment.

4 - Life would be meaningless were it not for faith in an intelligent power which knows all and adores us anyway. Sort of like a tough love parent who says punishment hurts him/her more than it hurts us. REALLY?

5 - No one ever does anything for anyone unless there is benefit to the benefactor, even if it is only the feeling of self approval.

6 - Mankind’s misguided actions spring from fear for safety/survival, desire for approval/acceptance, absence of control and an underlying terror of being abandoned by God.

7 - Mankind can do no more than cope with circumstances, usually ineptly, without the intervention of a Higher, Wiser and Merciful Power who ALONE can transmute our mistakes and their memories from endless replaying.

8 - Every obstacle is an opportunity for learning. Rock bottom is a firm foundation on which to build.

9 - Our greatest challenges/challengers are our greatest teachers.

10 – It would be impossible for a human being to fault another if that very trait were absent in their own perception. When judgment is present, it is a reflection of and/or remembrance of guilt.

11 – Wherever attention goes, manifestation tends to follow .Be very careful what you want.

12 - To obtain a reprieve from an endless sentence of imbedded patterns, it is imperative that we assume total responsibility for our errors, have real regret, ask for forgiveness from others, forgive ourselves, give thanks nonstop for our many blessings and place our lives in alignment with Love. 

THIS IS THE ELEGANT SOLUTION THAT HEALS FROM THE HEART - 
IN PREPARATION FOR A REVITALIZED, MORE PEACEFUL HAPPY LIFE.

I THINK NEWLY, CLEARLY, TRULY!

AND SO IT IS!

I wish to thank all my sources of inspiration, the most influential of which have been “A Course in Miracles”, Ihaleakala Hew Len, PhD, teacher of Ho’oponopono and Lester Levenson, founder of The Sedona Method.

Above all, I am most grateful for Direct Communication from Headquarters.

Who doesn’t know the direction given to a tourist asking how to get to Carnegie Hall?

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

No amount of practice would have worked for me. For ten years I struggled with lessons from Miss Kirkland, a spinsterish teacher with halitosis, only because at that time playing the piano was thought to be an asset for young ladies.

In spite of my resistance, I developed a discerning ear, loving music. My earliest talent was for drawing. Only after a half hour of banging away at our baby grand was I allowed access to crayons and paper.

There is a corollary claiming a tendency toward clusters of related abilities in artistically gifted individuals – they possess an overall appreciation of multiple expressions and high degrees of skill and creativity.

I was never overwhelmed by Lady Gaga's fame, assuming her to be the latest flavor of the month. However, this week ABC presented “A Gaga Thanksgiving”, featuring Lady Gaga and special guests, including Tony Bennett, with whom Gaga sang “The Lady is a Tramp”, from his latest album,“ Duets II.”

Tony thinks a lot of Gaga – that’s endorsement enough for me! Not only was the blending of voices and chemistry a total pleasure, Gaga later proved that she was a jazz soloist up there with the best of  vocalists, belting “Out of An Orange Colored Sky” as if she were singing in the mid-forties at the Village Vanguard.

My point is that being a superb musical artist such as Lady Gaga or Tony Bennett requires years of solid study embracing many genres and generations. Having done all the homework (and hard work), a performer only then has total freedom and control over a wide range of material and can easily and confidently improvise.

The Lady’s appearance reflected her versatility. Her blond hair was left long, straight and center-parted, or swept up and away in a soft chignon. Only once did a hairpiece appear. Her hats were gorgeous. Among her costumes were a smashing saffron coat by Valentino Couture and a stunning black pantsuit from Tom Ford for her interview with Katie Couric.

It is well known that Tony Bennett is also a professional painter, in addition to being an amazing vocalist and national treasure.

THE SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES TO ALL ARTISTS -

INSTRUMENTALISTS, COMPOSERS, PAINTERS, SCULPTORS, DANCERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, ACTORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, FILM MAKERS, WRITERS, EVEN SCIENTISTS AND ANYONE ELSE I HAVE OMITTED.

Salvador Dali was one of the most meticulous draftsmen of all time. His ability to draw realistically was literally hardwired into his infrastructure before he could render the surrealism of his subconscious on canvas.

Picasso’s early work was soft, natural, realistic. His strong participation in the politics of his day morphed his mind and distorted his later paintings and drawings into powerful statements of revolution.

Georgia O’Keefe knew Mother Natures’ beauty so intimately that she was literally able to enter the soul of a flower, portraying all of its secrets.

Contemporary jazz artists are often classically trained musicians – their impromptu riffs emerge from the spontaneous interaction of the melody with the range of their instruments plus their leaps of faith.

The choreographer George Balanchine, schooled in traditional ballet, brought a breath of fresh air into the twentieth century, along with Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and others, changing the body of dance.

I REST MY CASE.

SOMETHING SIMILAR IS POSSIBLE DURING MATURITY IN LIFE, UNLESS YOU ARE BORN A GENIUS.

A life well lived is a process of reinvention, much of it involuntary as the clock ticks.

No one instructs a baby how to develop its body through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age.

The mind and spirit are guided by programs, inherited or learned through experience, and forever stored in memory. They are the rules we live by, to be recycled forever.

Unless…….

AN INSPIRED THOUGHT

AN INSPIRED WORD

AN INSPIRED NOTE

AN INSPIRED SHAPE

AN INSPIRED MOVEMENT

Reconfigures everything!

To quote Phil Wood, teaching a Master Class in jazz at NYU,

“IT’S NOT THE TUNE IT’S THE TREATMENT”

That is to say…

IT’S NOT LIFE…IT’S THE WAY YOU LIVE IT!