There’s something about the way women of color present themselves – announcing wordlessly,
yet loudly and clearly,

“Hey World, here I am!”

They seem to be aware of every nuance of fashion, at the same time rejecting a cookie cutter approach.

This stems from careful evaluation of all components, together with a keen sense of what will best express their own uniqueness - it works every time.

A COMPLIMENT FROM A SASSY SISTER IS WORTH ANY NUMBER OF EVALUATING, EVEN ADMIRING GLANCES.

Yesterday was sort of gloomy and drizzly. Only going out to buy groceries, I chose to wear a decades old hand woven multi-color jacket over basic black topped by a jaunty beige trimmed black rain hat.

ALL I NEEDED TO MAKE MY DAY WAS THE APPROVING NOD OF A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN AND HER WORDS:

YOU GO GIRL!

Today was crisp and sunny. I wore an all-purpose copper coat with black corduroy pants and beret, this time accented with a paisley silk scarf combining bright earth tones reflecting the mid-November season.

This time a guy, a fellow passenger in my elevator, commented that I would lift spirits of passers-by.

IF THAT ISN’T GOD’S WORK, WHAT IS?

Down south, when I was growing up, young ladies were admonished by their mothers to always wear clean underwear – in case of an accident one wouldn’t want to be embarrassed – or more likely the mothers didn’t want to be embarrassed.

My mom was terrified of my sister, Eloise and I riding a bicycle, probably because her brother had been crippled in a bike accident. Ellie, more defiant than I, insisted on having a bicycle, which she promptly wrecked on her way to school, necessitating a cast on her leg for six weeks. I hope she was wearing clean underwear!

Nice outerwear was also mandatory, much for reasons of status.

LATELY I HAVE NOTICED THAT MATURE LADIES TEND TO CARRY MORE CHIC HANDBAGS THAN IN THE MORE GRANDMOTHERLY PAST.

I NOTE THIS WITH PLEASURE BECAUSE THE ARCHAIC TERM “OLD PURSE’ ORIGINALLY REFERRED TO THE GENITALS OF AN ELDERLY FEMALE.

YOU GO GIRL!

On a more spiritual note, consider the tradition of Negro church ladies who wear their Sunday best bonnets when raising their voices in praise.

Or parents at Easter who forego finery for themselves yet dress their children like spring flowers.

Do you recall the HBO TV series “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency?”

The colorful proprietor (Jill Scott) matched her garb to her innovative personality –her African print caftans and coordinating headbands were fun to watch and good for business!

Sometimes I watch the PBS program “Religion and Ethics." This morning there was a segment examining the link between prosperity and joy.

No one, with the exception of congress, denies our basic needs; yet there are many miserable millionaires.

The United States does not even make the top ten list of countries where, regardless of low living conditions, people are nonetheless grateful and happy with whatever they have.

A well-known fix for being “down in the dumps” is  -

GET UP.......DRESS UP......SHOW UP

THE INSTANT YOU GO BEYOND YOUR FRONT DOOR YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE.

MAIDENFORM LINGERIE WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS’ SERIES OF ADS IN THE 1940’s, 50’s AND 60’s,
DEPICTING CONFIDENT WEARERS OF MAIDENFORM BRAS,
INDULGING THEIR EVERY FANTASY ACCOMPANIED BY THE SLOGAN “I DREAMED I……”
 

 
The cone-shaped bosom was popular long before Madonna needed a bra!

  Today walking down the street stark naked would hardly raise anybody’s eyebrows, much less your bustline.

Still by lifting your own image, you win applause!

YOU GO GIRL!

 Sometimes young children have imaginary playmates – unseen and unheard by others but real companions to those who speak their language.

My dolls were silent. For company there was this eerie yet assuring sort of "huuummmmmm" ...soft and all-pervasive.

 Gradually as I grew older, the background soundtrack diminished and eventually disappeared.

WHEN, IN MY TWENTIES, AN INTEREST IN METAPHYSICS SURFACED, SO DID AN UNDERSTANDING OF MY EARLY WITNESS TO THE UNKNOWABLE.

 I WAS HEARING THE HOLY SOUND OF THE “AUM”, THE SONG OF THE UNIVERSE.

THIS EXPERIENCE RECURRED ONLY TWICE IN ADULTHOOD…
WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE BORN.

THE WORD “SOUND” EMBRACES THE PHONETICS OF THE WORD “OWN”, INDICATING POSSESSION...

 Hearing is a prerequisite for listening as well as a precursor to speech.

After all, Divinity gave us two ears and one mouth, presumably to be used in that proportion.

LISTEN UP!

During the optimum nine months that the embryo incubates in the mother’s womb, she/he (notice how “she” contains “he”) is soothed, stimulated and sustained by the rhythm of the maternal heart as she allows her body to supply all his needs.

After all this automatic attention who wouldn’t be pissed at being plucked unceremoniously from Paradise?

SO HE YELLS….LOUD!!!

The baby is in turn grateful and unceasingly demanding for all his waking hours.

Relying exclusively on his lungs for expression as he screams and coos.

This infant has already learned that the early bird gets his whims met as well as his wants and needs.

POOR KID - OLD HABITS DIE HARD.

I believe that one’s lifelong yearning for acceptance and approval stems from a desire to

 Actually Be Listened To as Well as Heard.

How lonely it must be - for emotional as well as physical causes - to live without this validation.

What a horror to be without access to sound.

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD….John 1:1.

I am writing this on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11), a date about which there is much speculation.

All will agree that the number one is a symbol of beginning – designating the first in a sequence.

  J (first letter of John) is the 10^th letter in the alphabet….so we have a numerological sequence of 111.

Speculating on the further significance of the number 1, it could also point to the whole of one universe or to any individual component.

Could this means that the more ones the merrier?

November 11 does seem to be an appropriate date to recognize the people who, voluntarily or inadvertently gave their number one sacrifice to save our one world – such as it is.

Including the war at Ground Zero.

SO LISTEN UP ALREADY!!!

If, indeed, in the beginning was the word,
and sound heralded the birth of the universe,
shouldn’t we be celebrating each moment between all anniversaries? 

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD ALL YE LANDS….Psalm 100: 1-2

Convert thoughts into actions and express actions with sound so that all who have ears will hear.

SPEAK!

GIGGLE!

LAUGH!

CRY!

SING!

WHISPER!

SHOUT!

In my life I have had two major unfulfilled fantasies:

Swirling around a melody and moonlight filled terrace wearing a gown of pure gossamer –

GUIDED GLORIOUSLY BY FRED ASTAIRE.

also

Sitting at the feet of Joseph Campbell as he charismatically steers his spellbound students at Sara Laurence College through the
mysteries of mythology.

UNDERLYING BOTH OF MY PROJECTIONS IS THE YEARNING THAT SOMEONE WISE, WONDERFUL AND ABOVE ALL, SKILLFUL - AND PREFERABLY ATTRACTIVE -

WOULD MATERIALIZE, LEADING ME THROUGH THE INTRICATE STEPS THAT EMBODY HARMONY AND GRACE.

Thanks to Ginger and other lucky ladies I can place my feet in their shoes on film and in my dreams.

As for Joe, through the magic of Netflix, I have summoned his spirit and image teaching a series of seminars called Mythos, hosted by Susan Sarandan.

MUST MASTERS ALWAYS BE MALE?

Since all men arrive through the mechanism of a woman, who is their first love and teacher, when and how did this role reversal take place?

 Fred and Joe were both men and certainly masters. Neither, as far as I know, perpetrated any pain on their partners beyond perhaps a bruised toe or ego.

Fred spent decades perfecting his craft. So, it has been mentioned, did Ginger – backwards and in high heels.

Though a famed professor, author and lecturer, Joe was a life long student, going so far as to marry a young dancer in his class...

Males have been programmed for millennia to be providers, protectors and competitors on behalf of their families, communities and countries.

In the process many have extended their perhaps genetic, natural aggression to all competitive arenas.

Providing has turned to greed, protecting to waging war, competition to corruption.

Why, in this present so-called advanced stage of civilization, is the world still governed predominately by practices resulting from ignorance, lust and malice?

LORD KNOWS, THESE ATTRIBUTES HAVE NO GENDER.

IF THEORIES OF REINCARNATION ARE VALID, ALL OF US HAVE EXISTED AT SOME TIME IN MANY FORMS...

After all, male and female are determined by only one chromosome.

SO WHY ARE WE SUCH SLOW LEARNERS?

EVERYONE HAS A GIFT, DIVINELY BESTOWED.

Not to explore, discover and use this blessing for good is perhaps a waste…

But no enforceable crime, unless illegally used against others.

Yet all action and inaction is subject to a Higher Power.

WHY HAVE WE LEARNED SO LITTLE FROM THE SAGES OF THE AGES THAT WE CONTINUE IN THIS PATH OF IGNORANCE, LUST AND GREED?

I once knew a guy, a he-man healer from Montana whose hulk held a really gentle heart.

Once I inquired about his spiritual beliefs. He replied “I belong to the Old Farts Club – you know – Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tze….”

Fred Astaire and Joseph Campbell appear to be cast in the same mold – i.e. GentleMEN!

There was a time in the not too distant past, following events of 9/11, when I refused to read newspapers or watch TV news. Perhaps I hoped that denial would, bar bad things from awareness, keeping me in a cloud of protection that would somehow minimize negative impact and protect me from harm.

Slowly I am learning that the unbearable must be recognized, actually acknowledged in order to eventually prevent the wheel of history from repeating the same old sad story.

To that end I am now reading a book, “The Disappeared” by Kim Echlin, which tells the heartbreaking story of a Canadian girl and a Cambodian boy, encompassing all the horror of the killing fields.

Don’t read it at bedtime.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO LIVE IN A WORLD WITHOUT VICIOUSNESS …..
RADICAL CHANGE TOWARD EACH OTHER.

WE CAN BECOME AWARE, COMPASSIONATE, AND
FORGIVING.

I am borrowing the title of a 1955 song composed by David Mann and Bob Hilliard and plaintively sung by Sinatra in his album of the same name, in which he mourns a lost love. Presumably he couldn't sleep either.

Insomniacs do what they can to get through the night.

Tonight Turner Classic movies showed “The Razors' Edge”, a 1946 film based on the novel by Somerset Maugham. The story is about this gorgeous guy, played by Tyrone Power, who, in search of the higher meaning of life, leaves selfish Gene Tierney and goes to India.

Well, he discovers (rather than a definitive answer) meaning in the journey itself.

Scientists have convinced us that sleeps’ purpose is to provide rest and renewal.

SO, WHEN THIS RESPITE ELUDES US, HOW DOES ONE PASS THE WIDE-AWAKE HOURS TWIXT MIDNIGHT AND DAWN?

If a book or film is exciting enough, that will keep you up.

A snack can satisfy or set your tummy in turmoil.

When seasons change, I sometimes clean closets, tiring without being relaxing.

 AT LEAST LIVING ALONE DOESN’T DISTURB THE SLEEP OF ANYONE ELSE, THOUGH MY CAT MUFFIE WAS MIFFED WHEN I TURNED ON THE COMPUTER IN THE ROOM WHERE SHE HAD NO PROBLEM SLEEPING.

Wayne Dyer, the self-help guru, says that sleeplessness is a signal to your conscious mind from the subconscious not to slumber valuable time away. When the telephone is quiet and the house is free of daily distractions, it seems that inspiration can lurk in the solitude and silence.

WELL, I’M WAITING!

Maybe sleeplessness is part of a Master Plan – a state which alerts the conscious mind to something significant going on.

Of course we have no way of knowing exactly what that something is and there is no point in guessing. It’s best to simply let it be.

So doing anything distracting enough to allow the uncertainty may be just the right activity. Sort of comparable to watching a thrilling play and having the action suspended by intermission before the third act finale.

SO MUCH OF LIFE SEEMS TO BE FILLED WITH FILLER STUFF, A WAY TO KILL TIME BETWEEN WHAT WE CONSIDER IMPORTANT EVENTS.

SUPPOSE THAT EVERY EVENT WERE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE TO THE WHOLE OF LIFE – THAT THERE WAS NO “DOWN TIME”. 

I would like to digress a moment to explore the connection between apparent opposites of high and low levels of existence and everything in between.

IRA, MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, WAS ALWAYS ABSORBED IN SOME HOBBY OR OTHER, FROM GROWING ROSES TO ASTRONOMY.

SO WHEN THE HOME COMPUTER WAS LAUNCHED IN THE EIGHTIES HE WAS FIRST IN LINE TO BUY. HIS CONVICTION WAS THAT, AT THE END OF EARTHLY LIFE, HE WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.

AS HE MOVED INTO EACH INNOVATION HE PASSED HIS OLD TOYS ON TO ME, WITH INSTRUCTIONS.

WHEN I BECAME FRUSTRATED AND CALLED FOR HELP, HE EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE TWO WAYS TO SOLVE A COMPUTER PROBLEM:

QUICK AND DIRTY
&
ELEGANT

MOSTLY HE RESOLVED THE SITUATION THE QUICK AND DIRTY WAY – WHATEVER TRICKS IT TOOK TO GET ME BACK IN BUSINESS.

SO I’M WONDERING…

WHAT IF THESE TWO APPARENT OPPOSITES WERE AVAILABLE TO SOLVE ALL OF LIFES’ FRUSTRATIONS, DILEMMAS AND PROBLEMS?

OK – BUT IS THERE A WAY TO MINIMIZE THE IMPATIENCE PLUS THE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL TOLL IT TAKES ON THE BODY AND MIND WHILE THE ELEGANT SOLUTION IS RESOLVING BEHIND THE SCENES?

YES!

BECAUSE ELEGANT SOLUTIONS ARE ALWAYS DIVINITY DRIVEN, A SHIFT IN FOCUS IS REQUIRED.

Do you recall the feeling of first falling in love?

Everywhere you looked you saw brighter colors, heard sweeter sounds, tasted enhanced flavors.

Above all there was this tingly, warm-fuzzy sensation in the Heart -
Signaling the Presence of the Beloved.

ONLY THE DIVINE CAN PROVIDE ELEGANT SOLUTIONS.

OUR ROLE IS TO MAINTAIN – AS MUCH AS IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE – THE WARMTH WHICH COMES WITH SAFETY AND TRUST THAT

“GOD’S IN HIS HEAVEN, ALL’S RIGHT WITH THE WORLD.”
Robert Browning

THEN ELEGANCE IS FREE TO WORK ITS’ MAGIC!

(formerly titled BRANDED and revised)

BRAND - "A mark made...to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership...
to impress indelibly..."
(Excerpted from Websters’ Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary.)

When I was growing up, the Ivory baby and Breck girl were major brands or icons. So were Lucky Strike & Camel cigarettes, the Marlboro Man, Aunt Jemima pancakes & Philco radios.

Media marketing was - and still is - virtually the only way to persuade hometenders, breadwinners and teenagers to shell out bucks to line the pockets of sponsors, manufacturers and ad agencies....especially to fullfill fantasies!

If you were in the market for romance, Listerine could sweeten your breath and guarantee that eligible, attractive & rich partners would compete for your favors.

Ninety pound weaklings became muscle-bound he-men with a little boost from Charles Atlas.

 It obviously worked, as many of these products are still doing a brisk business in retail stores.

Other brands were MGM, Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox, who used fan magazines to keep their galaxies of glamorous stars in the headlines...and buyers on the movie lines.

These larger than life artists were in actuality, creations of the studios - their contracts stipulated that their images be retained on-screen and in the supermarket.

WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD 
FROM MEMORY OR TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES.

AND THE NEW SCHOOL OF CELEBRITIES?

J.Lo reigns as Queen of them all...
With Lady Gaga closing in.

George, Brad, Johnny – Kings all!

NOT TO MENTION OPRAH, MARTHA, AND MICHAEL -
WHO RULES FROM NEVEREVER LAND SOMEWHERE IN THE HEREAFTER.

 NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER WRINKLE!
(God forbid, not on your face)

MEdia

Yes, ordinary folks like me and thee are being encouraged to brand ourselves.

Starting with MySpace and outpaced by Facebook & Tweeting, exposure has become necessary.

How and why did it became essential to self-advertise?

Dale Carnegie established himself as perhaps the first self-help guru in his prophetic book,
"HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE”


SO HOW OLD IS THIS CONCEPT?

Cleopatra bathed in milk and kohled her eyes - 
Caesar and Anthony bought it.

Only a few decades ago, Emily Post, guru of etiquette, advised us to put our best-clad feet forward.

Beads of nervous sweat cost Richard Nixon the presidency, changing history.

UPON LEARNING THAT I AM AN IMAGE CONSULTANT, PEOPLE HAVE STATED THAT THEY THINK WHAT I DO IS SUPERFICIAL, SAYING THAT "ONLY WHAT’S INSIDE IS IMPORTANT".

MY REPLY IS: “I CAN SEE THAT”.

Yesterday I did the “ladies who lunch” thing with two relics from my vintage, both fully functioning. Afterwards we strolled along Columbus Avenue taking in the great early fall weather and the wares offered by the semi-annual Crafts on Columbus fair.

One companion, actually from my hometown of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is well educated, recently widowed and spent most of her professional life in academia. Her visiting friend is from North Carolina and cut from similar cloth.

We paused to admire the creations of one of my favorite venders who, using recycled material, makes flowers that Mother Nature never dreamed of, and amazing multi-purpose scarves from remnants.

The KY lady walked away wearing a black lacquered blossom with a rhinestone center on her basic black suit. The NC visitor added a subtle silk long scarf to her beige poplin jacket, giving herself an intriguing Isadora Duncan flavor.

NEITHER LADY WAS CHANGED IN ESSENCE, ONLY IN HOW SHE FELT ABOUT HERSELF AS WELL AS HOW SHE WOULD BE PERCEIVED BY OTHERS.

BOTH SEEMED PERKIER, PRETTIER, MORE APPROACHABLE!

Having spent a lifetime studying mans’ true spiritual nature, I would be the last to insist that what emanates from the heart takes second place to physical appearance. Or vice-versa.

What’s the difference?

Is what you see what you get?

As Above, So Below.

Divinity said, “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD.” (Romans 8:28)

LET’S  ENJOY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!

My mother, Sadie, loved dogs, especially small ones, and didn’t trust cats.

As a widow, living alone in a small apartment, she would nonetheless sometimes feed homeless felines who, looking for food and shelter, would find their way into the corridors of her building.

One such creature, an orange tabby, knowing a good thing when she saw one, turned up regularly in the hall at Mom’s door for nourishment and indoor heating.

Mom’s landlord eventually got wind of this arrangement and insisted that that all strays be adopted and taken into apartments or turned out into the elements.

SO THAT’S HOW MANDY ARRIVED AND TURNED DISTRUST INTO ADORATION.

I NEVER ACTUALLY SAW MANDY AND DIDN’T KNOW HER AGE OR WHO NAMED HER.

 IN THE PRESENCE OF ANYONE EXCEPT HER BELOVED NEW MOMMY, SHE WOULD SCAMPER INTO A CLOSET UNTIL THE COAST WAS CLEAR.

EVENTUALLY, MANDY’S  FEAR OF ABUSE AND ABANDONMENT SUBSIDED IN DEVOTION AND APPRECIATION  FOR A LONELY WOMAN’S LOVING CARE.

TO SAY THAT MOM WAS HARD TO PLEASE WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT.

THE ONLY GIFTS SHE NEITHER REJECTED NOR RETURNED WERE GREETING CARDS, THE MUSHIER THE BETTER. PERHAPS THEY EXPRESSED HER UNACKNOWLEDGED FEELINGS.

EVENTUALLY MANDY PASSED INTO HEARTBROKEN MEMORY –THAT’S THE UNAVOIDABLE DOWNSIDE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

One day I walked into a gift shop and there was Mandy, in a cloth version of an orange tabby, heavy as lead, intended as a doorstop. Whatever.

I lugged it home and on the last Mother’s Day I spent with Mom, I gave it to her.

EUREKA!!! SHE LOVED IT!!!

SHE SWORE ITS’ BIG GREEN EYES WERE SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO HER!!!

Mandy now sits on a high shelf in my den, looking directly into my eyes, guarding and protecting Muffie and me.

GOD HAS ALL KINDS OF RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO HEALING RELATIONSHIPS.

I BELIEVE THAT THE ELEMENT OF GRATITUDE, WHICH IS OMNIPRESENT IN TOTALLY RECIPROCAL LOVE, IS A KEY CONDITION.

AND FORGIVENESS WORKS MIRACLES.

YINNIE, MUFFIE AND MANDY WOULD NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS AND FONDLES THEM.

One day about a year after Princess Yin crossed the Rainbow Bridge (our pet’s entrance to heaven), my phone rang. It was a technician from my vet’s office. She said that Gene, my vet, had found a stray kitten wandering in his apartment building and brought her to the clinic. Was I ready to adopt another animal companion?

She was a six-month old mostly Siamese taupe point, in good heath.

I had never owned a cat.

Wasn’t it odd that this lost lamb appeared in the same facility where Yinnie said goodbye to me? Found by her vet?

At the time, my friend Irene Narissi, a real cat person, was recently bereaved so I asked her to go meet kitty with me. We decided that we would allow kitty to choose her new owner.

I named her Muffie, or Muffin or Muffala or Muff.

SHE CAME HOME WITH ME AND HEADED FOR THE MEDALLION IN THE CENTER OF THE CARPET THAT YINNIE HAD LOVED.

Now I’m not saying that Muffie is a reincarnation of Yinnie.

I am saying that somehow these two are psychically connected and were in cahoots to find the perfect way to relieve my loneliness and expand my capacity for unconditional love.

More than eleven years later Muff and I share our space harmoniously. If I sleep late, she sleeps late.

Sometimes I sing to her which I think she likes up to a point. When she’s had enough she turns up her nose and leaves the room.

In some ways, my Muffin is like a dog, greeting visitors and entertaining them. But then, Yinnie was a kinda catty cutie, choosy and independent.

IT SOUNDS SHOCKING, SOME MIGHT EVEN THINK SACRILIGIOUS, TO SAY THIS, BUT I AM CONVINCED THAT ANIMALS ARE MORE OPEN TO DIRECT CONTACT WITH GOD THAN HUMANS.

THIS IS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE LITERAL ANALYTIC MINDS THAT QUESTION THE DIVINE PORTION OF THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS.

WHEN ONE LOOKS DEEP WITHIN AN ANIMAL’S EYES, ITS SOUL CAN BE SEEN. THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF TWO.

YES, I DEEPLY BELIEVE THAT ALL THE CREATORS’ CREATIONS HAVE SOULS.

PRINCESS YIN AND MUFFIE

IN MY HEART, THEY ARE ANGELS!

Unconditional love sounds wonderful in theory. It is almost unattainable in practice. At least as applied to members of the human species. At least in my experience.

EXCEPT FOR MY RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY ANIMAL COMPANIONS.

LET ME EXPLAIN...

Let’s start with the earliest people in our lives – parents.

My mother, Sadie, expected me to fulfill frustrations in her own life.

My father, Louis, had no expectations of me at all.

Teachers expected me to pay attention, follow the rules, don’t speak unless spoken to.

Boyfriends and husbands expected to mold me to suit their desires.

Children? Rearing children is not a two-way street. The system doesn't work that way!

Our first family pet, who joined us when I was about eight, was a tawny Pekinese, Ching-Ching.
He expected – and got – unconditional love from us all.

I have always, since then, loved Pekinese.

So, when many decades later, having been without an animal companion since youth, I spied a three month old sleeve Pekinese in a shop window, it was irrevocable love at first sight, (Sleeve pekes are so called because they were bred pint-sized originally to be carried by royal Chinese ladies in their kimono sleeves.)

This was Saturday. I asked the owner, Lisa, to please hold her until Monday since the store was closed Sunday.

Tha night while having dinner with my significant other, Ira, I announced that I was in love.
He turned white as the tablecloth.

I explained that the object of my affection was a Pekinese puppy. He said he didn’t like Pekinese.

I said “Just meet her.”

Monday after work we went to the pet store. Lisa lifted this two pound bundle of joy and placed her in Ira’s arms. She went wild with excitement, climbed up his sleeve to his shoulder and couldn’t contain herself another moment. She peed all over him.

HE WAS SMITTEN.

I NAMED HER YIN, THE CHINESE WORD SIGNIFYING THE FEMININE PRINCIPLE. IRA DECIDED THAT DIDN’T QUITE SUIT HER HIGHNESS AND ADDED THE TITLE “PRINCESS.”

I CALLED HER “YINNIE.”

For the next seven years or so she literally saved our relationship as we suffered family hardships and he began to decline in health.

He adored her and, though she loved her mommy, she was the quintessential “daddy’s girl.”

She loved to wear her blue Yankees hat, stopping traffic as everyone admired her.

As his end approached I consoled myself that I would have Yinnie for comfort and company.

GO FIGURE.

She left six months before him, of a sudden, incurable infirmity. I figured she knew I was the stronger and would survive our separation better than Ira. She wanted to be first in line to welcome him home.

I better close before I flood the computer.

ELEVEN YEARS LATER I AM CONSUMED WITH

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

When my mother, Sadie made her transition a couple of years ago, just short of her 100^th birthday, she passed a couple of diamond rings on to me.

For her own reasons she stipulated that they were not to be given to my son or daughter; that I was to sell them and do something special for myself.

I wore them several times to special occasions, never taking much enjoyment, probably because my father had repeatedly hocked them to pay his gambling debts, depriving mom of their pleasure.

ALSO, DIAMONDS HAVE ALWAYS APPEALED TO ME LESS THAN FLEA MARKET FINDS OR ELEGANT ART DECO PIECES.

I got about six thousand dollars for them, exactly enough to finance a summer cruise to Alaska, sponsored by the renowned publisher and author, Louise Hay, and featuring her entourage of self-help gurus – Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss, et al, teaching classes between ports.

Fourteen hundred people on the same learning quest!

I registered for a writing workshop which offered a contract for the best proposal submitted that fall.

I didn’t win with my manuscript titled “DARLING YOU ARE DIVINE!”

As the journey neared completion before docking in Seattle on the following Saturday morning, I was sitting in a lounge watching the waves when a lovely Asian woman sashayed by, flashing a lovely smile. 

At my invitation to join me, we sat and chatted for about an hour, sharing life stories.

She decided that I was her Metaphysical Mom.

Rebecca was born and reared in Singapore, a vocal coach and motivational speaker. I was an image consultant.

Both Rebecca and I had planned to spend the weekend in Seattle before departing for home in opposite directions. We shopped ‘til we dropped, sampled delicious meals, talked non-stop and became fast friends.

THE FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS SHE VISITED ME IN NEW YORK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

IN MAY I SPENT A MONTH IN SINGAPORE, WHERE REBECCA AND I CO-PRESENTED THREE SEMINARS TO THE FACULTY AND STAFF OF NUS, THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE, TO RAVE REVIEWS!

THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO ASIA, WHICH I TREASURE MORE THAN I WOULD THE HOPE DIAMOND.


THE DECISION TO GO ON THIS CRUISE WAS A RESULT OF AN INSTANT AND IRREVOCABLE DECISION...A GUT FEELING THAT I MUST GO WHATEVER THE RISK OR COST.

I HAD TO LEAVE MY COMFORT ZONE TO ARRIVE AT A HIGHER LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE!

ONCE AGAIN DIVINITY HELD THE REINS AND LIFE TURNED IN A SURPRISING AND EXCITING NEW DIRECTION.

I REPEAT: 
TRAVEL ALONE AND TALK TO STRANGERS!