Today I was watching an interview with Harry Connick, Jr., who, starting at about age eight as a musical whiz kid, is evolving into one of our national treasures as an innovator, entertainment superstar and philanthropist. He remarked to Paula Zahn, on the PBS program, Sunday Arts, that some of his most artistic discoveries resulted from his having hit a “wrong” note.

SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? 

Harrys’ memory of past performances failed to repeat itself. Something totally beyond logic took over, bypassing his conscious control, producing something new and unexpected that came from outside his intellect. THAT SOMETHING WAS INSPIRATION!

THIS HAPPENS IN HOLLYWOOD

A woman gets on the “wrong” bus, sitting down next to the man of her dreams.

 The lead dancer breaks his leg and an “overnight” star is born (who has been in the chorus for ten years).

HOW ABOUT REAL, NOT REEL, LIFE?

Well, I started writing this blog yesterday and for once it was more struggle than fun. The subject was rooted in memory - a repetitious - second-hand - rerun of someone else’s gospel: perhaps true but preachy, dull, derivative. Juan, my computer guru, who actually gets this stuff to you – and gets me – agreed. I told him that when this kind of block happened to me as a textile designer light-years ago, I would tear up the false start, go to a movie and begin anew – a  NEW – drawing in a day or two.

 So I closed the computer, had a nice meal, played with Muffie, my cat, watched Saturday Night Live, got a good night’s sleep and tuned directly into Harry Connicks’ telecast after my morning coffee.

So who’s the boss? The script from yesterday or last year or lifetimes ago?

Or today’s fresh outlook – literally looking OUT instead of rehashing the same old same old? An exercise in futility is rowing upstream or trying to ride a horse in the direction it isn’t going.

TUNING INTO A HIGHER GUIDANCE WORKS EVERY TIME!

WHAT WOULD THE UNIQUEU DO?

Spiritual instruction is a blessing.

When the student is ready the right spiritual teacher will appear.

Well – yes and no. Both are old and widely believed maxims containing partial truths that could use a little tweaking – closer inspection may require revision.

Maybe because I had a Mommy Dearest kind of mother, most of my Metaphysical Mentors were women. They were charismatic talkers who didn’t always walk the walk. Now no one expects ordinary folk to always practice what they preach. However when someone is collecting sizable sums for selling so-called wisdom, well – let the buyer beware!

There was Violet, my first yoga instructor, around my mother’s age, whose witticisms and down-home southern Illinois practicality lent color to the lessons she learned from HER guru. But Vi missed her daughter, who lived in California, so I became her surrogate; another Mommy Dearest scenario.

Then there was Virginia, an amazing communicator, her brilliance partly drawn from her clairvoyant Cherokee roots. A group of forty or so signed up for her year-long classes, which began with the concept of impeccability. Well, Ginny, who had been married four or five times with as many children, seduced and married the fiancé of one of the women.

As I observed the repetition of this discrepancy between principle and behavior, I devised a strategy: I thought of myself as a bumblebee. (Now according to the laws or aerodynamics, the anatomy of a bumblebee is not designed for flight.) However the bumblebee doesn’t care about laws so it flies anyway, flitting from blossom to blossom, satisfying its’ desires. Each flower contributes it's own kernel of Truth, forming a unique blend of honey.

AHA!!! This was a perfect example of how to gather and integrate wisdom that works!

By testing each tidbit of information and monitoring feedback from its practice, one can, over time and through first-hand experience, develop a how-to handbook for living an authentic life.

 GEE YOU ARE YOU

ASPIRE

Priorities count. If money matters more, wealth may be achieved that doesn’t necessarily bring peace of body, mind or spirit. .

ALIGN

If you want to take a shower you don’t stand in the kitchen. 

ALLOW

You also have to turn on the faucet.

ATONE

Forgive and ask forgiveness.

ATTUNE

Bask in the deliciousness of harmony.

ATTRACT

Automatic Pilot now takes over. Don’t be a back seat driver.

ACCEPT

Receive with grace and gratitude.

Women and men of a certain age can be role models for a youth-centered society, by paying attention to their ID:

"I" stands for INTELLIGENCE - which can increase with age - evolving into wisdom. Frequently what you see is what you get.

"D" stands for DEMEANOR - or as Mother used to say "Pretty (handsome) is as pretty (handsome) does."

 "WOW" is an acronym for "Woman Of Wisdom"!  How about "MOD" for Man Of Distinction"?

♦

Here's my favorite Dorothy Parker poem, "Indian Summer"

In youth it was a way I had
To do my best to please,
And change with every passing lad,
To suit his theories.
But now I know the things I know,
And do the things I do:
And if you do not like me so,
To hell, my love, with you!

♦

On becoming less of a control freak - a modification of a familiar ditty

Row, row, row, row your boat gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily,merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream

But rowing is TOO MUCH WORK! :
FLOAT, FLOAT, FLOAT YOUR BOAT!

♦

Advice to women from a pro, Audrey Hepburn

It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.
It is important that a man makes you laugh.
It is important to find a man you can count on. And doesn't lie to you.
It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.
It is important that these four men don't know each other.

These are Audrey's "beauty tips" - read at her funeral

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run its fingers through it.
For poise,walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed,revived, reclaimed and redeemed.
Never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that your two hands are: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

♦

My obituary

I Arrived Small and Weak
I Shall Leave Old and Bold

This article was written for Ari Seth Cohen's blogspot, Advanced Style, which can be accessed via this link: http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/irene.html

Last fall the trees wisely discarded their lackluster leaves to fertilize Mother Earth and make way for fresh buddings.

Retailers are clearing racks of winter wools to be revitalized by lighter merchandise and spirits.

Whether or not prompted by the dictates of weather, spring is traditionally a season of cleaning. Need for renewal happens to everyone, regardless of climate.

Two rules of thumb for success in all transitional/organizational tasks are:

1

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

William Morris

2

In order to obtain the good, discard the bad.

To obtain something better, let go of the good.

In order to obtain the best, replace the better.

These two maxims apply to cleaning a closet, upgrading a computer

And Everything Else in Life.

Essentially the choice is to so stagnate or evolve with

Grace and Gratitude.

By blessing and passing on whatever is no longer valid in our
lives, we free the item to become someone else's treasure.

 Or return to Source to be transmuted into Pure Energy!

Judith Boyd informed me that I was included in photographs on Huffington Post. Photos originally published by Ari Seth Cohen on Advanced Style. To view:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-cohen/a-return-to-hats_b_829428.html?ref=fb&src=sp#s246900&title=Model_Gitte_Lee

1 - To stay afloat in the sea of information that constantly immerses, envelops and assaults our senses, consider the advice of the late, loved actress Ruth Gordon. When questioned on TV about her formula for staying so happy and successful, Ruth smiled wickedly and replied:

NEVER FACE FACTS!

2 - Wouldn’t it be nice if we could cancel the war between the sexes? Consider the evidence that each individual has lived multiple lives since the inception of their souls. If so, we have all played roles of both men and women living varied lifestyles.

Since history repeats itself, we have throughout history been both the abuser as well as the abused in sexual, social, political and financial situations!

So how about a universal group hug signifying no hard feelings all around?  

3 - What if feet could talk? Mine have begged me to never punish them again with shoes that cause pain in exchange for their hard work and loyal service. So no matter how gorgeous or expensive, I pass on offenders or pitch them.

Shoes reveal a lot about their owners. Try sitting in an airport or on a subway just letting your gaze graze the lowest level of fellow passengers – then imagine the person based solely on their footwear.

4 - Short of shelf space? Since I survive on take-out and order-in food, my pantry is perfect for storing large wraps and scarves.

5 - Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barney’s, wrote a really fun, funny (as well as observant) guide to “creating an insanely more fabulous you”, titled “Eccentric Glamour”. His hysterical, historical classifications are: Gypsies, Existentialists, and Socialites – all have subdivisions. Me? Elegant Gypsy.

6 - Who loves the movie “Now Voyager”? The source of the title is Walt Whitman’s poem “The Untold Want” from “Leaves of Grass”.

 “The untold want by life and land ne’er granted’

Now voyager sail thou forth to seek and find.”

Have an adventurous, amazing, awesome 2011!

UniqueU

Think of us as a blizzard – each snowflake swirling in space at breakneck speed – crystal icy specks to flurries of fluff – the stuff that builds the best snowpeople!  Microscopically, no two entities are identical in their design or destiny. Yet for all their diversity, there is not one iota of difference in their source.

So I thought it would be fun to write to my fellow flakes as an excuse to celebrate individuality within our indivisibility – sort of like going to a party of strangers who are family.

Topics will range from profound to personal – depending on inspiration from my Mentor of the Moment. I love to quote from those who speak in a pithy voice – thoughts that are clothed in witticisms have the best chance to penetrate minds that run on one rail. My first yoga teacher used to say that if you dig a rut deep enough it becomes a grave.  

Your replies will enrich the seeds and soil from which we can cultivate a garden that will nourish and flourish!