Learning lessons

Sometimes, it takes an experience of sticking to one's beliefs on a matter, to realize it didn't actually have to be so set in stone. Sometimes, it takes an experience such as this to realize there was another road available-- the one called, Compassion. And sometimes this realization occurs, not so that one can "go back" and choose again, but instead for one to remember the lesson, and file it away for present and future application. So, good luck with the lessons today. However you fare, hope you get something positive out of them. And good luck to you in advance for when they show up in future pop quizzes-- because they are bound to show up in future pop quizzes ;) wink emoticon

FB Pic and Friendship Card Inspired Painting With Words

With a critical eye she stood in front of the mirror, studying all angles, surveying the outcome of hours of preparation.

Adjusting the sunset red shawl softly framing her face, its length wrapping around her shoulders and ending at the middle of her back, an assortment of bangles underscored the gesture.  Substituting the gold hoop adorning her left ear for a much larger one, intricate patterns of shapes and colors drew attention to hennaed hands.

Satisfied, she smiled, the effect eliciting a twinkle in her eyes no amount of glamour paint could ever hope to replicate.

Under the shawl she had paired a canary yellow dress, with comfortable, fawn brown, knee high boots.  Then striking a pose--  arms akimbo, and with her right hip cocked to the side for show--, she laughed.

Tonight was the Costume Ball and everyone she knew was planning on attending.  Her friends-- although lately she'd begun to feel a distancing change in their once effortless camaraderie--had suggested going together as part of a theme. But she had felt the inexplicable pull to decline, opting instead to embody a theme of one.

In the past, she would have fought the pull to set out on her own.  In fact, upon hearing her decision, even her own mother -- a woman who kept her own counsel and thus, often appeared mysterious to her only daughter--had softly remarked, "You've begun to accept yourself."

Maybe, she mused, her eyes reestablishing a connection with those of her mirrored self. Maybe I'm the one that's changing and not them.

It had been a fortnight since they last spoke on the subject of the ball, and ever since she had respectfully declined their offer, their gatherings had increasingly begun to feel isolating, and uncomfortable. Deciding to take steps better aligned with her peace of mind, she begged off further get togethers citing an increase in her responsibilities and a desire to spend time preparing for the ball.

The last she had heard, they were attending as different fairy tale princesses.  And though some would think the choice rather unimaginative, she knew them to be a creative lot and knew their costumes would be inspiration personified. But this night, she too, would allow herself to shine, accepting her own seat at lady Inspiration's table.

She had been practicing and was now ready to let others in on her long held secret.

FB Pic, Energy Reading, Painting with Words

Awake, but with eyes still shuttered against the light of day, languidly, she stretched out over the expanse of the queen sized bed. Taking a gloriously, deeply pleasurable breath, she felt her limbs sigh in satisfaction.

Well, if limbs could sigh in satisfaction, I rather imagine it would feel like this.

Her lips curved upwards at the thought.

After indulging in another full body stretch, she opened her eyes, and gazed caressingly at her surroundings.

Perfect, she thought.

Brilliant, she added, a second later.

Turning the extra room in the house into her own personal library-study-bedroom had been an inspired stroke of imagination and one she gave thanks for quite often.

Apart from the comfortable bed's forest themed canopy bed frame and the picture window currently dressed in emerald green curtains, her other favorite part of the room was her wall of books housed in sauder barrister lane bookcases.

Patron to a variety of genres, it was so easy for her to spend countless hours traveling to other worlds and locales without ever having to leave her home.

She did, of course, leave the room, and her home-- everyday in fact-- for business and other forms of pleasure. But when she returned, particularly to her room of books and comfort, it was always with great delight and enthusiasm for her next literary adventure.

Two Together On a Subway, Woman and Child

When the subway doors opened, a woman and a young boy got on. 

Another passenger, a man in his mid to late 20s, who had been sprawled out in a seating section that normally serviced two, quickly got up and offered the area to them. 

The woman, who looked to be in her mid 40s, smiled her thanks, continued holding on to the subway pole with her right hand, and gestured with her left that they were okay with standing. 

As the doors closed and the train resumed its course, a shift in gears had the young boy, about 4 or 5 years of age, who had not been holding onto the pole, suddenly sliding backwards. Surprise, elicited from him a drawn out, "Woah!" and a delighted grin. Quickly, he looked up to the woman as if to say, "Did you see that?!" She, in turn, met his eyes, shook her head and then perfected a camera take to the heavens whose subtitles could have read, "Lord, help this child?" 

The boy giggled.

Returning his attention to the pole, he spent a few more times deliberately making a game out of holding and not holding on. A game which, from an adult's point of view, would most likely be called, Tempting Fate. And so, not coincidentally, a few moments later, the woman made her way to the previously declined seating section and gestured him over.

Obliging with youthful exuberance, he flopped down into the seat, and rested his head against her upper arm. With quiet affection, she leaned slightly towards him, patted his knee twice, and then resumed sitting back up again.

Visually exploring his immediate surroundings, the boy noticed a sign on the connecting doorway between the train's cars and asked what it meant. 

"Do not lean on the door," the woman read out loud. She then proceeded to explain that sometimes the doors can open unexpectedly and so, to avoid falling and getting hurt, signs are posted to help people stay aware. 

He pondered this for a moment and then, seeming satisfied with her answer, asked about other signs on the train. 

One thing I admired as she answered his questions to the best of her knowledge, was how present and comfortably engaged her energy stayed throughout their exchange. But there was something more in the experiencing of it. Physically and energetically they were, undoubtedly, together. But the other thing I felt and found myself admiring was, to paraphrase Khalil Gibran, the spaces in their togetherness. Space to grow. Space to be. Honestly, felt... free. 

When the train arrived at their stop, she once again leaned over, patted his knee twice, and this time, standing up and clasping hands, exited together.

Three Get on a Bus

It was a winter coat, hat, gloves, scarf type of day as the bus pulled up to the stop and three passengers got on.

The first to board was a young girl who looked to be about 7 or 8. She wore a black coat and a black winter style hat. The logo on the hat brought to mind the intimidating monster like mascots adopted by various sports teams. One might say the image's tough demeanor seemed rather appropriate, shedding insights on it's wearer who had boarded while struggling with a large black tote.  Although, physically, she teetered under the extra weight, her facial expression looked to be that of pride and determination. One could almost hear an inner mantra chanting, "I've got this. I've got this. I've got this."

The young girl had taken a few steps into bus but then ambled back to wait on the next boarding passenger, a woman, in the process of paying the fare.

The woman also wore a black coat and hat. Draped over her left shoulder was a red and white blanket with the name, "Rosaleen" embroidered in several places in red. In her left hand she carried, even in its folded state, a cumbersome looking dark blue baby carriage and in her right hand balanced a child of about 2 or 3.

This little girl wore a white and leopard print covered coat, a blue winter hat depicting cartooned humans on the front, and dangling from her left hand-- fastened to something underneath the coat-- was a single mitten whose color matched the blue on her head. The mitten's twin, clearly not dangling from her right hand, appeared to be missing.

Fare paid, the older girl proceeded to look for a seat. Behind her, the woman navigated herself, the carriage and youngest girl into a vacant seat towards the front, left side of the bus.  As an older gentleman was already seated directly across from the woman, the older girl settled down two seats over on the right hand side of the bus.

A short time later, the woman leaned over to speak to the child she was carrying. But betraying no emotion regarding the nature of the one sided communication, the child's only response was to alternate between staring out, expressionless, in front of her, and looking down at floor of the now moving bus.

In fact, the only thing that did draw the younger girl's attention, as well as that of the older girl's, was the sudden movement of another young girl who had already been on the bus.  Whatever it was that occurred had the girl with the tote surreptitiously throwing glances out of the corner of her eye, while the younger child, without any pretense at secrecy, simply just stared.