Soaring Without Wings...

Did you know that every three fourths of each stride a galloping horse makes is spent in the air?  Three fourths!  I have always cherished the quote, "When God created the horse He said, 'And thou shalt fly without wings.'"  This is why galloping across the fields for me is flying.

In all the decades I owned horses I only ever had two injury accidents, which were not their fault.  Or mine.

The first involved soaring across a field on my horse Bashum.  We apparently disturbed these huge grasshoppers and one suddenly flew into Bashum's eye.  He stumbled west and I flew east...with my tailbone connecting with the ground first.  We were a LONG way from the barn phone and my car.  

Thankfully we were near a fallen tree I managed to climb on.  We made it to the barn.  Bashum's eye was torn in the corner so I called the vet to come.  Then I had to leave driving myself to the ER.  I feared two things:  that I injured my spine, and/or my dear orthopaedic surgeon was going to kill me.

He fell over laughing.  

It turned out I only fractured my tailbone.  In two places.  

Bashum's eye had to be treated with medicine but all was fine there too.

The other injury involved my horse Selah.  It was summer.  I was barefoot.  In order for a Little Person like myself to put a bridle on a horse I had to lean into her to get the head strap over her ears.  Summer means flies.  At the exact moment I was leaning into Selah to do the head strap she raised her hoof to knock away a fly.

Only when she put her hoof back down it was ON MY FOOT.  She couldn't know it so I had to push her off but because of the position we were both in she TWISTED off my foot.  Then I did what any respectable owner would do...I rode her.  Thirty minutes later I looked down at my foot.  By then it was three times its' size and every color.  Oops.

I rode Selah to my car, fed her, then drove myself to the ER.  Again my very dear orthopaedic surgeon fell over laughing.

I was lucky.  Because I was barefoot everything was only severely bruised and kind of torn...not crushed.

To this day though I proudly have Selah's clear hoofprint on my right foot.

In five decades these were my only injury accidents.  And not their fault!😄

That I was so blessed to fly without wings for many years I had been given a gift worth the price of a very bent tailbone, and a hoof shaped scar on my right foot I am so darn proud I have.

The Grand Finale Of Aplomb...

Years ago my beloved horse Patches and I made "The Ride" of a lifetime with one hell of a grand finale...😂

When Patches and I successfully arrived at the Danner Farm with all the media people in tow after completing the ten mile Ride I relaxed as soon as we turned into the gate proceeding along the tree lined lane knowing we made it.

Mr. Danner raised and showed miniature horses.  As soon as one entered the lane was a pasture with many of them.  

For the first time in Patches life during The Ride he encountered the police who escorted us, media, loud trucks, two bridges, and many along our journey who came out to applaud us, and he did beautifully.🐎😃🐎

So I relaxed you see, assuming there was nothing else which could possibly frighten Patches.  However one must never ever make assumptions with horses for they are very good at suddenly surprising one.  And Patches did just that while the cameras were still rolling.🥴

The group of miniature horses were so excited to see this new horse they came charging up to the fence neighing.  LOUDLY neighing.  

It had never occurred to me that Patches becoming frightened by his own species would be a cause for concern.  So at the precise moment I relaxed Patches suddenly leap-twisted sending me flying high through the air!😱

Remember my blog on aplomb?  Aplomb is when one who rides horses and may fall off at times, can show others how talented they are by the way they have learned to perfect this event.  

After a brief moment of ground contact first there follows this very smooth, fluid movement of keeping going until one is successfully standing again as if one had intended to perform the whole amazing feat on purpose.😂 

So with my considerable aplomb finesse I was able to successfully perform this amazing feat with a very smooth, fluid landing on my feet (eventually) single event.  And delivered a smile too!😃

However this was not quite the grand finale we all expected.  

Thankfully I was allowed to remount Patches, who by then had become acquainted with his miniature horse fans, and we did the coming through the gate arrival scene again in a much quieter, more dignified way.😊

Later though much to the delight of our adoring public by then, the original grand finale fall off Patches with aplomb was shown in a bloopers segment with all the many other bloopers we managed to accumulate of that one very amazing smooth event showcasing my "talent" for eventually landing back on my feet.  And yes, with the smile too.😃

So remember, keep to the bright side my dear ones, for you always land back on your feet.  

Uh...eventually.🤣

               Patches at two soon after The Ride

The Hilarious Purple Shoe Incident...

Remember my recent blog detailing how my fellow ten Scene Painting class members and myself went plunging down a snow covered Mt. Everest of hills following our last class together?  In it I also described 

where our profession took each of the nine guys and two ladies.

About fourteen years after we plunged down Mt. Everest, which was the last time we were all together,

Damien who landed a Scene Design position after he interned at a prestigious theatre in Seattle sought my help for a large scale production.  He needed my gift for being able to recreate an exact scene on a massive flat without the need for a grid system which can take more time.

It so happened I had just gone through my first two spine surgeries and the stay in the Pediatric Cancer Ward AND a theatre internship TWICE because of all the unexpected hospital delays.  Even learning how to walk again two times.  Yet I made it.  I had been hired by a theatre but I wouldn't start the position for another 

two months to begin the sets for their new following season.  Damien needed me for roughly six weeks so the timing was perfect.

Since most of us remained close keeping in touch we knew what was going on with each other.  Which is why Damien knew I was available.  So at Damien's request his theatre flew me to Seattle.🎭

Damien and his partner Logan had a huge house and insisted I stay with them.  I jumped at the chance for more reasons than one because you see, Damien and 

I were the ones in the group who were either causing the others to have laughter hysterics or the instigators of fun activities like the plunging down Mt. Everest.  We were also damn good at getting the others to do these crazy things too.🤣  

So when everyone heard Damien and Adelaide would 

be at a theatre together in Seattle they just KNEW stuff would happen.  Said they'd all have to watch the national evening news broadcasts because we were sure to be in the news during my time there.😂

Actually we were so busy the first three weeks, other than entertaining those around us by regaling them with stories of our antics while we were hard at work making theatre magic happen with the amazing sets we were both creating.🎭

By the end of three weeks Damien and Logan wanted to take me out for dinner one night.  Not just any place, but...The Sky City Revolving Restaurant located on top of The Space Needle.

On this night Damien wanted to go in drag which I certainly had no problem with as I had seen him in 

drag countless times.  I only mention this detail at all because you see Damien wore his new expensive designer high heel PURPLE shoes, but please do not expect me to tell you which fancy designer as I am far more knowledgeable about the shoes of horses than I ever am about shoes for hoomans costing more than a whole year's worth of board payments for my horses.  Besides, I always suspected Damien's REAL reason for taking me to the Revolving Restaurant in the Sky was only to show off his brand new PURPLE high heel 

shoes for all to see.🤣

The guys had made a reservation for the three of us.  As we were being led to our table by the window you can imagine how many fancy well dressed diners went agog while holding food on their forks which suddenly stopped midway to their mouths at the amazing once in a lifetime sight appearing before them of a dwarf dressed like a hippie wearing a flowing PURPLE and black skirt, a tall striking man in a PURPLE tuxedo with his partner dressed to the nines in a PURPLE dress wearing matching PURPLE high heel shoes.

After we were seated Logan had quite the serious observation he made.  "Did you two happen to notice the ways people here were staring at us?"

Damien who had just taken a large gulp of water and I burst into hysterical laughter.  I just barely missed getting sprayed by Damien's mouthful for I was seated right across from him.🙃

Had Damien not been buying my dinner I can tell you I would have had to order soup.  However since he was buying I also ordered Lobster as they did.👏🤩👏

The meal for me was exquisite.  Midway through the meal as Logan and I were deep in a discussion about the meaning of life, Damien suddenly leaned down looking beneath the table but neither Logan or I thought anything was unusual. 

Now the guys were excited to take me to a fancy lounge with the greatest music ever following our meal.  But as we were finishing our lobsters Damien very anxiously    alerted Logan and I about a serious problem.  And I mean this was serious because Damien was choking back tears.

"Logan...Adelaide...as we were enjoying our meal I slipped my shoes off!"

He was struggling.

"Awhile ago when you two were talking about the meaning of life and all that shit I accidentally knocked one of my shoes onto that little ledge thingie above the wheel making this place revolve!"

As I dived beneath the table, "Where Damien?  I don't 

see it.  What 'ledge thingie?'"

"Dahlin' that's just it...we have to stay here revolving until we reach the place where I can retrieve my shoe!"

"But Damien, how do you know where that is?"

"See the mural of the Cascade Mountains?"

"Uh, yes."

"See those two mountains close together?  That's where my shoe is resting."

Logan asked what I thought was a very sensible question, "But Damien, all we have to do is tell our waiter..."

"NO!"

"Why?"

"I spent a fortune on those shoes!  All it would take is the slightest nudge and POOF!  My beautiful shoe could be gone forever!  No, we're waiting.  Please?"

"Damien, of course Logan and I will stay.  We have to because you're the only one who can drive your car with its stickshift so we're stuck."

The only slight problem with Damien's plan is the fact the Sky Restaurant was exceptionally crowded that night you see.  Already the Maitre-d and our waiter were eyeing our table as a crowd of people waited to get a table.

The waiter approached our table.  "Sir, would you like your check now?"

"No thank you," said Damien. "If you don't mind we'd like to order coffee and see your Dessert Menu, please."

As soon as the waiter departed Logan blurted out, "But Damien all three of us are stuffed!  Where are we going to put our desserts?" 

"Adelaide's purse!"

"NOT in Adelaide's purse, thank you."

"Well then in our bras."

"Damien, you're the one here wearing boobs like Dolly Parton, not me!"🤣

When the waiter returned with the Dessert choices heading for Damien's bra I thought to ask a highly important question the guys hadn't considered yet.

"Sir, out of curiosity exactly how long does it take for the Restaurant to make each cycle?"

"Approximately forty-five minutes."

So we decided if we ordered one dessert while sipping the coffee slowly we may just be able to pull this off.

We ordered some kind of delicious Five Chocolate Cheesecake.

Midway through this dessert as the two mountains were coming round the bend, "Uh Damien, I've got to 

go pee."

"You can't Adelaide, not now."

"Why not?"

"Because you're so short you need to dive under the table with me in case you need to get where I can't."

"Just so you know there is a very strong possibility you may get wet."

So during the time remaining with military precision planning Damien drew on a cloth napkin what needed to happen after we dived beneath the table.  He was X.  I was Y.

Logan who was Z, cried out, "What the hell am I'm going to look like sitting here alone after people see you two suddenly dive under the table?!!"

This never got addressed you see because suddenly those two mountains were very near.

"Adelaide, DIVE!"

So Adelaide DIVED!

And it was a good thing Adelaide did dive too.  For the PURPLE High Heel shoe on a ledge thingie was exactly where only someone of my height could reach anyway.

As I popped up holding the PURPLE shoe high in the 

air like a trophy on my side of the table and Damien popped up on his side letting a rather loud cheer escape, there stood our waiter and the Maitre-d.

Uh oh.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Yes, I need to pee!  Meanwhile ask the dude with the PURPLE shoe I just threw at him to please tell you a hilarious story you will always remember!"😂

Are You A Starfish Saver?

There is a story about a man on a beach helping the many starfish washed up onshore following a storm.

Another man witnessing this scoffed at him by trying to point out there were so many what possible difference could it make.

As the starfish saver picked up another one tossing it back into the ocean he said, "Well it makes a difference to this one."

If you've been reading this blog long you will know how

I often use the analogy of the importance ripple effects are in how we touch other lives.  For you see it is our ripple effects which may just make that starfish difference to somebody. 

In my recent blog here, "A Very Touching Powerful Encounter," I told the story how exhausted after a long day flying from Seattle to Baltimore hindered by storm delays, I got into a vehicle parked where taxi's are waiting.

I had entered the car of a lady named Jenny who immediately sensed something in me.  She wanted to know how I managed to remain so positive radiating happiness living in a body like mine.  Hearing urgency 

in her voice I passed along some of the more important things I have embraced on this journey of mine as Jenny filled numerous napkins by writing down all I shared.

After we arrived at my home Jenny told me something astounding.  She had just buried her husband of many years due to cancer.  Her daughter became furious after the funeral as she expected her mother to make major decisions immediately.  As Jenny dropped her off at the airport things became so ugly her daughter left in a rage.  That's when Jenny made the decision to drive home, pull in the garage, keep the car running and end her life.

At that precise moment I suddenly plunge into her car assuming I was plunging into a cab and then literally save her life.  So she was seriously wondering if I were an angel because in her eyes I just had to be an angel.  I assured her I couldn't possibly be as swear words had this tendency to come flying out of my mouth a little too much and I have a wicked sense of humor too.😂

We shall return to Jenny in a moment. 

I have written here how ten other students and I had the honour of having been chosen for Dr. Sonderling's last Scene Painting class and the special bond we all shared.  One day early on in the class Dr. Sonderling asked if we happened to notice the Theatre Department cleaning lady and if any of us knew her name.  Half the class had never even noticed the Theatre Department HAD a cleaning lady let alone know her name.  But one of us did.  When I told Dr. Sonderling her name was Mrs. Spencer he was not surprised I would be the one who knew.

My four mentor friends constantly said I have this way of drawing people in by turning strangers into friends no matter who they are.  For not only do I warmly engage people in conversation I am a empath with a huge amount of compassion for others.  So by the age of three living the horrendous childhood I had, I began making friends to fill the tragic void of having such unstable violent parents who could never love or accept me.  And this is how my friends of all ages and walks loved me into who I am.

Thus I could not only tell Dr. Sonderling and my fellow ten Scene Painters Mrs. Spencer's name but how many children she had, how her husband had been killed in a car accident forcing her to become a cleaning lady and they were all living in a one bedroom apartment with no beds.

When my classmates and Dr. Sonderling who thought he fully knew Mrs. Spencer's situation learned all this about her they sincerely took notice and also became friends with her.  Eventually as our kindness in helping Mrs. Spencer spread throughout the entire Theatre Department including our professors and beyond, Mrs. Spencer and her children eventually wound up being in their own furnished and fully stocked Habitat For Humanity home!

See the ripple effects when we realize how kindness may make a difference to each starfish?

Back to Jenny.  We kept in touch until she too passed away years later due to cancer.  Yet after our encounter in the "cab" her life became a full happy one again.  Her daughter?  The day following that airport scene she called in tears begging her Mother's forgiveness for how she acted.

When Jenny told her the powerful encounter she had with me, the experience had an impact upon her too and she couldn't wait to meet me.

Just before Jenny died she gave her daughter a very special notebook filled with clear pages to insert items in.  Within each page endearingly preserved were each of the napkins Jenny carefully wrote down what I had learned from my own journey I shared with her that night.

So you see my dear ones, every starfish matters.  And sometimes you just never know when you will be the starfish saver who makes a difference or the starfish whose life will be changed.  

Either way you matter. 

       

The Funniest Event Of A Lifetime...

Though my family did not go to church, from early childhood on I believed in God and treasure a loving God as I believe Him to be.

At age nineteen I began going to a dear church in the country and was baptized.  It really was a very profound experience...but...BUT...sometimes the most hilarious unexpected things can happen to me.  Remember THIS fact:  I am very buoyant in water.

I had become close friends with the pastor, his wife (who both were older than me), and kids.  As we adults were in school with many expenses, often on Sunday nights I would join them for fried egg and ketchup sandwiches while we shared hopes, tears, laughter, and dreams.

Several others were being baptized the same day I was with a packed church.  Now this was a full immersion baptism so the water was 3' deep, right up to my neck.  BUT I LOVE WATER.  Oceans, swimming pools, lakes, creeks, I am in!😃

The church had just gotten these brand new white baptism robes, with mine being a full 7" longer than me.  And did I happen to say yet I am very buoyant in water?😂

I was last.  I gathered as much of the excess robe in 

my hand as I possibly could and stepped in before the packed church watching, including my dear friend Jackie who could laugh loud.  Really loud.

When I reached bottom the water immediately caused me to pop up like a cork, as a HUGE expanse of white material suddenly rose to the top.😳

By this time I was floating and trying to look in control at the same time.  Ron could immediately see we were rapidly losing control, both in the water and trying not to laugh.  Nevertheless, we had to continue.  He managed to guide me over to him and asked the right questions I responded to, and then...AND THEN came that Big Moment to

dip my head beneath the water by laying me backwards.  SO not good.  NOT good.  Remember, 

I am very buoyant now with a HUGE expanse of white robe.😱

Ron laid me back and before he could react my legs went flying out of the water straight up in the air.  By the way I should say I thankfully did have on a bathing suit.😂

He first had to raise my head back up, then quickly managed to force my legs back down but white material was floating everywhere and I had to grab onto Ron because I was clearly floating out of control.😂

So much for trying to BE in control.  We lost it.🤣

Just as Ron and I thought we were getting some semblance of control and dignity, we could first hear Jackie trying to stifle her unique loud laugh, followed by others who were losing it.  Then WE began losing it.  And this was a baptism!  Heaven surely had to be falling over laughing up there!😂

As Ron kept me from popping out of the water he carefully pushed me to the other side to get out.  BUT it didn't end there though, you see.  Remember the expanse of robe?  As I was about to climb out part of the brand new robe got caught on a nail and I became stuck.  We're talking VERY stuck here folks!  In the water!🤣

So as poor Ron was trying to seriously speak to the congregation, out of the corner of his eye he could see I was stuck.  Good and stuck.  Not only that, he noticed I was totally shaking in laughter so hard I was making big waves roll across the baptistry.😂

Jackie said they could tell something else crazy had happened because suddenly they began to see all these waves rolling across the baptistry.🤪

Bless his heart though, somehow Ron was able to quickly wrap up what he was saying.  Only he couldn't exit my way because I was still in the water wrapped in white robe that had become like a strait jacket stuck on a nail.  He had to go the other way then hurry around the long back hallway to help me get out, but it was very difficult you see.  We were both in hysterics.  We totally lost it!😂  And he still had to deliver a sermon!😱🤣

Somehow we finally managed to get the new robe off the nail without shredding it...MUCH...then got me out so he could be on his way.  With all that HUGE expanse of heavy wet robe I somehow made it to the change area.  

I realized it would be very wise to wait until AFTER 

the service before joining Jackie and the congregation.  With good reason, you see.  EVERYONE later said they would have lost all control, bursting into laughter as soon as I entered, including Ron trying to deliver the sermon.🤣

That had to be the funniest baptism in the history of mankind.  Jackie said it could ONLY happen to me.

Ohhh, YES!😂

Decades later I heard they were STILL laughing about Adelaide's baptism that Sunday, 1975 A.D.🤣🐎💫

This is The Baptistry where The Event took place.  The two huge banners (6'x4') requested by the church were made by me and used for many Christmas Seasons.

We're Off To See The Wizard...

As touched on last week, one cannot work in Theatre for decades without witnessing or being part of some hilarious situations.  The following two pieces are too brief for a blog entire, yet hopefully are enjoyed...

For a small theatre production of "The Wizard 

Of Oz," Matt, the Director who came to town specifically to do this play had an attitude.  In fact he was downright rude and pompous as hell.

Matt was also determined to squeeze a Broadway production out of a little one despite the budget.  As the Dress Rehearsal was underway Matt suddenly jumped up from his seat in the House yelling, "This just isn't working!  We just can't do Toto using a stuffed Toto toy!  I won't have it!"

Our Artistic Director Carrie tried to reason with Matt, "But Matt, tomorrow is Opening Night!  Even if we find a dog like Toto too many things can go wrong using a live animal!  Let alone not having the time to rehearse using one!"

"I don't care!" bellowed Matt.  "We're using a real dog even if I have to go out and buy one!"

True to his word Matt arrived late the next afternoon with Wally, The Toto.  Unfortunately though Wally The Toto appeared bloated.

I asked, "Uh Matt have you been feeding Wally 

anything?"

"Of course I have!  Two big slices of pizza loaded with cheeses and all the works!  You should have seen that little dog wolf it all down!"

This definitely was not looking good.

The House was packed that night.

At the scene after Miss Gulch has taken Toto from Dorothy and has Toto in her basket when he then escapes, Matt's plan was to be in the wings.  Then Wally The Toto would run to him thus exiting the stage.  So said Matt, that is.

However as Matt waited in the wing for Wally The Toto to make his escape, Maggie the Stage Manager tried to tell Matt of a rather urgent problem she had been made aware of from the Miss Gulch, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, and Dorothy actors.  

Matt very rudely yelled at Maggie, "Can't you see I'm busy?!!  SHUT UP!"

So the moment came for Wally The Toto to make 

his grand escape from the basket.

Oh he did all right.  But not to Matt.  Wally The Toto was running all over the set.  Then Matt being the pompous idiot he was just totally lost it not giving a damn about rushing out on stage before a packed House to chase Wally The Toto down.

He really should have listened to Maggie though, because you see all over stage front Wally The Toto had been depositing these very stinking, very loose piles of "pizza loaded with cheeses and the works" all during Act I.

As we watched the following scene unfold before 

us from the wings we all began dying in helpless hysterics.

For Matt lost his balance when he slid into the mess at stage front.  Kept trying to get up but couldn't as things were so slippery you see.  Matt probably did not consider how fortunate he was at this point that the role of Toto had not been written for a Great Dane.

He had to CRAWL off the stage dripping in dog shit as Wally The Toto ferociously barked at him while the audience including the critic in attendance were drowning in laughter.

Sooo for the remainder of the brief run of this play Wally The Toto was replaced with the stuffed toy Toto as before.  Then we heard Matt The Pompous who was a bit less pompous skipped town with Wally The Toto never to be seen (or smelled) again.

If anything can go wrong during a play it usually 

is due to what we call a "momentary brain fart." This is when an actor suddenly cannot remember a line rehearsed and performed a thousand times without incident until that very brain fart happens.

However royally missing one's cue to come on stage can also REALLY set into motion some very trying, yet hilarious situations for the cast members already on stage desperately waiting for the one who is screwing up, which by the way usually happens before a packed House.

Act III of a play involved a death scene and Jeremy was the one dying.  He came very close TO dying when Andrew failed to appear.

Imagine this:  here is Jeremy's character about to 

croak lying in a lounge chair.  For the tender final scene Andrew is supposed to help the dying Jeremy return to bed.  But for some reason there suddenly is no Andrew!

Jeremy:  "Ohhh Andrew, where ARE you?  I'm dying, I mean REALLY DYING ALONE OUT HERE!  Shall I have to struggle putting myself into bed all alone too?  Andrew, how could you leave me like this?  I can barely make it to the bed!"

STILL no Andrew!  Everyone backstage was trying to find him.  

Meanwhile continuing on stage...

Jeremy:  "Ohhh Andrew, commom, where ARE you?  You were going to sing me a song!  How can I die without you here to sing me on my way?  I don't even know the words to the music you were going to sing to me because those were YOUR lines to learn!  NOT MINE!"

All Jeremy could think of were the words to, "Take Me Home Country Roads," and began belting them out as loud as he could forgetting he was supposed to be dying!  Only "Country Roads" had NOTHING to do with the play!  Even so Jeremy belted them out anyway!

By now the audience was drowning in laughter.  We in the wings were drowning in laughter.  Even Jeremy had totally lost it.

Then Andrew appears!

"Andrew, where the hell have you been?!!"

"Would you believe me if I told you my car broke down?"

"In the middle of this play?!!  Are you crazy?!!  No way in hell would I believe you!  By the way I'm going to die now."

Andrew REALLY got himself into some deep shit though.  And the REASON he lost all track of time?!!

It was because he was on the phone trying to teach his baby daughter how to say "Dada" before saying "Mama," so he wouldn't lose a bet he had with his wife.🙄

One Brave Little Dandelion...

I would rather see one brave dandelion flaunting its little bright yellow banners in the chill of an early spring wind, than a hothouse of perfect red roses.

Once when I was being interviewed for a magazine about my life and art, I shared the above quote with the reporter, who was so taken with not only the quote, but what he described as all this enthusiasm and optimism he said I had which he felt was very refreshing.

Alec had only been told I was a unique artist when assigned the interview.  Well, to Alec most artists are unique anyway, so he didn't think much of it.  That is until he met me discovering I was a artist AND a Little Person.  So immediately he became very intrigued.🤔

First, enthusiasm and optimism go hand in hand.

Yet what exactly ARE they?

From the book, "A Touch Of Wonder," Arthur Gordon says, "The enthusiastic person has the capacity for generating excitement.  They respond to the stimuli of life not only with their five senses and brain but with their emotions as well.  They feel things...care.  And as they care they are ALIVE."

"This is why the display of enthusiasm is such an endearing and contagious thing because it has optimism in it."

Alec knew as a Little Person I surely had so MANY challenges to deal with in every capacity of life and was very keen to know how I came to have the amount of enthusiasm and optimism he encountered.  You see until Alec shined a spotlight on this I hadn't realized my exuberant way of living was unique.  I had assumed most everyone were also living their lives this way or trying to.  

I told Alec I had learned from my challenges one should have what I call a "gratitude attitude," by focusing on the many things in our lives to be thankful for rather than a focus on what was wrong.  For in so doing we become a happier, far more appreciative person.

Then Alec asked to hear about my journey.  Like what carved me into who I was.  By this time I had just had my third spine surgery where I had to learn to walk again for the second time.  And soon after had to be hospitalized on a Pediatric Oncology ward for a bone marrow treatment.  Then I touched on my childhood which was a very difficult one.  

As Alec was there to focus on my art I then shared how I was the youngest artist to be represented by a art gallery at that time, showing him the work he wanted to see most which is of course...ahem, horses.🤣

And obviously that led us to my own horses.

"OH MY GOSH!  You have horses?!!  And you RIDE them?!!  How...HOW do you get ON them?"🤣

For two hours we talked discussing my Art, Theatre Set Design work and what they meant.  Then my piano playing, my seven horses, hopes and dreams.

Alec again returned to seeking more insights into how such a young talented very physically challenged person still managed to attain so much optimism.

I gave this some thought for a moment, then shared with him how in "A Touch Of Wonder," Mr. Gordon also described an encounter he had on the beach with an old Rabbi friend early one morning.  

The Rabbi picked up a shell and held it up exclaiming with excitement, "Oh look!  The sun is shining from within it!"  

"You see Mr. Gordon saw shells all the time yet never saw the wonder in them before the way the Rabbi did, and he saw how this applied to everything.  He realized, '"One who has an awareness for the gifts and wonders of life with appreciation and enthusiasm, somehow always manages to rise above their tough challenges without inwardly becoming dragged down by them."'  And this describes myself and the way I strive to rise above my challenges."

"Wow, Adelaide.  You have shown ME so much today!"

Alec went on to write a very lovely article using my dandelion quote and referring to me as "that one brave talented little dandelion flaunting her shining banners against the blowing winds of life."  This article received many letters conveying how the piece about this particular artist had quite an impact upon them.  I was profoundly touched.🙂

The gifts of enthusiasm and optimism are meant to be shared my dear ones.  For when you share these gifts with one, just even one, they will touch others and so it goes like ripples in the water spreading out more and more than you can ever imagine.🐎