Category Archives: Education

Cradled in a Hammock of Love

Leave a comment

There is nothing that moves a loving father’s soul quite like his child’s cry.” ~ Joni Eareckson Tada

Happy Fathers Day to all dads everywhere!

In retrospect, it makes me laugh when I think that we gave my father a hammock as a present one Father’s Day. If you read my memoir you will understand that my dad spent enough time rocking away his time when I was little, soothing my crying!

Peeps with his big catch May 2013He set a fine example as a father figure. My dad was not the kind of father who went off to the office and  left the raising of us kids entirely to our mother.  He was an active participant.  A father’s impact on his children is so important to their healthy development.  http://bit.ly/1hrAuwu.

We kids have been his loyal companions participating in all the things he’s always  liked to do -boating, fishing, skiing, building, crabbing, gardening and much more.

Today, I’d like to acknowledge all that my father has taught me and all that he put up with us kids. My twin sister and I were constantly nagging at him about this or that. “You girls are going to drive me crazy,” he’d say, when we became teenagers. Admittedly, my sister and I were enough to drive him cuckoo with our double trouble.

It’s no wonder he turned completely gray so prematurely at 27. I was probably way more than half the cause of it. (My son inherited his genes on that one!) It’s evident if you read my memoir I was lucky. I got to spend extra one-on-one time with my dad because of the circumstances of my birth. My sister and brothers have had her fair share of days alone with my father, however. Since I married, I’ve  always lived far from the rest of the family.

Even though my father thought we’d drive him crazy, there was never any no doubt that he loved us kids. We can just feel it and words are not necessary to explain it.

Happy Father’s Day, Peeps. 

P.S. I’m pretty sure that my sister and I didn’t drive him crazy! He is 86 years old and still very sharp!  He can remember the names of almost anyone he has met before. In my opinion, his four children and eight grandchildren are what has really kept him going.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Liftetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

 

Premiering Today: Alone Yet Not Alone

Leave a comment

“This is a well-written adventure told from the point of view of an intelligent, observant, and mature girl on the brink of adolescence, with a knack for sharing relevant detail.” ~ Publishers Weekly

Happy Film Friday! Arriving in theatres today is a movie brought to you by Enthuse Entertainment, an independent film production company.  Alone Yet Not Alone  is based on a real life account of a family during a time in history when British and French troops were struggling for control over the abundant resources in the new territory called America.

Despite increasing stresses and hardships around them, the Leininger family gives thanks and praise for the beauty surrounding them in nature and for their newly-found treasured right of “the freedom to worship.” The family had fled Germany to avoid religious persecution.

Through a terrible ordeal, when the two Leininger daughters are kidnapped by the natives,  the Leninger’s find security in their belief that what their homestead and their land would not provide, they would find fulfillment in God’s promise.

Alone-yet-not-alone-movie

To watch trailers of this movie, and to learn more about the plot, the cast and the making of the movie, please visit this link. http://www.aloneyetnotalone.com/photosvideos

Do return on Sunday. We will be honoring all fathers, including my own, whom I have also honored in my memoir Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Sue’s memoir

 

 

Angelic Antics

Leave a comment

“Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit; for without being seen, they are present with you.”    – Francis de Sales

It’s funny, I have never considered myself as a particularly creative person. I didn’t take a lot of  lessons outside of school growing up. Kids of my generation spent more time outside playing in nature rather than being shuffled to all sorts of organized sports and other extra curricular activities.

However, I did take a pastel drawing class at the YMCA one summer with my sister. It is a happy memory that stays steadfast in my mind all these decades later. Although, I didn’t have any innate talent, I found fulfillment in it.

My experience with the clarinet was another story. I’d much rather forget it and so would my parents. Their ears are still damaged from all the squeaks that came out of the instrument when I played it. Their pocketbooks became emptied having to so frequently replace reeds that both my sister and I ruined.

My twin sister and I had a different kind of creativity – we were full of ideas that were not always angelic!  Like how to “get Fanny’s goat” (Fanny is the stellar character in my memoir) and how get her involved in our childhood antics. Her creativity came from how to teach us life lessons that we’d later come to realize was about our silly, double trouble.

Thank heavens for Fanny. She was an angel for putting up with my twin and I and our two brothers. And I am  also grateful for all other angels my life~

angelsamongus2

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Sue’s memoir

World Class in the Making

Leave a comment

It’s my belief that God gives us all gifts, special abilities that we have the privilege of developing to help us serve Him and humanity. ~ Ben Carson

unlocking the heart of an artist“Wow!” Claire  is one skilled young lady,” I thought as I sat in a pew with my husband at the United Methodist Church, http://bit.ly/1kd4g61 on Thursday evening, listening to the second senior recital of the week. She revealed her vocal talent with her ability to sing a huge range of compositions from Mozart’s De Holle Rahe to How Great Thou Art to more contemporary songs, such as Let it Go from Disney’s 2014 animated film Frozen.

But that was not all. This young lady did not hold back. Claire has much more under her belt of musical accomplishments. She demonstrated her ability to play two different types of  flutes, the piano and her latest interest – jazz on the saxophone. Through the song Whirlwinds Dancing, she exhibited what a Native American Indian taught her – how to play the Native American cedar flute.

One of Claire’s many teachers has been with her since she began playing the penny whistle at five years of age. As her teacher Mary Beth Norris said last evening “it has been a pleasure to work with Claire. She is like a sponge and to have watched her grow into a beautiful young lady with outstanding musical talent has been so special.” Claire’s  other music educators Christel Houston, Derek Hurshman, Hannah Bowers and James Knapp had to have felt the same kind of pride for their contributions to the talent they nurtured.

It is a beautiful thing to see a student who understood at a young age what she was gifted with and has had all the resources she needed to develop her special musical endowments. Claire will go on to study music at the college level.

Another delightful evening in the community of  Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Where athletes and artists work hard to become world-class.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir

 

 

 

Dedication of a Student

Leave a comment

There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out. Theres no such thing in life as in between. ~ Pat Riley 

Tanner Visnick

Several evenings last week my husband and I were occupied with “art events” and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. On Tuesday, we attended the senior voice recital of  a student named Tanner Visnick. My husband knew  Tanner only through his athletic abilities, and was astounded by his musical talents.  Tanner is also a telemark skier who is good enough to compete with the Europeans at a high level, and he is only a high school senior.

The musical compositions he chose for the evening included classical (sung in his native language as well as German and Italian) and show tunes. A mix of the serious and entertaining, his diversity of interests in music was showcased. Ave Maria, Bella Notte and An die Musik were a few of the classical tunes that he handled with great finesse. Then onto some musical theatre tunes such as Mr Cellophane (from Chicago), On the Street Where You Live (from My Fair Lady), Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (from Les Miserables), Ending with “Thankful,” which has been performed and recorded by Josh Groban on one of his many albums.

Tanner’s commitment and dedication to academics, sport and music has been admirable. Surprisingly, Tanner has his sites set on science as his major field of study next year. Thus, the “The Scientist” was included in the line up of compositions.

I hope when he goes on to college, he’s not finished with his telemark skiing and his music. He’s put too much work into it. But something tells me he will able to continue to handle almost anything that comes his way. He already at a young age, understands the commitment it takes to excel in any field.

Tanner Visnick.pjg

Photo compliments of Jeannie Visnick

Come on back to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow. We will digging up more young artistic talent when I tell you about the second senior recital I attended last week that was held at the United Methodist Church http://bit.ly/1kd4g61, presented by the Houston Music Studiohttp://bit.ly/1tY5Yxo .

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir

Elevating Thoughts

Leave a comment

I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” ~ Maya Angelou

Last week our country lost some treasures. Poet and writer Maya Angelou passed on. She magnificently showed us who she was by the words she wrote. heart_of_a_woman_the_maya_angelou   She has left us volumes of words to ponder. Her inspirational thoughts help us in working toward being better people.  And yes, as Angelou has told us then there will be a better tomorrow. Things are always improved when we sleep on elevating and enriching thoughts.

I am sad because I also lost one of my favorite aunts on the same day Maya Angelou passed away. My aunt lived with a great sense of humor. She had to, she was married to my Uncle King, the character I wrote about in my story. She, too, was a gift to me in my life.  Rest in Peace, Dot, your spirit will live and love on in the family you and King left behind.

Do return to All Things Fulfilling on Monday. Next week we will feature the lives of some young artists, whose lives have just begun, and they are impressing people already with their talents.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”Sue’s memoir

Spiritual Opinions

Leave a comment

 

ouija board 2A combination of eeriness and curiosity is what I felt when I put my hands on the Ouija board with my friends. As a young teenager, I had just enough belief in forces greater than myself  that experimentation with the spirit board was enticing.

Sometimes when the planchette (the heart shaped piece of wood or indicator) began to move under my fingertips, I wasn’t so certain I wanted to know where it was going to land. I so hoped which ever friend who also had her hands on the indicator would push it in a favorable direction.

When I asked the Ouija Board how many children I would have, for instance, I hoped it wouldn’t stop on the number 9. “One,” I thought, “would be just fine!” After all, I realized pretty early on my odds of having a child were less than my twin sister.

Wonders of the universe have become even more fascinating to me as an adult.  I and many others question what is the real truth behind Stephen R Covey’s quotation? What is your interpretation of life – post your opinions on this site. We would like to hear our readers opinions.

spirtual beings quote by covey

Many baby boomers will remember having a Ouija board but the origins of this controversial spirit board go much further back in history.Want to learn more about the history of this game that was so popular in the 1960s? Follow this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouija.

This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. For information about “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected,” please visit this site.Sue’s memoir

 

Sisters of the Heart

4 Comments

“True friendship takes us by the hand and reminds us we are not alone in the journey.” ~ Unknown

sue mary and jan and neighbor kids enlargedI love this photo of my twin sister and me with our neighborhood buddies! It was sent to me as a surprise, compliments of http://www.unbridledimages.com. It was dug up out of the archives! I am truly grateful to have it!

I am the twin on the right.  The photo was taken during my “difficult days.” Before life really began to get better for me thanks to the cardiologists at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Due to God’s amazing providence, Mary Grace and I (my childhood friend who I mention in my memoir in Chapter 7  titled Taking it One Day at a Time  and who I blogged about yesterday) are alive today. She is the little girl pictured next to my sister  in a blue dress.

You see Mary Grace and I are sisters of the heart in more ways than one. She too had childhood illness that has affected her ticker. Leaps and bounds have been made since we were children, in medical research, that has helped heart patients have a wonderful quality of life.

Mary has gone on to do some amazing things. Like myself she has maintained a completely normal existence throughout her lifetime, never letting anything stop her. She, too, is deeply aware of the gift of life.

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. Not sure where I will travel in my writing. I have come to learn the words will come if I am silent and listen to my heart.Sue’s memoir

 

Horse Sense

Leave a comment

“Be true to your work, your word and your friends.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

The phone rang last Tuesday night. It was Mary Grace calling – my childhood friend who is featured in one of the chapters of my memoir “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.” I hadn’t spoken with her since my book was published and sometimes decades pass by between our telephone conversations. Yet every time we talk it’s like a only a day has gone by since I’ve seen her.

“Sue, I want to buy some copies of your book.  Oh – and I need one for myself.”

I was delighted and of course, we had to take a trip down memory lane while we were speaking.

“Do you remember the time we cleaned your fathers garage out?” She asked.

“No, I don’t.” I replied.

“You don’t remember that?” Mary Grace asked in astonishment.

“No, why did we do that?” I inquired.  After all, kids typically have better ways to expend their energy.

“Because a radio station was giving away a pony, and I was going to win it!” Mary Grace said.

“What?”

“That’s right,” said Mary Grace. “My parents said they wouldn’t have it.”(the pony Mary knew she was going to win).

It didn’t surprise me that her parents said that. They had enough stuff going on at their house . They were a big Catholic family with even more kids than the Battons.

“So you, Jan (my twin sister) and I,” Mary Grace continued, “had determined we were going to clean out your garage of all your fathers construction and building equipment so I could put my pony in it. We wanted to be prepared for the horse’s arrival. We were certain it would be arriving momentarily, as soon as I made my call to the radio station to claim it.

I cracked up laughing on the telephone because I didn’t recall the incident.

As Mary Grace recounted the disappointment she felt that she didn’t win the pony, I couldn’t help think how she has had a very fulfilling life even though that pony didn’t come through for her then, not until decades later.

Mary has always had horse sense and knew to follow her interest in animals and built a very successful veterinary practice. Now she is semi-retired and has turned her focus to wildlife. She is studying and documenting black-footed ferrets in their natural environment. They are currently on the endangered species list. I hope some day she will write about and publish her research.

As we ended our conversation, I was buoyed by the fact that our friendship in still in tact after all these years. Mary, I hope to scout you out toward the end of the summer with some good news that my sister is going to take a trip West so we can have our own reunion. Today I’d like to say your friendship has always been a gift to me, and I’d like to express my heartfelt gratefulness.


 mary kellogg on horse young age

 Mary taking riding lessons as a young teenager as

her mom looks on.

Photo compliment of www.unbridledimages.com

mary kellogg with horse as adult

 Mary as a veterinarian with her beloved horses.

Photo credit: www.unbridledimages.com

Check out the Facebook Page for Unbridled Images, too! http://on.fb.me/1lYBreC

Do return tomorrow. I’ll be blogging about sisters of the heart. I will be posting a photo of me and my twin sister that I had never seen before last Friday. It will have historic value to my family. I can’t wait to surprise them.

This blog brought to you brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir

Faith & Speculation in God’s Creatures

Leave a comment

Life is like a wild horse. You ride it or it rides you. ~ Unknown

Pimlico-Race-Course---Preakness-StakesThis coming weekend is the Belmont Stakes. A few weeks ago Baltimore celebrated the running of the Preakness. Since 1873 ,every third weekend in May, the Pimlico Race Track has played host to one of the horse races in the “Triple Crown Series.” That’s a long history.

In our household, every year before the Preakness, we’d wager our bets among us as to whether King Leatherbury, our relative and well-known horse trainer would enter one of his horses in the contest. http://bit.ly/1nRGAYz. Sometimes he put faith in one of his throughbreds and other years he refrained from entering. But the speculation was usually among our annual May Day family dinner conversations.

If you are from Baltimore, you can’t watch the Preakness Stakes without a mint julep in hand. So my Dad always mixed up a batch of “juleps” for any adults that came by the house the afternoon of the race so they’d be ready for the showdown, whether one of King Leatherbury’s horses was in contention or not.

What’s the purpose of this blog, you might ask? Your looking at lucky and another fulfilling memory that I have of my days of growing up in Baltimore that got left out of my memoir. That’s all.

preakness lookin at lucky

Photo Credit: 2010 Cindy Pierson Dulay

Lookin’ at Lucky – Winner of 2010 Preakness

This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir