Category Archives: children

Retrospectively Speaking

Leave a comment

Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars.You have to let go at some point in order to move forward ~ Unknown

monkey barsThe over the past few weeks in my blogging I have been remembering some of  my younger days. I’ve often stated on All Things Fulfilling the importance of living life forward and not looking back. Yet, I have mixed opinions on that.

For some people, like myself, looking back gives me a sense of my origins, roots and stability. That is a fulfilling feeling. I feel great security in my family and knowing that my parents were always there for me, no matter what. I recognize how fortunate I am. Not every person has that.

Secondly, the retrospective perspective, when written in memoirs can be a powerful tool if it is used to help us review and understand what has or has not worked in the past.There is value in that. The drawbacks come when we get stuck in hindsight because that  does not allow for forward movement. And I get that.

The other day I came across an article that I thought might be of interest to people who like myself enjoy writing about memories. Scientists have discovered that there are, indeed,  some very good reasons to look back. http://nyti.ms/1l30IYZ.
This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. Click here for information on Sue’s memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

 

 

 

 

 

Coping Skills and Economy

Leave a comment

“Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.” ~ Guy Kawaski

Yesterday after I wrote about my college escapades in my  hand-me-down car, I began thinking of how different life is now for students compared to when I was in college in the early 1970s. My sister and I were very fortunate to even have had a vehicle to share in college because the majority didn’t. We were thrilled to death to have inherited the old “jalopy.”

When the budget was low and we ran low on gas money, we pooled our funds with our girlfriends. Back then, giving credit cards to college students was unheard of – most families operated on a cash only basis. If you had built a good reputation or were good friends with the shopkeeper, sometimes they did extend credit in emergency situations. gas rationing

Back in 1973 it didn’t matter who you were or what kind of car you drove, you were not entitled to having a full tank of gas at anytime of day or night. It was the days of gas rationing. My sister and I had to plan our 500 mile treks home from school vacations very carefully. We could only purchase gas on certain days and at some gas stations there was a 10 gallon limit.

To take things even further – we had to wait in line to use the pay telephone if we wanted to call our parents. And forget calling  on a whim – every telephone call cost dearly.There were no package plans! On Sunday evenings, every two weeks, we called home. And the time allotment had two be split between two talking heads, mine and my sisters.

Do you think young adults in today’s society have the same kind of coping skills as in previous generations? I’d like to hear from you.

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

“Serving Children of the World”

Leave a comment

It is Tuesday, June 17.  Today I am scheduled to speak with the Kiwanis Club http://www.kiwanis.org/ of Steamboat Springs, Colorado about my new publication “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”

kiwanis 2The mission of Kiwanis is “serving children of the world.” I have dreams of reaching children around the world who have health issues through my story. Sick children and their parents need to hear stories of hope. My memoir will uplift many people. And a little humor has never hurt a soul so anyone can enjoy the book. As one reader said “Gift of Lifetime is indeed that…. a story of how the simplest words can have the most impact on our lives…”

There have been many studies in the medical field, in recent years, about the connection between healing and living with a positive spirit and humor. My memoir presents an example of how one person’s outcome in life was affected by having what I consider to be all the right conditions that are necessary to live a fulfilling life despite a very difficult start.

Thanks to the independent publishing industry and the ability to sell books on the internet, my book will reach readers from all over this country and places around the world who will take away from the story the message that we can learn a lot from people of all faiths, color and creed.

My greatest wishes for the book, is that parents around the world will learn of “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected” and share the upcoming audio book with their sick children to give them hope, and a little laughter to lift their spirits.

As Eleanor Roosevelt once said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Thank you Kiwanis Club of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It’s great being in your company today and I am grateful I am able to share my thoughts with you!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Sue’s memoir See you tomorrow on http://www.allthingsfulfilling.com.

 

Crossing it from the Vocabulary

Leave a comment

cross_your_heart2God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well. ~ Voltaire

“Jine and Sue,” Fanny said one day, “I don’t want to hears you say it no mo.’ Not one mo’ time,” she said sternly.

“What?” Jan (my sister) or  (Jine, as Fanny called her), and I inquired, “ What were we saying? We aren’t doing anything wrong.”

“You is makin’ promises and sayin’  ‘Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die.’  Dats da worstest,” Fanny said shaking her head, “whoever made up dat sayin’ has gots it all wrong!”

Remember using that expression when you were a kid? Whoever came up with that lousy expression anyway? Researchers have learned so much about the effects of positive spirit on health. http://mayocl.in/1iigiNw.

Although I know I did say “Cross my heart and hope to die”  plenty of times in my childhood when making a promise, I certainly didn’t understand the meaning of it as a youngster. One thing I knew for sure, even though I never understood the magnitude of my childhood illness, is that I didn’t want to die! I had too many other things going for me- a menagerie of animals, a sister,  two brothers, parents and friends who I knew cared for me. And what about my beautiful grandparents and my funny Fanny? I didn’t want to leave any of them behind!

I think rather then taking prayer out of schools, and eliminating “The Pledge of Alliance to the Flag, Under God” from classrooms, “Hope to Die”  needs to be eliminated from all children’s vocabulary when making promises. Children need to know  “Cross Your Heart,” plain and simple, works much better.

Fanny always said, “If you thinks yo’ life is bad, go poke ’round in someone else’s for a little while! Dare is always someone on dis Earf  who ain’t got what you gots. Be grateful.”

cross your heart

As an adult, I know Fanny was right. In her own funny way she was trying to get my sister and me to realize that living well means having appreciation for all that we have been given, including choosing life.

Wondering more about what my funny Fanny said about living? You’ll have to read my memoir. I have had  many people contact me since my memoir “Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected”, was published who said “they wished they had someone in their lives who lived with such heart and soul when they were growing up.” Sue’s memoir

 

Written Through the Ages

Leave a comment

art and spirituality

So much has been written through the ages about the connection between art and spirituality. I came across this story about a young artist who can so well articulate where her painting talent comes from. This girl is only 12 yrs old but has the ability to paint like someone who has been trained by a master.

It isn’t as if she has picked up her ideas about her creator from her parents. She says” my mom was an atheist” and the concept of God and creativity was never discussed in their household.

Watch this short video about her art, and where she says her vision for her paintings come from. http://bit.ly/1hMnVPG.

That’s all I am saying  for today from All Things Fulfilling. Do return tomorrow, we will be continuing this week’s theme about nurturing children’s 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

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

 

Dreams Expressed in Art

Leave a comment

“Think left and think right, think high and think low. Oh the thinks you can think up if only you try.” ~ Dr. Seuss

kimball art what dreams are made ofWhile I was in Park City, Utah last week, I stopped by the Kimball Art Center and took in the exhibit “What Dreams are Made Of.” This gathering of work came from students in the Park City region from kindergarten to high school age.

The Kimball Art Center www.kimballartcenter.org serves more than 11,000 students annually with free visual art lessons and also serves the community with more than 300 art classes each year geared toward all ages including adults.

In many of the two and three dimensional pieces on display it was very clear what interests the children want to explore further in their childhood and into adult life. There were works of art that included themes such as dance, ski racing, equestrian, fashion, writing and publishing, architecture and much more. Different art forms were used to create this display of mixed media – collage, photography, pottery, paper mache, sketches to name a few.

New exhibits are on-going throughout the year at “The Kimball”  but I am happy that I was able to see the diverse interpretations through different children’s eyes and imaginations of “What Dreams are Made Of.” Through persistence, determination and hard work, hopefully many of these dreams will be fulfilled and realized.

Perhaps our society would benefit if more individuals could pursue what drives their spirit rather than just be focused on making a living. Fulfilling a dream feels wonderful. I recently published my memoir! Sue’s memoir

abc-dreams

 

 

Paper Flowers Redux

3 Comments

“My dear girl, you must cultivate a taste for the finer things. Civilized pleasures give meaning to life.” 

― Barbara Taylor Bradford,  Being Elizabeth

Did you read yesterday’s blog about my childhood fiasco of trying to take my little brother on a road trip? If not, check it out.

Speaking of road trips – A few weeks ago, a friend and I took a journey from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. We gallery hopped, window shopped and had a tasty lunch. It was a wonderful and a much needed day away for both of us just before Easter.

Not only did my friend get to return to something familiar from her past, so did I. My book, Sue’s memoirGift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected had only been published shortly before and as I entered into a fanciful women’s  clothing shop, called Confetti Design http://www.confettidesign.net. I was nearly blown away when I saw their window dressing!

glenwood springs paper flowers dressThere she stood a shapely women, a manikin, dressed in a fitting Easter outfit all made from tissue paper flowers. I couldn’t believe my eyes! My memoir has a chapter entitled Paper Roses. which recounts my fulfilling experience of learning to make and sell paper flowers as a project in  junior Girl Scouts.

I had never seen an entire frock made out of tissue paper flowers. As you can see from this image, it was gorgeous and so was the women’s clothing shop. The store had a real vibrancy to it, every color in the spectrum was represented in their high quality and creatively decorated shop. The sales clerks in it could not have been more hospitable either.

I could have shopped til I dropped, but instead I behaved myself. I’m trying to be fiscally conservative so I can properly get the word out about my publication through a diverse marketing plan and that takes some bucks.

Some day soon, I will take Barbara Taylor Bradford’s advice and will return to Confetti Designs with cash in my pocket to splurge on something deserved and special just for ME – perhaps an accoutrement to an outfit for a book talk! From all appearances, the ladies in Confetti have an outstanding eye for style and design.  Maybe they will help me find just the right thing. I will be back!

IMAG1013

I want to remind everyone to shop around by visiting different blogs – it’s a great way to discover fascinating sites and topics through the world-wide-web. You never know what you might run into that may peak your interest. Looking for a fun fashion blog? Visit http://invisiblecrowne.blogspot.com/. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.