Category Archives: Women

Turning Points

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Nothing is predestined. The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.” ~ Ralph Blum

air raidsOver the last week, I have been writing  about freedom of our country. Today’s topic concerns my own journey toward independence from what was to my life as it is today.

The first four years of my elementary school education were spent at Hampden Elementary School in Towson, Maryland. Those years held some uncomfortable times for me as a student and also uncertainties for our country. Remember air raid practices?

Overcrowded conditions in Towson and in other growing post war suburban neighborhoods led to the building of  new schools. In fifth grade I began attending Cromwell Valley Elementary School.

Cromwell is now  a magnet school. It was recently nationally recognized for it’s excellence in outstanding technology programs. http://towson.patch.com/groups/schools/p/towson-magnet-schools-earns-national-award-for-excellence.

cromwell valley elementary schoolIn retrospect, Cromwell probably holds happier memories  than Hampden Elementary. By the time I entered fifth grade, I was really getting stronger from my “pioneering” heart surgery at Johns Hopkins. A chance at new beginnings.

Two years later, when I was in seventh grade, one memorable day in the gym became a real turning point. That day is recounted in my memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, in the chapter titled Stronger than You Think.

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

Photo above:  The second of my two elementary schools.

A Will & A Way With Positive Spirit

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roots of faithI am more convinced than ever after attending an an event on Friday evening called Stories! It Takes Roots to Bloom! that telling stories for the sake of others is so very important. Three speakers who were in different stages of life all had something of value to say about how their faith has uplifted them.  As I sat with 150 other women and listened to the speakers, I couldn’t help but think if these three women’s stories were published, they could reach and inspire so many people.

One courageous young woman, a senior in high school went on to describe how finding faith led her out of drug addiction. Today, her life has been turned around and it’s looking very rosy and positive.

A second woman with a much longer life time of experience and wisdom to draw upon shared her difficult family relationships. With certain realizations that have come with age and faith she has moved forward. As an adult, she knows that she is a good person  despite being told otherwise for many years.

The third woman described how even as a young child, she was raised to believe and has been nearly a “ceaseless cheerleader” in faith. Yet there have been times in her life when she’s encountered others who have made her doubt. When she found her match (her husband), she’s seen an example of someone does not question even though before the age of 15 he suffered great losses in his life.

faith like wifiI would like to encourage all people to write personal stories if you feel you have an uplifting message for others. People need to hear stories of HOPE. There is too much negativity in the world today and we need leaders who can change the world by communicating with positive spirit.

Don’t feel you can write a full book? Poems, song lyrics, videos and short stories are other ways to get the word out. In this day and age of digital communications and independent publishing, you need not fear rejection. There are freelance professionals who can help you with your project.

From personal experience I can tell you if you have faith anything is possible.  I did it! I published my story and beat some other odds too that are inside my story.

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

 

Southern Exposures

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“The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and heart of the child.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The official first day of summer has arrived. Remember when getting a tan was fun? I am a gal with southern exposure, and we lived around the swimming pool and in the sun! My favorite suntan lotion was baby oil mixed with iodine. Remember that? And we used to wrap LP albums  with aluminium foil and hold them under our chins to maximize the sun’s reflection and tanning impact. Now that doctors  know the more about the harmful effects of sun on the skin, stories like that make dermatologists cringe. http://bit.ly/1loDooC.  As I’ve aged I’ve gotten a little wiser and use sunscreen but I still love to hangout in the sun. It warms the spirit. Join me today as we take a look at some nostalgic summertime images! These images will incite memories for baby boomers. Suntan1 suntan 3 Sun In The image below really made me laugh – little did people  know about the aging effects of the sun on the skin. suntan 4   Jean Nate – It was a  favorite thing to spritz all over my body after hours of basking in the sun! Refreshing, indeed! Jean Nate   I remember one summer while cruising around on our family’s house boat, my siblings and I got so sun blistered that my mother had to cover us with wet teabags. The tannin drew out the hurt. http://lifehacker.com/5547350/apply-black-tea-to-effectively-treat-a-sunburn.   Suntan 5     Suntan 6lemon up shampoo Lemon-up. Did you know you can still purchase it at the Vermont Country Store? sending sunshine See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. We will be continuing our journey down memory lane. This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard,  author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Sue’s memoir

Sweetness Contained Within

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If God had intended us to follow recipes, he wouldn’t have given us grandmothers.~ Linda Henley

candy dish

Discover Magazine has a compelling article about the influences our forebears play on the genes of the brain.  Check out this article which gives testimony to whether we grow up to be resilient people or not.

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/13-grandmas-experiences-leave-epigenetic-mark-on-your-genes.

Isn’t it funny the things we remember from our childhood? Memories of arriving at my grandmother’s house contain nothing but sweet nourishment within. Her crystal candy dish on the buffet table in the dining room was the first place we’d head after we left her arms of welcoming love.

When my siblings and I take trips down memory lane, we often talk about the candies that could be dependably found in our grandmother’s vessel that held confections. Dependably, the candy dish was filled to the top in anticipation of our coming. Butter mints, spearmint leaves, fruit jellies, nonpareils were among our favorites. And then there was the other candy dish on the coffee table in her living room – that always held the hard candies – such as the candy fruit straws (I wasn’t so fond of those), hard sour balls, old fashioned ribbon candy at Christmas, raspberry hard candy with the soft centers and, of course, my favorite –  lemon drops.

Just thinking about them all is enough to make my mouth water. There was never any limit to how many candies we ate. In fact, my Grandmother was consumed with the thought that we might leave her home without full bellies, and fed us until even our eyes were bulging.

My mother is the same way about nourishing her grandchildren with food and emotional support.She’s prepared day and night to take in any number of them and give them what ever they need.  But, my mother is more of a modern grandmother type. She’s known to her eight grandchildren as ” just their Meems.”

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

  Sue’s memoir

Grandmothers Apron

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Nature was in her beryl apron, mixing fresher air. ~ Emily Dickinson

apron grandma at the sinkAs a follow-up to the blogs posted earlier in the week,  it sure makes a difference when individuals  have the right teachers, mentors and family support in their lives.

Although Fanny, a character in my memoir,” takes the cake,” in my story, I am very grateful for all of my family. Strong relationships are of fundamental importance. Beautiful memories I have of when all three generations gathered around the dinner table at my grandparents house. Their dining room was small and barely held all of us. What mattered was the wonderful feelings that were felt as we held hands and said grace before dinner. The food was always bountiful and lovingly prepared by my grandmother, as it has always been at my mother’s house.

When I think of my grandmother I think of her  in the kitchen, dressed in her apron. Her sweet disposition was as large as the big apron she generously filled out. Back in her day, women wouldn’t have been caught casually dressed at any time of day or night. Even when her day was spent cooking, she was outfitted in a pretty “house dress,” as she called it, with stockings, shoes with heels (never flats – I don’t think she even owned a pair) and a coating of colorful lipstick which was freshly applied several times a day. She always looked so pretty.

Today I would like to share a link to a blog that has a wonderful poem all about aprons and the magnitude of their importance. http://www.withagratefulheart.com/2007/07/grandmas-apron.html. The poem reflects upon the purpose of aprons other than  utilitarian.

Last fall when I began volunteering in our church kitchen nearly every week serving community dinners, I began getting used  to wearing an apron. A borrowed one from the United Methodist Church Women. The other day I read that aprons are making a come back and there are companies who are updating the apron form with art and style! Here is a link to some cute ones from 4 Generations Studio. http://etsy.me/1mx5ryr. A good gift to put on a Christmas wish list.

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”

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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.

 

Elevating Thoughts

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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

Mark your Calendar, Hon!

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The universe is but one great city, full of beloved ones, divine and human, by nature endeared to each other. ~ Epictetus

Mark your calendars, right now! The 2014 Bawlmer Hon Fest is coming up in less than a month. This year it is June 14th and June 15th. It’s a whole weekend dedicated to the culture that I grew up on the outskirts of,  in the mid-Atlantic city of Baltimore. People like to poke fun over it’s regional subculture in self-deprecating humor.

Don’t know what I am talking about? The movie Hairspray with John Travolta will give you insight into what I am talking about. It’s hard to explain but once you are immersed in the jest, you’d quickly get it. It’s all about fun and fortune of being among friends or close family, hon, and speaking the same language.

That’s all I’m sayin’ except that the influences are there, in my memoir. I’ll say no more. I don’t want to get myself in trouble. Here are some pictures that might explain a little to outsiders.

 

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VIDEO OPTION: We're looking at the turnout for Honfest. Who's there? What are they doing? Do they really care about the HONtroversy?

HONFEST C KAWAJIRI

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Hon fest 1

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

Come on back tomorrow, hon, I’ll be sharing some more childhood memories from living in Baltimore, Maryland.

 

A Mothers Day Secret

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Grown don’t mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What’s that suppose to mean? In my heart it don’t mean a thing. ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987

Now that  Mother’s Day is over I can tell you what I got Mom since my  present that I was planning came much earlier than expected, thanks to the efficiency of my publishers, The Bookcrafters.

You see, I had been planned on giving my Mom the first copy of my new publication Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected as a Mothers’ Day surprise.Sue’s memoir But, someone in the family found out through the internet that my book was  available before I was ready to reveal it and spread the news to my mother. She bought a copy for herself immediately! So much for my good intentions and my secret.

Heart pillow for MomSo began my quandry. What to give Mom for Mother’s Day, instead of the book. It was solved when I stepped into Kneading Hands Therapy’s apothecary and gift shop to bring them copies of my memoir to sell. There it was, a little heart pillow, artfully decorated with a small banner that said “Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day of the year.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Perfect,” I thought, ” mom will love it.”

My mom really needs no reminder of this adage because she already has a zest for living and a unfaltering positive attitude toward life. Thankfully she has tried hard to pass on her joie de vivre to me, my siblings and her grandchildren. But, I thought, “she might like to hang the heart pillow from her bookshelves in her library or from the bedpost as a reminder to have faith, hope and find love in being alive every day on this earth even if things get more difficult with aging. She and my Dad are in their mid-eighties.”

Hope you had a great Mother’s Day, Mom. I was thinking of you and how grateful I am that you have had a long,healthy life to enjoy your four children and the grandchildren, too.

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.

 

 

News over the Fence

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“How beautiful on the mountains are on the feet of those who bring good news.” ~ The Bible

My sister Jan had just walked in the door from work the other day when her telephone rang.
picket fence“Meet me at the fence,” her neighbor said. With urgency Jan threw down her pocketbook and ran out the back door wondering what the issue was this time. For twenty-five plus years whenever a “meet me at the fence” call came through between Jan and her neighbor, something was up. One of them had some kind of news to share with the other.

Jan stood at the fence waiting for her neighbor for a few minutes. Then watched her walk from her house across the lawn with one hand behind her back and a huge smile on her face. Jan knew from her expression it was good news, this time. Jan’s friend and her husband are police officers and sometimes she encounters difficult days, and needs to talk.

“Oh, my gosh, Jan!” her neighbor said “I can’t stop laughing. I love this book I am reading.”

“What are you reading?” Jan inquired.

The neighbor took the book from behind her back, where she was hiding it. It was a copy of “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”

“That’s my sisters book!” Jan said, with enthusiasm and surprise.

“I know it! That’s one of the reasons why I bought it!” said her neighbor. I’ve told everyone down at the police station they’ve got to buy it. It’s a balm for the heart and the soul when things in the world are too depressing and you want to uplift the spirit.

The author thanks you, Beth,  from the mountains of Steamboat Springs, Colorado! I am happy to hear you like the book. Many publications are sold when news of a good read travels beyond fences!

This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. Sue’s memoir Come on back to All Things Fulfilling on Monday.