Life Can be a Wild Ride

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Posted on July 21, 2014

“ Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by color.” ~ Author Unknown

If you are a baby boomer you probably remember end of the school year field trips. Those trips were designed to learn how to have fun!

In Baltimore, Gywnn Oak Park was a fun place to be except when it became very controversial and a place for riots and protests against racial segregation due to its whites-only admissions policy. The sixty-four acre park closed up due to terrible flooding in 1973 from Hurricane Agnes. To read more historical information about the desegregation of Gwynn Oak Park, follow these links. http://bit.ly/1jFbyWs and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynn_Oak_Park

But, Hershey Park, Pennsylvania (aka Chocolate Town) was the most desired field trip spot in my world during my days of growing up. My classmates and I got to travel to it on a Greyhound bus rather than on a school bus. That was a big deal. The seats were plush and you could tip them back. There were headrests and ashtrays on the armrests. We thought that was pretty cool. We saw chocolate being made and Hershey’s amusement park was much larger. It was a blast. Only the real dorks didn’t like it.

I was game to go on on any of the thrilling rides except the roller coaster, aka The Comet. Once was enough. I thought I was going to have a heart attack it was so scary. The fun house with all the distorted mirrors was one of my favorites. I liked the mirror that turned my body image from skin and bones to an inflated balloon in the blink of an eye. My friends finally had a chance to see what I looked like over-sized instead of under-sized. We all thought it was hysterical. We laughed ourselves silly and had to keep going tinkle!

Ahh…. the good ole days. Sometimes I wish I could bring those fulfilling times back.

This blog is brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Sue’s audio book version of her memoir gives a real sense of the era in which it was written. The treasure is in the voice. Click this link for more information.

Images Stir Things Up

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Posted on July 15, 2014

I am so impressed by the life-giving power of literature. ~ Maya Angelou

Writing personal stories is a way of communicating what we value in ourselves and others and in our world. A process of self-evaluation.

Images – the emotions they stir! They become catalysts for ideas for books.

Can you imagine that the sight of a half pint of milk on a lunch tray could cause overwhelming feelings and prompt someone to write about it? Every day in elementary school when I pulled my three pennies out of my pocket to pay for the milk that I knew would only get chucked, I felt real sinking feelings of inadequacy and not being up to the task. My stomach could only hold a few sips.

The other day I saw a book that me feel differently about a little carton of milk. Perhaps not being a big milk drinker as a young child might not have been a bad thing.

Check out this book called “White Wash: The Disturbing Truth about Cow’s Milk and Your Health” by Joseph Keon. It unveils some interesting research. Milk may not be too great for your health which is contrary to what many of us have always thought. The words in this book may forever do away children hearing from their parents “You can’t get up from the dinner table until you finish your milk!”

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Click on the title to see more information on the memoir.

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. I will see what else I can dig up that might be helpful to our readers who are interested in living happy and satisfying lifestyles.

A Questionable Start

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Posted on July 11, 2014

“Something really got messed up!” I often thought as a child. How can I be three minutes older than my twin sister? ” I mean, look at the size difference! Surprising, isn’t it? In my memoir I share some insight into more of my thoughts from the perspective of an child who had a start filled with uncertainty.

Photo above – left to right: Yours truly (Sue), Mary Grace (our childhood friend who is one year younger) and Jan, my twin.

At other times I thought:

As an adult I’ve come to know deep in my heart, it was no accident – we are all according to God’s plan. Believe it or not, He has one for each and every one of us!

There is a lot of truth in that statement, isn’t there?

Thanks once again to www.unbridledimages.com for surprising me with this photo that was dug up out of their archives- it is a treasure. Who would have thought I’d be corresponding with long lost friends, exchanging picture and reminiscing with people of my past so frequently? Unexpected things happen when we tell our life story. It’s been truly delightful.

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

e-Commerce! Fulfilling Dreams!

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Posted on July 10, 2014

“You’ll fall even deeper in love with Fanny when you hear her voice,” narrated by the author Sue Batton Leonard

Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected is now available in Audio Book format.

Brought to you through Audible.com – Amazon’s audio book division!

“Sue’s ability, through dialogue, to share Fanny’s voice and powerful role in Sue’s developing years is a gift to readers.“

~ Mary Kurtz, author

Click here for easy ordering

Listen to this memoir on your Kindle Fire, through the free audible app. on Apple, Android and Windows devices.

“Audible ~ Fulfilling Dreams through e-Commerce” ~ Sue Batton Leonard

Click here for easy ordering

Tomorrow I will have a photo for you of my sister and me as young children. You may not believe we are twins when you see it!

This blog brought to you by http://www.AllThingsFulfilling.com and author, Sue Batton Leonard

FAQ: Identical or Fraternal

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Posted on July 9, 2014

Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief’ ~ Marco Tullius Cicero

Since my memoir was published in late March, I’ve had wonderful opportunities to do some author appearances, book readings and signings. My memoir will be read by two book clubs this summer and fall, and I am excited about that!

When the audience learns of my fragile beginnings, there is curiosity about the size difference between my sister and me. One of the most frequently asked questions from the audience has been whether as adults my twin sister and I look alike.

Today, I thought I would post this photo taken approximately five years ago. I am with some of my college friends. We were having a last college reunion with our dear friend Amy. She lived life so vibrantly with breast cancer until her final days of struggling came to pass. This get together was a gift of a lifetime for all of us. I’ll let you determine whether my sister and I look like twins or not. What do you think, readers?

The one missing from the picture, our very own “Chatterbox” or “Chatter,” as we sometimes call her, had graciously hosted the reunion and it was a blast.

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. I have a THRILLING announcement and on Thursday I will post another surprise photo. I didn’t know it existed – of my twin sister and me and our friend Mary Grace, who is one childhood friend featured in my memoir. You’ll see my twin and me as young children.

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

Turning Points

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Posted on July 8, 2014

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

Over 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.

In 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.

Democracy, Faith, Freedom and the U.S.A.

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Posted on July 4, 2014

Happy Fourth of July, everybody! Journey with me today through a series of images of our patriotic United States of America where freedom rings, thanks to our armed forces. All men and women in every branch of our military services deserve the very best we can give them in terms of healthcare and quality of life. They sacrifice so much to protect and defend The Constitution for the benefit of all of us, and for future generations of Americans.

I can’t get enough of All Things Americana~

See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling! Have a great Independence weekend!

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

Twistin’ Twiggy

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Posted on July 3, 2014

“What will they think of me must be put aside for bliss.” ~ Joseph Campbell

When British supermodel Twiggy burst onto the international fashion and style scene in the 1970s, it made me feel much better as a teenager. http://www.twiggylawson.co.uk/. After all, I reasoned, Twiggy had skinny, skinny legs like me, and she had a short pixie hair cut, like mine, too. It may have been my own twisted way of rationalizing that not having long flowing locks and shapely legs like all the others girls in school was ok. The only time I did have long tresses was in my senior high school picture. I caved into peer pressure and let my hair grow out.

It can be hard when you are a child and you feel different than the others, and even worse when you become a teenager. Wanting to “fit in” is important. I feel as if I was fortunate compared to kids today, I think the times were gentler and although there was peer pressure, it wasn’t quite as intense as it is in today’s world.

One of the reasons that I published my memoir is to help children who are struggling with childhood illness. Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected is a story of hope for kids and their parents. Click here for information on Sue’s memoir. The message I wish to share with sick children is that no matter what they are going through it does not have to be their entire life story. With faith, positive attitudes and medical experts, things can take unexpected turns resulting in great health, happiness and fulfillment.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. I am going to celebrate my many years of good health by posting a blog of iconic American images that make me smile! The pictures hearten the spirit for all Americans who love and believe in our country. Enjoy a patriotic visual experience from All Things Fulfilling.

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

Tugs of Heart Strings

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Posted on July 2, 2014

Do you remember playing tug-of- war on the play ground?

The physical education teacher marked the the pavement with chalk, threw down a hefty rope and teams were chosen at the discretion of the teacher or the team captains. Then began the battle to see which team had the greatest strength and persistence and could pull the other team over the line.

A few weeks ago when I talked with Kiwanis, I read aloud a chapter from my memoir called Having Faith in Oneself. Essentially it is about Fanny’s advice to me about the feelings I had when I was left out of the crowd on the playground due to my childhood illness. Fanny is the stellar character in my memoir who was a very sage woman.

Now that I am an adult, I understand what she was hinting at in one of our heart-to- heart conversations. One day she said “Sue, there ain’t no one who don’t play tug of war in life. Sometimes we is among the lighthearted and sometimes we are wid da heavy hitters. Dem knots in da rope is what helps us to learn to hang on and to roll wid da punches.” There is a lot of truth in that! But it is more fun to play nice. This blog brought to you by author Sue Batton Leonard. Click here for information about Sue’s memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Retrospectively Speaking

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Posted on July 1, 2014

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

The 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.

All Things Fulfilling

Writing Focused on Fine Art & The Humanities

Category Archives: Healthy living and healthy relationships

Life Can be a Wild Ride

Images Stir Things Up

Democracy, Faith, Freedom and the U.S.A.