“What if” You Could Change the World … even a little?
Posted by: livingtouch on: January 1, 2009
I was eleven years old when Grandma Moses died.
“Who”, you might ask?
Grandma Moses. Like my grandmother who, fortunately for ME is STILL living (she turned 102 this past October 30th), Grandma Moses, was a hard working farmer’s wife who raised 5 children. (My grandma only raised 4 of her own, but had 41 foster children during those child-raising years, too – not all at once, mind you).
One may think that’s not so special, and you’re entitled to your opinion but, just like me, this little ‘ol gal (whose real name was Anna Mary Robertson Moses) wanted to make a difference in the world. UNLIKE me (thus far at my advanced age of 58), she managed to become one of America’s most celebrated primitive folk artists of the 20th century…and she didn’t begin until she was 70 years old!, (Guess that means I still have some time to do something outstanding with my life, too.)
I’ve never changed the world with a painting…but Grandma Moses did. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman presented her with the Women’s National Press Club Award for outstanding accomplishment in the arts; in 1955, the news reporter Edward R. Murrow invited her on his TV show, “See It Now”, and people watched their screens as Grandma painted a picture from her house; and at age 100, she illustrated an edition of “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Moore . Although the book was published after her death, you could say she was very active – adding joy to help make the world a brighter place – right up until the ‘end’ ; she lived to be 101 and in the last year of her life painted TWENTY-FIVE pictures. Just because she chose to. Now THAT’S a LEGACY!
Women throughout history have been powerful ‘world-changers’; determined women of all races, creeds, educational backgrounds and parts of the world. Never under estimate the power of your choices …and we all have ‘em.
What have you (or I, for that matter) done lately that will outlast and/or outlive us?
If you’re a woman reading this blog post, there are more ways … even small ways … that you can make a significance difference in your world and perhaps even CHANGE the world of other people.
There’s a great little FREE e-book I’d love to share with you. It has all sorts of ideas that you’ve probably never thought of – ideas born from the hearts and minds of women for women. I’m pleased to be affiliated with the website that offers this as a free download and hope that you’ll enjoy it as much as I am. It’s entitled “101 Ways Women Can Change the World” and picking out 1 or 2 of these “ways” is an exciting challenge.
You may not be an artist like Grandma Moses, a farmer’s wife raising numerous young ‘uns, or older than 20 … none of that matters.
Grandma Moses said a lot of wise things, among them these two wonderful quotes:
(1) “Paintin’s not important. The important thing is keepin’ busy.”
May we all get ‘busy’ changing our world and the world of others, one small ’something’ at a time.
(2) “Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.”
Choose to make each of your days count – not only for yourself and YOUR family, but for that someone (or two or three) that will bless the day you found them!
~ Allyson
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Posted by: livingtouch on: December 30, 2008
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| I found a poem tucked away in the myriad of messy folders in ‘my documents’, today. It’s amazing to me that time passes by and we can be so blind to the swiftness of it’s race that we dwell on things that, in time, pass by as well. We think of them as monumental when they’re staring us in the face, but after awhile become like knick-knacks on a hard-to-reach shelf gathering dust, not our attention.There isn’t another year like the one just gone by and hopefully each new 366th day will be brighter than the past 365 now gone with the wind. We moan and grown with unending prattle about what went wrong, how we could’ve but didn’t fix it, what it cost and why it’s now lost – forgetting that we lived on, in spite of the fact that we thought THAT would be the end of us. It wasn’t -.and here we are to recount the fact.Oh, the fragility ~ it surmounts our ability.
“Once upon a time” is not something I want said of my life…but if it IS said, I want my story to be one of encouragement and inspiration to anyone who cares to sit and read it – or tell it. I’d rather it be a lovely bedtime kind of tale, not one fraught with anger, hatred, denial, lost opportunities and ugliness of any and every kind. 2008 was a very difficult year, but not just for me – even though I thought my world was the only one spinning on it’s axis, ready to collide at any moment with another planet in my way. Within the confines of those wearisome 365 days blossomed a more diligent and watchful manner of being; no matter how grueling I THOUGHT the passing year had been, and so I must confess that without it’s challenges I would not be reflecting on the goodness of God’s mercy or the relevance of every day that was probably missed by my misshapen concepts. They’ve slipped by the wayside, unseen when I should have appreciated them but I’m glad they’re remembered now, with reverence and even some thankfulness. To say I yearn for a “better” year in 2009 is an understatement; to say I won’t be exuberant if it’s a repeat of sorts of 2008 is a given; but I know that I look forward to however many days this new year brings me with a renewed if not tattered ‘attitude of gratitude’ for which I’m thankful to claim as my own. I pray God will grant a tomorrow as excellent as the one that just set with the sun, give us the dawning of each new day with renewed strength to endure, a glimmer of hope in our eyes instead of a murmur or complaint on our lips, and a light to our path that will hopefully be strewn with mercy and grace not only for ourselves, but for each life we touch, so the many secrets of the New Year may be ours to behold. It’s been said before and bears repeating: If you’d like to help ‘change’ your world and the world of others, here is a link to a place I recently visited. I found it accidentally … took a few moments to listen to the utube since I was already ‘there’ … and liked what I saw and heard. I think you will, too. At least it’s a great way to start! ~G. Allyson King |
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DOLLAR-FIFTY
Posted by: livingtouch on: December 30, 2008
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| Another day and I sit awaiting an arrival of aches, pains and idiopathic symptoms that arise out of nothing but bear significance in that they limit function and ability – grace and agility. . I wear a label (or ‘hat’, so to speak) of just a practitioner - Unlike the experts and specialists who’ll coerce you with fear onto cold, stainless steel tables famed for creating human vegetation or fill your veins, lungs and mind with pseudo-herbs of synthetic decay – they only know one way.Hear the drone of the mini-saw tearing away at limbs, life and dignity … held by hands calloused with indifference that goes on to infinity? “First do no harm” is the cry of the masses; Energy levels run darkly deep and wide; deep with murky fears and overwhelming feelings of inadequacies – wide with unresolved conflicts, oppressed attitudes and narrow opinions to which a healing hand can only forestall the inevitable…but make the passing of time more palitable. Smells and sounds of hope and laughter Offerings of health and wisdom abound Take it quickly … This is the way of the federally funded world order; Deteriorate gradually, hang on to dear life heroically, while allowing the ‘experts’ to have control of your destiny. Don’t ask me questions for I might tell ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit THINK TWICE for some awesome info & advice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Another Day, Allyson |
Hello all you humanoid animals out there!
Posted by: livingtouch on: December 30, 2008
Welcome to thinking outside the cage (or box, as it’s usually called).
QUESTION: What if you could turn any obstacle into an opportunity … any problem into a “No Problem” … just by BEING THE DIFFERENCE?
Knowledge is POWER and I enjoy knowing I can get to ‘know’ the how’s and why’s and what-to-do’s about anything that pops into my day simply by CHOICE – MY CHOICE. It’s all about communication & sharing.
While some of these posts will be food for thought, others will hopefully fuel your imagination and/or your desire to “know more”. In any case, most will include link/s to sites outside of WordPress that are for your empowerment, education and enrichment. USE THE LINKS and don’t be afraid to brave the ‘known’ that is available on the super information highway known as the World Wide Web.
Be Empowered!
~Allyson
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