Archive for November, 2009
November 27, 2009
Reading an article in the waiting area recently while my car was being serviced, I found an article about Thanksgiving that described one way to enjoy the holiday that I had not previously thought about. Although the magazine was not familiar to me I eagerly read the article in the November 1947 issue of the “Country Gentleman,” which was only 62 years ago this month.
The author of the article spoke about her friend who would sit by the living room fireplace after the family settled down for the night to write a note of appreciation to the two or three people who had meant most to her during the year.
Her friend’s tradition evoked mental flashbacks in which she shared her own reflections of the happiest home she knew earlier in her life. The details she remembered such as the wintery Sunday afternoons gathered near the fireplace eating popcorn, apples, or fresh baked cookies and milk were vivid and detailed as if the experience had just occurred.
As I sat in that waiting area, I began thinking about the two or three people who meant the most to me this year. Although the article was written several years ago, I felt compelled to implement this old Thanksgiving tradition today.
One of my friends in the New England area is the first person who came to mind. We met at a ventriloquist convention two years ago but when we talk it doesn’t seem like any time has elapsed since we first met.
My second cousin is the next person who came to mind. We met face to face for the first time two years ago at a family reunion. Our friendship has grown exponentially in a short time.
My adopted mother is the next person who came to mind. Even though I am not adopted, I decided to adopt her as my second mom because she has prayed with me and encouraged me during an extremely challenging time in my life.
Of course, there are more than three people who have meant a great deal to me during this year; however, this short list will provide a good beginning point because there is a long list of people who have made a difference in my life.
Rosita Perez, author of the book, “The Music is You,” said she learned to give flowers to people she appreciated while they were alive instead of waiting until it was too late for them to smell the flowers. Before you go to sleep tonight, begin your new Thanksgiving tradition today.
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
November 26, 2009
Last summer I saw a large sign on wheels with a message that caught my attention. Displayed on the lawn in front of my grandparents’ church, the sign stated, “You may have a heart of gold but so does a boiled egg.”
Reading the sign several times while sitting in my car, I noticed another sign in the background. It was a permanent sign made of cement, which was quite the opposite of the sign on wheels.
The temporary sign displayed a message which could be changed merely by moving the letters or changing the words. Information on the permanent sign was static. Intrigued by the two different messages, I stared at the message on the temporary sign rather than the permanent sign.
When I stepped back to photograph the temporary sign, the permanent sign looked like a rectangular shaped Lego kids’ toy with information for adults. I guess the information on the temporary sign was for kids because that is what caught my attention. After taking three or four photographs of the two signs, I drove away. It has been over four months since I first saw that sign but after reflecting on the temporary message, I finally understood the meaning, which made a permanent impression in my mind.
Just one month later while attending a convention in July, I walked through a maze of hallways looking for a workshop I wanted to attend. My eyes stopped when I saw an abbreviated Bible verse displayed in large black letters on a rather large wall in the Wellness Center of the university. It was a bright day with lots of sunshine, so the ten words were easy to read. “…be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ” (Ephesians 6:10)
The wall appeared to be constructed of cement blocks connected with deep lines, similar to the latitude and longitude grids of the earth. Reaching for the camera in my pocketbook, I centered the words in the screen of my digital camera and pressed the button for only one picture.
A few weeks later when writing a thank you note, the idea struck me that the picture of the message on that wall would make a great illustration to accompany my handwritten note. Although the 4″x6″ picture was larger than the envelope for my thank you note, I was determined to remedy the obstacle. I stopped at a store with an instant photo kiosk to reduce the size of the 4″x6″ picture to a wallet size.
As I looked at the reduced picture, I saw a contrast that I had not seen when I originally took it. The closer I looked, the more I realized the difference. The portion of the wall with the Bible verse and reference was strikingly light while the lower portion of the wall was dark like a dense fog at night. I gasped when I remembered that the darkness was not distinguishable on the wall when I took the picture.
Recently, I remember seeing a picture in the newspaper that showed a dog watching television. Even though I don’t remember the product advertised, I do remember the sub-title. “It is not what you are looking at… it is what you see…”
A Malian proverb states, “Those who accomplish great things pay attention to little ones.” Learning to look for extraordinary things in ordinary moments is my focus now. When I take a deep breath and slow down, I am able to appreciate what I had been too preoccupied to see.
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
November 18, 2009
A few years ago I registered for a class that promised to teach coupon clippers how to save more money. One of the first lessons taught in the class was to be observant and search for bargains in the back of the store. The instructor said, “Begin your search at the lowest rack on the shelf and finish with the top shelf after you’ve scanned all of the shelves.”
I remember those words of wisdom. Just a week ago I was shopping for office supplies and scanned the clearance shelf for hidden treasures at bargain prices. My eyes stopped on a box for custom stamps. The retail price was $19.99 and the clearance price was $11.50. As I read the contents of the kit and the directions, I was struck with the question, “Why are these stamp kits on the clearance shelf?”
My decision to purchase one box of twenty stamps was out of curiosity. Twenty stamps for $11.50 seemed like a reasonable price for 1st class postage. Instead of 44 cents per stamp, the cost would be 58 cents. It was a small price to pay for custom stamps where I could select one of my own photos as the face of the stamp.
With my laptop and stamp kit, I immediately went to work after I arrived home. When I typed in the promotional code for the kit and proceeded to the checkout page, the final price due was zero. The stamps I ordered were 44 cent stamps even though the kit indicated 42 cents. That’s when I realized why the stamp kits were in the clearance section. Apparently a quick decision had been made to clear out the old products and restock the shelves with new products.
Today when I mailed a package at the post office, I saw the same stamp kit for 20 stamps but this kit sold for $24.95. The only difference in the packages was the picture which represented 44 cent stamps instead of 42 cent stamps. It was the same product but twice as expensive as the first kit I found on the clearance shelf.
Needless to say I returned to the office supply store and immediately walked to the clearance section. I found five packages exactly like the package I purchased last week so I took immediate action and purchased all five packages. It was as if I had seen something that other people had overlooked.
You may be wondering why I would be willing to pay 58 cents for stamps when I can buy them for 44 cents. My reason is simple. The stamps I order will be my choice rather than standard post office stamps. I saw the idea and opportunity to create a unique product for a minimal investment.
Just a few days ago I read an article in a local newspaper, Words of Wisdom. One of the quotes caught my attention and my hope is that it will also cause you to think.
“Some people dream of success, while others wake up and word hard at it.” It seemed to be a generic statement upon first glance, however, as I thought about it I realized a deeper meaning.
Ideas and dreams are catalysts for opportunities. The question that remains is this one. Will you take the next step beyond where you are to think for yourself or will you be satisfied to let others think for you?
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
November 4, 2009
I read a lot, especially late at night when my mind races with ideas and opportunities. My college Chemistry professor recently sent a Christmas card to me so I called her. We had not spoken in over a year.
She told me about a book she thought I would enjoy reading. After she shared the author’s name, she told me the title of the book. I knew I’d never seen the book she recommended and I admit I wouldn’t have been interested in reading it based upon the title but she had captured my curiosity.
On my way home from work, I stopped by my favorite bookstore and ordered a copy of the book she had recommended.
It arrived in the mail on Friday last week and after dinner, I tore into the package. After reading only a few pages, I knew it was a good find.
Reading a chapter or two each night encouraged me, especially when sleep was elusive for me.
Only one night later and just a few minutes past midnight, my husband was either dreaming, talking in his sleep or he accidentally woke up.
“What are you doing?” he asked. I paused and swallowed hard. “How can I answer that question now in the stillness of the night while reading Living Successfully with Screwed Up People?” I silently thought and waited.
Once again he asked, “What are you doing?” This time he demanded a direct answer. “I’m reading a book,” I responded. Apparently dissatisfied with my response he asked another question. “What book?” Shocked at the coherency of his question in the middle of the night, I gulped.
“Oh, it’s just a book my Chemistry professor recommended for me to read.” Interested to complete the chapter, I returned to my book.
“What’s the name of the book?” he asked. Once again I swallowed with a gulp. “How could I tell him the name of the book I was reading?” I silently thought to myself. “How will he respond?” I confess. I would have gladly ignored his question so I paused once again.
Sitting in silence for an eternity of at least a minute or two, he asked again, “What’s the name of the book?” With great reluctance I mumbled, Living Successfully with … Screwed-Up People. Waiting for his response, I held my breath.
Silence returned as he dozed back to sleep. I wondered why he was so interested in knowing the name of a book I was reading, especially late at night. It’s routine for me to read several books simultaneously without being interrogated. But, never before had he been that interested in knowing the specific name of my reading material, especially when he was asleep.
I’m thankful I listened. He never mentioned the conversation and I didn’t bring up the topic, but I did finish reading the book.
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.