Friday, July 13, 2012

Life's a banquet and other treasures

FORT WORTH, TX, March 25, 2010 - “Life’s a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!!” - the motto of fictional character Mame Dennis. Her battle cry is, “Live! Live! Live!”

Rosalind Russell brought Auntie Mame to life in the 1958 movie of the same name. This was, for me, one of those movies that speaks to you, touches you in some way. When Mame was teaching Patrick I felt like I was right beside him and wished she was my aunt.


Zia Angela, Phyllis, Lee, Ana Mae, Terri, Tish, and Nancy are my aunts. Fabulous ladies ~ every one of them. But I’d make room for another one if she was Mame Dennis.


If you’ve seen the movie you’d know that this vibrant albeit fictional lady lived passionately.  Her five senses craved pleasure.  She didn’t want to miss anything -   not a sight, sound, fragrance, touch, or flavor.


Mame Dennis would scoff at the very concept of the modern-day couch potato.   


Some would call her a “glass half-full” lady. I don’t. Auntie Mame always filled the glass to the brim. 


Even when the storms of life hit hard, she refused to relinquish her disposition. Instead Auntie Mame felt the warmth, saw the beauty, and continued to take part in the adventure that is life.


What good was life if she sat on her little perch and just existed? Mame couldn’t fathom being able to let it all pass by her much less letting it do so. Priceless finds were everywhere if you just made the effort.


The path of life has many roads and sometimes you‘ll find a jewel among the gravel and dirt. I define gems as “unexpected treasures found while you go about your life.”


What is priceless to one person may have little or no value to another.


I wanted a career that is creative so my first choice was the visual arts; drawing and painting. While I do have talent in those directions,  no matter what I did to pursue them something always got in the way.


Once I decided to write and really worked at it, all the doors just pretty much fell open for me. Writing for this venue is an unexpected blessing. It wouldn‘t have occurred to me to even go for it in the past.


Jewels. This column is a major one in my quest to a new career.


Auntie Mame found the hidden jewels in life no matter what the circumstances of her life were like.


Because of the stock market crash in 1929, Mame took a job selling toys that barely kept their heads afloat. She gave it her best shot but knew it wouldn’t last. Then fate sent millionaire Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside to her on Christmas Eve while she worked.


See? Jewels.


Just pick a road that looks interesting, then put one foot in front of the other. I’m not going to promise you a millionaire, fame, or fortune. But the road ahead is certain to contain treasure; you may just discover something priceless. Bon Voyage!

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Welcome! Here is the first column I sent to my editor this morning. It should be posted today or tomorrow.
I want to state for the record that unless a comment is really ugly and uncalled for I will post them. I don't care if the opinion of someone else differs from my own. I am a firm believer in Freedom of Speech and that everyone has a right to their opinions and to express them.
I also believe we can learn from others no matter how different their life experience is from our own.