Bad Kitty Art Studio Portland/Beaverton, Oregon - oil paintings, sculpture, painted furniture, recycled art, motivational words

BAD! Kitty Art Studio Quote for the day!

Sawadi-ka (if you're a girl)/ Sawadi-kup (if you're a guy)

- Thai for Hello

This post I am going to share something that was sent to me by my ex-husband...who has never really been able to be my friend after we broke up...and all these years I have felt lots of things twords him...but soft in the old heart isn't one of them...until now.

He forwarded this message to me, and that means alot to me. He doesn't know it, and that's OK too.

He is capable of change...all of us are...

for some it just takes a little more time than others.

I am glad today for my ability to see more clearly the truth about change...myself...and the people I am bound to.

Melvin will always be a part of my life....

and now that almost 20 years of knowing him have gone by, I might be able to start like this man...OMG!

I'm growing up...him too.

How great is that for our kid?

Lucky kid, lucky partenal units

(we include bonus Dad in the equation...Mate Man for those out of the loop...we don't have step-parents...we have bonus parents in our home...always have)

Anyway, I was in a place yesterday that I did not want to be in emotionally, and it changed after I read this email....so I thought I would share with my little world...here it goes.

Love to all, Heather

PS: I am going to take a picture of the #2 Magic Art Doll...I finished her yesterday...so much FUN....come back soon for pictures!

****

You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line.

There isn't one. Read it anyway.

My question to all of you is:

Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.

After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question.

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.

He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball.

Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"

Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play.

The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said,

"We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning.. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield.

Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher took the ball and turned and threw the ball on a high arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman.

Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!"

Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"

By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the ball.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases toward home.

Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted,

"Run to third!"

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, "Shay, run home!"

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.

"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world."

AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing.

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about forwarding this message,

chances are that you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that aren't the "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message.

Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference.

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural order of things."

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity

or do we pass up that opportunity, and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

You now have two choices:

1. Forget this.

2. Send/Forward/Share it with the people you care about.

You already know the choice I opted for......

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

##END##

You know...it's true. I treat people the way I want to be treated. My sons have all three done kind things for children that are different to/from them in their lives. I was only present for one of those encounters...the others I heard about from inspired teachers and friends. I was amazed at the fearless and unconditional human-ness of each of them. They inspire me to be a better human being, that is a good thing, better me makes a better mom that can be present in her kids lives and help them make their way...in love...and with faith in themselves, what a freaking concept...the chance at starting out life feeling good about yourself.

That's POWER, want some?

Go give some away.

If you love you then others can too.

Like Me.

We give what we get in this world.

What are you giving?

Is it equal to waht you are getting?

Is it more?

Is it less?

Do you know?

Get involved in your moment to moment life today, make choices that make you feel powerful, strong, and good about yourself, and the world you live in.

Much love and gratiude for you being here today,

all the best to you today,

Heather

*who is now ready to have a brillant day*