Tag: attitude

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Just in Case!

Just in case!

A few days ago, a friend of mine walked into a local preschool on a needed errand. As she entered the building, a little girl about three or four years old walked by. She was wearing a princess dress, a costume really, and bright, glittery boots. It was obvious she loved her little outfit and felt very dressed up, confident, and happy. In fact, she was proudly twisting just a bit back and forth to swish her pretty skirt first this way and that. Smiling and looking up sweetly at my friend, the little girl wanted to make sure her pretty outfit was noticed.

Bending down, my friend smiled back at the little girl and told her, “I like your dress”.

The little girl beamed happily and crooked her little finger, beckoning my friend to lean closer to her. “I’ll tell you a secret”, the bright, happy child whispered.

“What is it?”, my friend inquired.

Dramatically, the little girl leaned forward. “I have a bathing suit on under my dress!”, she said proudly.

“A bathing suit in January!?”, my friend replied, “Why are you wearing a bathing suit???”

The little girl cocked her head to one side, lifted her little finger up to emphasize her point, and with twinkly eyes and a bright smile she enthusiastically said, “Just in case!” Then she moved on down the hall with her class.

When my friend told me the story, I asked, “Just in case what???”

“I have no idea,” she said, “but whatever it is, she’s ready for it!”

I’ve thought a lot about this little girl. So often, we spend our days thinking about the responsibilities facing us, of the practical things we need to accomplish, and even sometimes of sadnesses and the worries and cares of the day.

What if, instead, we started each day with a happy “just in case” thought? What if we excitedly prepared for unexpected joys and searched for the blessings in each day?

I think it’s a lesson worth learning.

Thank you, little princess.

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Glimpses of Excellence – A Beautiful Bloom

Hospitals are unique places – in both positive and negative ways.  I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals the past couple of years due to an ongoing family medical situation and those experiences have given me so many Glimpses of Excellence to share…. Here’s one of them..

One afternoon recently, I stepped into a hospital elevator and smiled at the young woman inside.  She seemed quiet, pleasant, and….tired.  I saw on her badge that she worked for the hospital food service, pushing a loaded warmer cart to deliver meals to hundreds of patients – then returning afterwards to their rooms to pick up all the empty trays and dishes.  I thought about how tired she must be at the end of her work day and wondered how many steps registered routinely on her FitBit.

“You have a hard job”, I commented.   “Oh no, I have an easy job.” she said quickly, smiling sweetly….then her smile slowly faded and she became visibly thoughtful.  “Well, actually sometimes it’s really hard going into some of those rooms”, she said quietly.  

I pondered her words for the rest of the day….realizing how very hard that could be…..  Her quiet comment made me thoughtful. I’m often a tiny bit nervous walking into a room where strangers are present.  I might even pause, collect myself, and take a breath before opening the door. This young lady not only has to brace herself to walk into a room full of strangers over and over every day….   She faces much greater difficulties – because she is walking into rooms where people are very sick,  perhaps dying, some all alone with no family or friends…. It would be a difficult thing to face….but she does it over and over every single day.

It also made me think about Irene.  Irene and her sister Miss. B clean rooms on the hospital wing where my mother was a patient for many weeks this year.  Irene is a rare gem, a bright glimpse of excellence, who faithfully does her job day after day, facing the same challenges as the young lady I met in the elevator. She is a tiny little thing with a bright smile and a big voice. She does her job well, cleaning with diligence and dedication – noticing details and always doing her best. She doesn’t just mop the floor – she scrubs it clean. That hospital room always felt so much better when she was finished – cleaner, brighter, and even more hopeful and cheerful.

That, in itself, is a wonderful example of excellence – but Irene always does so much more. First of all, she diligently makes it a point to learn the patient’s names, as well as family members who stay with them.  That’s no small task!  She learned not only my Mother’s name, but mine, our friends, and our family members who visited as well! Irene greeted us with sincere warmth each time she saw us. Every single day when she entered Mother’s hospital room, she would enthusiastically exclaim,  “Hello, Mrs. Jean!  How are you today?” with her beautiful accent and a broad smile on her face.  She would greet me as well (by name!) and would remember details of past conversations, following up on discussions, sharing her own life, and showing  genuine interest in and concern for both of us. We looked forward to her visits every day.

 There is an old saying I love that says to “bloom where you are planted”. Irene is definitely blooming – and like all beautiful flowers she is brightening the lives of many, providing beauty, encouragement, strength, and joy.

We should all try to do the same.

Thank you, Irene.  I am very grateful for the care you showed and the encouragement you provided.  I will never forget you.

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Teaching by Example

autumn leaf

I saw a 1000 different pictures on my drive to work today…. Okay, to be realistic, maybe it wasn’t actually 1000….but it really was close! I like to leave early in the morning so that I can stop and take pictures on my drive, but I was running behind and didn’t allow as much time today…..and of course – the morning was just spectacular. The grasses are still green in the Ozarks and there was a foggy mist rising up from the ground. It was just beautiful. Often when the mists are rising, the skies are a foggy gray, but that wasn’t the case this morning. They were brilliantly blue overhead with just a hint of peach and pink on the horizon. The clouds were fluffy and white, and edged in gold as the sun came up behind them. There were hints of autumn color showing here and there. I wanted so badly to stop, set up, and take some shots….but there was no time, so I just drove along happily enjoying the beautiful views.

I was taught from an early age to watch for beauty – to notice it and celebrate it. My mother always enthusiastically does just that – noticing every detail and appreciating the beautiful blessings of God’s nature. She has set a wonderful example.

A few weeks ago, I wanted to get a picture of autumn leaves beginning to turn so I went out for a drive and invited her along. The colors really weren’t easy to find, and I was about to give up for the evening. Mother, always trying to help, mentioned that she had noticed a pretty little tree with some nice color in a parking lot near the pharmacy. She had ridden there earlier in the day to pick up a prescription – and noticed the tree as she passed by. I drove across town, and there it was. She was right – and I happily took a few shots. Success! I was so impressed that she noticed it – just a little tree in the middle of a concrete parking lot she had ridden by during a busy day. I’m thankful that she has taught me by example to watch for the beauty and blessings, but I am even more grateful that she has taught me to share it.

About a week ago, she and I were walking together down the sidewalk in my neighborhood. The leaves were showing some color and there were a few pretty red ones on the ground. Mother was delighted – and each time we passed one that was lying face down, she carefully stooped down, picked it up, and turned it over. “There”, she would say, “now everyone walking by can see how pretty it is and hopefully enjoy it too.”

It may seem like a small thing – just turning over a leaf – but it’s really not. Mother’s back bothers her some – so her actions were not without challenge or pain – but it was worth it to her….even though she will probably never know who appreciated or enjoyed her efforts.

I’m so thankful for her examples and what she teaches me. Finding beauty and sharing it with others makes my days better. It brings me joy – and I hope brings joy to others as well.

Thank you, Mother.

autumn leaf
Autumn leaf – ready for someone to see and enjoy

Want to see more pictures?
Please visit my website at www.lisacarlonphotography.com

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Managing My Perspective

I love the blessings and beauty of nature! Anyone who knows me well knows that I enjoy photographing and celebrating beautiful, unspoiled scenes.

When I first bought my current home, one of the selling points was the privacy, solitude, and quiet of the views behind the property. I absolutely loved sitting on my back patio. The land behind my home was wooded – so I had the luxury of watching the leaves change every fall, of watching snow fall among the trees, of seeing the grasses and leaves bud out every spring, and of watching the trees sway peacefully whenever the wind blew. It was all so peaceful and lovely.

Then, a nearby resort decided to build multi-level condos on that property – almost in my back yard. I was so upset when I first heard it – and the thought of losing those lovely views made me incredibly sad. After feeling sorry for myself for a few days, I firmly made up my mind to make the best of things and find the positives to focus on about the new development. I will admit – it was a little challenging at first. I could talk about some sad moments I had, grieving about what was being lost…..but what purpose would that serve? In the end, with a little effort – I found so many good things!

As it turns out, the lights from the completed resort are actually quite pleasant – and now make things much nicer when I sit on my patio in the evenings. The landscaping and upkeep are very well-done so it’s overall very pretty to see. I was pleased to find that the birds, the squirrels, the deer, and the other wildlife I was accustomed to are still around regularly, dropping by in the early mornings and late evenings routinely. You want to know the best part? It is absolutely wonderful to see and hear families coming and going on vacation – just enjoying one another and having fun.

During the recent months of the pandemic quarantine, things were back to being quiet again. The resort sat vacant, and our little tourist town of Branson was strangely empty. I could once again sit on my patio with no cars driving back and forth, no voices interrupting the solitude, no noisy children playing, no people coming and going……it was in some ways back to the way it used to be……and you know what? I missed it all!!!

Sitting on my patio now as I type, I have to smile. The peace and quiet have once again been replaced…..with so many wonderful sounds!!! Just a bit ago, one family of young teens was playing basketball at the nearby court. I smiled as I heard them giving each other grief, laughing, and enjoying the afternoon. Shortly after they gave up the game and disappeared inside, two little girls emerged to play on the playground. The thin little girl all in black who obviously much preferred climbing up the slides to sliding down them – and the tiny determined little girl dressed all in bright purple who practiced throwing a bright blue kickball over and over – trying so hard to get it up and through the basketball goal. As I’m writing now, two older gentlemen have emerged from the condo they are sharing with their wives and are carefully tending a meal on one of the resort’s charcoal grills. It’s fairly hot out – but they are sitting in the shade, enjoying one another’s company, and carefully checking the grill routinely. Whatever they are cooking smells wonderful – and every few minutes one of their wives walks out of their fourth floor condo to peer off the balcony, call down, and see how things are going. I’m smiling again!

The birds are chirping and the breeze is blowing, so it’s very pleasant. I can also hear muffled traffic sounds from the nearby world famous 76 Strip – people driving back and forth to see the sights. A few times each hour, a helicopter flies over carrying tourists toward Table Rock Lake. Every 20 minutes or so, I can hear the “volcano” erupt at Dinosaur Canyon Mini Golf a mile or so away, probably startling and delighting the guests playing there. (smiling again!) The young attendant at the resort occasionally comes racing down the street behind me at a high rate of speed in his golf cart, always with his left foot dangling happily out to the side and bouncing against the cart. (Who wouldn’t smile when you see that? 🙂 )

There was a time when all the noises and distractions could have bothered me. I’m so glad I made up my mind to see the positives. Sitting here by myself on my patio, I do not feel alone. I feel surrounded by people having fun. People who smile and wave as they drive by, people who are working together to have fun and celebrate life.

I am smiling again.

I hope you are also.

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Finding Joy in the Challenges

This afternoon, I left my office for a routine walk across campus to the elementary building. It was swelteringly hot and humid as I stepped outside, and my mind was crowded thinking about all that I needed to accomplish before the day ended. Passing the cafeteria, I headed down the sidewalk past the fenced-in playground filled with noisy, busy, happy third graders. They were climbing the jungle gym, swinging on the swings, and just having fun. As I typically do, I slowed my pace and smiled inwardly as I watched the students run and play. Just on the other side of the chainlink fence, a little boy stood beneath a tall tree, rubber ball in hand, smiling and intently looking up at the branches overhead. He took a breath, aimed carefully, and threw the ball in the air trying to throw it over the branch above him. He wasn’t successful. The ball hit a higher branch and bounced back over his head. He raced to catch it and chuckled softly as he jogged quickly back to his spot under the tree. Standing all alone and smiling expectantly, he planted his feet, took careful aim, and threw the ball again…..only to fall short once more. This time the ball missed the branch entirely, sailing underneath it and hitting the ground, then rolling further away. Laughing, he ran to pick it up and try once again. I walked on, needing to complete my errand but wishing I could stay longer to watch. When I headed back a few minutes later, I was happy to see this same child still trying to learn how to throw the ball just high enough (but not too high) to navigate successfully through those tree branches. He was still smiling and still working hard to get it right. His face shone with perspiration, enthusiasm, determination, and hope.

As I walked past him again and headed back to my office, I felt inspired by his attitude. He was faithfully working to complete a task – to practice a skill he had not yet mastered – to get better and achieve a goal. It was difficult for him – and yet he was excited. He was expecting to eventually get it right – to master the skill. He didn’t mind the failed attempts. For him, they were an enjoyable part of the process. He didn’t have to learn this task – he wanted to. He was genuinely excited and thoroughly enjoying the effort. Perhaps there is a lesson there for all of us.

Our jobs can be quite hectic at times and the demands can often be great. As we all know, life has many challenges for each of us every single day. What if we faced our tasks with that same attitude? What if we squared our shoulders, planted our feet, took a breath and tried our best – then actually smiled when things didn’t go as we had planned? What if we had the courage to laugh when we missed the mark – running to pick things up and try again? What if we saw each effort as one step closer to perhaps this time getting it right? What if we truly found joy in the process?

Wow! What a great attitude! Thank you, young man. I admire your approach! From now on, I am going to try to copy your example.