Rollerblading Through Life

A young woman rollerblading in an airport terminal.

Rollerblading Through Life

“Did TSA hassle you about those?”  I asked, immediately upon slowing and walking closer to a fellow, young woman traveler.

“No!” The young woman, from Boseman, Montana, said to me.  “I don’t think they have any rules about things like this.  In fact, they’ve made comments about how cool it is.”

Of course, I wanted to know more because of my aching feet and admiration for her creativity.

‘I’m flying between Boseman and Tucson.  I knew I had a long, three-hour layover here, so I thought of a way to have a little fun while waiting around in the airport.”  She continued.

“When I flew in here two days ago, I used my fitness tracker to check the distance from the aircraft gate to rental car pickup and it was a 1.19-mile walk!  Rollerblading that distance would have been a breeze!  You’re the coolest person I’ve ever met!”  I commented while beaming with admiration.

But, my appreciation didn’t stop there.  Here is, perhaps, the more important principle this delightful woman taught me one snowy day, while waiting for a flight in an international airport.

I’ve passed through that same airport six times over the past two weeks and here’s an example to illustrate the story I’ve self-crafted and expressed to others about my experience.

Last week, when overhearing a man and woman ask an information agent how to get to another concourse, he gave them directions with a smile.  And, as you may have guessed, I had to give them a little extra information and advice as well. 

“Make sure you stop to get food and drink before you begin the long walk!  If you don’t, you may die from starvation or thirst before you get to your gate!”

Luckily, they were delightful people and simply laughed at my guidance.  Yet, this conversation with is a perfect synopsis of the story I had made up about traveling through that airport.

We all create such “stories” during our lives.  They build upon each other over time to become thousands and thousands of short stories that combine into one great, whole.  It’s our own unique narrative.  And, that rollerblading, joy-seeking-traveler taught me that our stories can be edited!  It’s our choice.

Here’s what an edited, new story, about my trips through that same airport could have been, had I simply used newly learned “Rollerblading Creativity.” 

“I found the best place in the world to spend time having fun on my rollerblades!  You might not believe it, but a large international airport is a place with the longest, climate-controlled blading corridors ever.  When there, I get to use my waiting time to get exercise, breeze between connections and cruise quickly to the rental car center.  But, perhaps the best part is seeing the reaction of other travelers as they see the ‘crazy’ sixty-something man skating around like a kid!”

While creating this new narrative I was interrupted.

“Paging Lynn Butterfield. Please board now!  This is your final call!”

Upon hearing this I quickly gathered my things and sprinted over to the gate agent.

“Lynn Butterfield?”  He queried.

“Yes!  I’m so sorry!  I was working (writing about roller blading around the concourse) and lost track of the time (because I was having so much fun).”  I replied as the agent scanned the boarding image from my phone.

I walked down the jet-bridge, smiling.  The time I’d spent editing this one short story of my life completely changed my airport experience.  It increased my joy and my spirits.

‘I’m flying between Boseman and Tucson.  I knew I had a long, three-hour layover here, so I thought of a way to have a little fun while waiting around in the airport.”  An amazing stranger said to me a couple of hours earlier.

Thank goodness she was there to teach me about rollerblading through life by editing the short stories, I’ve already created, and will soon write while living a lot more creatively.

Riding to a Higher Place

 

A Farmer’s Field Art

Riding to a Higher Place

The early morning air was, well, it was just plain cold.  It was January after all.  And, the sun was not up yet.  That all added up to a cold, dark walk to the airport terminal.  Even at this early hour I was focused on giving myself marching orders.

“Don’t walk too casually on that patch of ice or you’ll find yourself on the asphalt!”  I muttered as I walked forward.

It was going to be a hectic day for sure.  Not just because I was traveling.  These days It seems as if most days are on the edge of being frenzied.  Sometimes I think it’s just me.  It most likely is. Yet, as I swim my way through most days it seems as if others around me are sharing the experience of being harried.

Perhaps that feeling was being amplified during this particular moment.  I left a little late to drive to the airport.  Then, I walked half way to the terminal before I remembered my face-shielding mask was sitting in my car.  So, I walked back to my car, got the mask, walked to the terminal, put it on and was instructed to remove it, when a TSA Agent wanted to compare my face to the photo on my driver’s license.

Snap!

The ear-bands on that mask, thing, broke as I began to lift if away!

Luckily, the TSA Agent simply smiled, said, “Not a problem!”, and handed me a fresh mask so I could continue on.  Whew!

I made the flight and settled into my seat so I could fret about all the things I needed to get done for the day.  Then, there was a magical moment that changed the way I was going about living for the rest of this day.

A little daily sunshine always goes a long way toward lifting my spirits, so I decided to slide that little window shade cover up, just to let a little enlightenment ride the light into my brain.  And, it just so happened.

There in the dawn, in the dim morning light, as the world was coming alive again, I saw the distinct image of a huge horse in a field below.  There were other field shapes too.  But, this one was not the regular square, rectangle or circle.  Its image was distinctive, divergent, inspiring and made me wonder.

“I never would have seen this had I not been lifted ‘above it all’.  I wonder what other wonders I’m missing by not taking the time to allow myself to be lifted on a regular basis?”

It’s easy to become caught, trapped in the regular.  Caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  When that happens, it becomes difficult to see just how magical the world really is.  It’s hard to see how inspiring our universe is if you aren’t somehow lifted out of what you’re seeing on the ground, to a higher vantage point.

There are all kinds of vehicles to take us, you and me, to such a place.  It could be the time you take to create inspiring art, just like the farmer who brings horses alive by growing them as huge murals in the form of a crop.  Or perhaps you like to write?  It might be the time you take to exercise?  It doesn’t really matter what lifts you.  What is important is to find what that thing is and to allow it to give you a ride to a higher place, out of the everyday hustle and bustle, on a regular basis.

The early morning air is, regularly, just plain cold in January.  And, even though the sun was not up yet on just such a day, it was about to rise.  What I didn’t know, as I was walking to the airport terminal, was that I was about to ride an airplane to experience how one farmer’s field-art would teach, anyone who saw it, about the importance of being lifted to a better vantage point.

Imaginable Possibilities

“You’re looking at it wrong!  It’s a rag now!” – Thomas Korcorkov

Imaginable Possibilities

“First thing we need to do is clean this work space.” Tom said to me as we began.

“Okay.”  I said as I walked to the table closest to me.

Once at the table I was amazed at the wide array there.  But, it was one item that caught my attention right off.

“What’s this?”  I scoffed, while holding a white athletic sock that had seen better days.

“Just put it over there.”  Tom replied.

“Tom!  There’s a big hole in it!  If you need new socks I’ll gladly buy some for you.”

Of course, I knew he didn’t need me to buy socks for him. Tom is one of the most talented, successful physicists I’ve ever known.  And, he has more money than most people could ever spend in a couple of lifetimes, because he’s successfully invented and commercialized three or four products that have widely changed the world in which we live.  To simply say he’s improved life for millions would be selling his achievements short.  Yes.  I knew all of that.  What I didn’t know was that his quick response to my snippy statement would forever change my perspective.  

“You’re looking at it wrong!  It’s a rag now!” Tom quipped.

Yes.  This was one of those seemingly innumerable times when I’ve failed to recognize value simply because I didn’t open my eyes internally; to take advantage of my heart and mind’s vision, curious sight, toward imaginable possibilities.  Perhaps this one moment and exchange with Tom was an expression of how differently we think.  If nothing else, it definitely gave me a little more insight into how he thinks and why he’s able to see opportunities which are imperceptible to most others.

Thomas Edison, another of our world’s greatest inventors, said, “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven't.”

The memory of Thomas Edison’s words caused me to pause for a second time within a span of five seconds.  It was a pause that allowed me to begin to open-up.  To submit myself to becoming a student.  To blend the words of the two Thomas’ into one, insightful lesson.

“First thing we need to do is clean this work space.” Tom said to me as we began.

“Okay.”  I said, not realizing at the time he was speaking of cleaning the workspace of the mind. 

Once prepared, I was amazed at the wide array of new possibilities to be imagined there.  But, it was one item that caught my attention right off.

“What’s this?”  I asked, as I held up a mind opening catalyst, once used as a white athletic sock and then as a rag.

That’s when I recognized new understanding.  New growth!  The comingled words of the two Thomas’ had guided me toward beginning to see imaginable possibilities.

Tale Lights

“Tale” lights messaging peace and goodwill.

Tale Lights

It was a cold December night.  Luckily, we were sort of sitting snug within the cocoon of warmth created by our car.  In a way, it also felt as if we were trapped inside another cocoon; our restaurant parking stall.  We were getting to know that stall way too well!  That wasn’t part of our initial plan.

The plan was simple.  Go to one of our local restaurants, pick up some takeout, drive the hot food home and enjoy it while sitting fireside.  Yet, upon arrival at the restaurant it was immediately clear that the line for drive-up service was seemingly a length longer than a child’s anticipation for Christmas Morning.  That was much longer than I was interested in.  So, I opted to park, walk inside and carry out our order.  I should have paid a more attention to the length of that line!

As we walked past the lined-up cars again, while carrying our just purchased, carefully packaged food, it was hardly a bother.  And, since the food was hot we decided to enjoy it at its best, right up to the time it was gone.  

When our food was gone, the line of cars was not.  And, it appeared to be growing!  So, there we sat, waiting in hope for an opening to leave, until it felt as if we were beginning to grow too.  Roots!

Fearing an ever-increasing depth to our sprouting roots, I decided to start the car, place it in reverse and prepare to take advantage of a slight opening for an escape.  

I know what you’re thinking right now!  Yes.  I am an unfailing optimist!

You know what holiday-time-traffic can be like.  This scene was that.  

And then, in an instant, it was suddenly not that typical holiday-time-traffic scene! Because, as soon as our backup lights flickered to life, they seemingly triggered a chain reaction of goodwill. The rearview mirror showed the lights of the car behind as they immediately twinkled to life. One. 

Then another. 

Then another.  

And, another.  

Within another moment there was backward creeping!

The blocking line of cars, once moving in a unified, single direction became a bifurcated string.  The cars on my left-rear were stalled, waiting for a voice over the order speaker to offer them hope.  The cars on my right-left immediately offered their own display of hope.

The car behind me nudged to life, creeping back in unison with those to its rear.  And, within the twinkling of more than a dozen backup lights, an escape gap was opened!

I looked in my rearview mirror, checked it twice and then carefully maneuvered into the opening.  Once there I stopped the car and touched a button so the moon roof would slide into its hide-away spot.  I reached my hand through the roof, into the cold air outside and gave a wave of gratitude!

It was a cold December night.  Luckily, we were sitting snug within the cocoon of warmth created by the goodness of strangers.  The plan was simple.  Go to one of our local restaurants, pick up some takeout, drive the hot food home and enjoy it while sitting fireside.  

Yet, rather than watching the flicker of flames from a fire, our hearts feasted on the flicker of “tale” lights messaging peace and goodwill.

Following Footsteps

“Shoes lovingly placed next to mine.”

Following Footsteps

“Over the river and through the woods!”

Those words of the beloved holiday song seemed to be constantly swimming through my heart as I drove east.  Not to Grandmother’s house, but to my daughter’s house, so we could share the all-important Christmas holiday.  It was a very long drive, but the words seemed to marginalize the ribbon of seemingly never-ending road stretched out as far as my eyes could see, while piercing the horizon of America’s Great Plains.  At the time, I thought the horizon would be the only object to be pierced.  I was wrong!

Yes.  I was wrong.  Yet I don’t want you to think I was wrong in a bad way.  I just didn’t have any way of knowing how a very small gesture was going to touch my heart almost immediately upon my arrival in Arkansas. 

My daughter living in Arkansas has a room over her garage.  That’s where we stay when we visit.  So, right after I knocked on the front door, one of my grandsons, Landon, led the way up the bifurcated staircase, as I carried the first suitcase up.  Then we both settled down on the foot of the bed so we could chat while petting Merlin, our fluffy, now well-traveled Corgi, just before we picked up a leash in preparation for a walk around the neighborhood in delightfully warm, end of December weather conditions.

Upon our return to the house Landon carefully reminded me to “take my shoes off.”  So, I reached down and released the latch between Merlin’s harness and leash.  Then, I stepped out of my shoes, picked them up and climbed the stairs to my room with them in hand.  When in the room I placed them near the side of the bed.  That way I would know exactly where the shoes were when I wanted to use them again.

“Wait!” Landon exclaimed, just after my shoes touched the floor.

Then, in a flash, he wheeled his whole body around, made a dash to the bedroom door and bolted down the stairs.  I stood wondering what I was to wait for.  But, it was a fleeting thought as it was but a moment until he bounded back up the stairs and through the door with a smile on his face.  My eyes quickly traveled down from his beaming face right to his hands, where they rested on two black objects, one held in each hand.  They were his black dress shoes!  He’d gone downstairs to select his black shoes because they were the same color as mine.

I watched as he carefully placed his best shoes next to mine, in a line.

I was touched.  But, he didn’t stop there, this one day!

When I came back up those stairs the next day I found that he’d added another pair of his shoes to the line.  A blue sneaker trimmed in green adorned the other, opposite side of my shoes.  Then, the following day I looked down to find a third pair, red high-tops, added to our colorful string of following-shoes.

“Over the river and through the woods!”

The exact words of the beloved holiday song came swimming back through my mind, piercing my heart, as I looked down upon four pairs of neatly lined-up shoes through moistened eyes.  Not because I was in my Grandmother’s house, though the sight made me think of the many loved ones who walked this same trail of life before me.  I was in my daughter’s home to share the all-important Christmas holiday with family.  And, at this moment the words seemed to graphically display the responsibility you and I have to all those who are now following, and will follow, the path we’re walking now. 

We must always remember the following-shoes around us.  Others are following our footsteps, standing on the trail imprinted by our shoes.

Abundantly Less

“It’s not the daily increase. But the decrease.  Hack away at the unessential.” – Bruce Lee

Abundantly Less

“We’ve taken four loads to “Goodwill” over the past couple of days!” Kilee Johnson said as she walked back into her house, directly upon her return home.

She was telling me of how she and her husband, Garrison, decided to use a couple of days, during their Christmas-time vacation, to share their abundance with others.

“We thought about selling our things on-line, but we decided we’d rather give our surplus to others in our community.” She explained as we talked just inside the door, where she had entered, while continuing to share her philosophy. Of all she told me, perhaps most impressive, was her description of careful, loving preparation.

“I carefully cleaned the blinds, placed all of the hardware in small bags, and attached each bag to its corresponding blind to make sure the new owners have everything they need.”

Her attention to attaching love as a part of her sharing is striking. Such giving is clearly focused on providing increase to others as part of a personalized process of increase through decrease. A principle akin to the process of becoming a “master” of martial arts.  A process Bruce Lee understood very well.

Imaginatively, Bruce Lee described his own life-long pursuit of, counterintuitive increase through decrease in this way, “It’s not the daily increase. But the decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”  

As his admirers know, focusing on the pursuit of perfection in this way allowed Bruce Lee to master a quality of skill beyond the imagination of most.  In other words, the more of the unessential he removed, the more powerful and effective he became.

Kilee and Garrison have shown that this same principle can be effectively applied by each one of us. The more of our abundance we lovingly share with those around us, the more our love and the love of others will grow. And, the more we freely give of our surplus, in the way of love, the whole of our community will become greater than we can imagine.

“We’ve taken four loads to “Goodwill” over the past couple of days!” Kilee Johnson said as she walked back into her house, directly upon her return home.

She was telling me of how she and her husband, Garrison, decided to use a couple of days, during their Christmas-time vacation, to share their abundance with others.

By doing so, they’ve shown you and me how to embark on our own life-long pursuit of increase through decrease.  They’ve shown us how to live life more abundantly by giving our surplus to others.

Do What's Easy

“When I came home I was overcome by the kindness on display!” - Jill Jones

Do What’s Easy

“It’s easy!  Here, I’ll show you how.” Said the artist as I admired his work.

“You don’t understand!”  I said.  “I’m the guy who, when taking basic drawing to fulfill a liberal arts requirement in college, was told by the professor, ‘you’ll do alright in this course, but don’t take any more art.’”

“You can do it!”  The artist replied.

Then he proceeded to talk me through his way of composing an amazing hand-drawn portrait.

“Now you try!”  He said, smiling as he handed me the pencil.

Unfortunately, his smile quickly turned to a look of utter confusion as he watched my unskilled hand work in futility.

“I can see it’s wrong!”  I said while looking at his amazed face.  “I just don’t know what to do to correct it!  I don’t have the same talent as you!  It’s not easy for me!”

That was more than forty years ago, yet the memory came flooding back to me as if ushered in by a tsunami as I heard similar words from my friend Jill Jones.

“They said it was easy for them to do and they hoped it would help us!”  Jill said as she related a cherished memory of her early married years while attending college.

At this time of life, Jill and her husband were both completely absorbed by their class load, not long after they were married.  They were in lessons or studying day and night.  Of course, their small apartment was not as tidy as Jill would have hoped it would be upon the impending arrival of important house guests.

“I just knew my mother-in-law would disapprove of the state of our home!  But there was nothing I could do about it.  I was still on campus, in class, and they had already arrived.  So, as I was about to enter our apartment I steeled myself for criticism.  But it never came!”  Jill said as she recounted the story, as if it had happened yesterday.

Her emotion as palpable.  She stopped to gain strength in her voice so she could continue.

“When I walked into the apartment my mother and father-in-law had cleaned and tidied the whole thing!  But that wasn’t all!  They had also ordered dinner in, because we didn’t have a stitch of food in the fridge or cupboards.” 

She caught her composure again before continuing.

“When I thanked them, they simply said, ‘it was an easy thing for us to do.  We’re so glad we could help you in such a small way!’”

“It’s easy!” Said the artist as I admired his work.

“It’s an easy thing for us to do!”  Jill Jones’ in-laws said as they turned a dark night into a dawning of increased love.

“You can do it!”  The artist replied.

Yes.  You and I can do what’s easy for us, yet challenging for another.

After all, it’s an easy thing for us to do!