MASS EFFECTS: A KINDER, BETTER WORLD

A series of essays.....

NORMAN ROCKWELL'S 'FREEDOM FROM WANT'

                    Courtesy Denver Public Library



.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Being away from one’s normal setting for even a little while can encourage a sharper, more defined outlook on the life around you. That’s why we make the time to take vacations and release ourselves from what may have become the ordinary to experiencing the various levels of the extraordinary! 

The allure of heading up to our new life in Michigan or, at least, preparing our home up there for our arrival, is considered a pleasant reprieve from the normal. However, with i-Pad on lap and tapping into the Internet via my ‘Personal Hotspot’ on my i-Phone keeps me connected with this crazy world we live in today even while traveling over seventy miles per hour up I-75. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to just disconnect.

'MARBLE CHAMP' BY NORMAN ROCKWELL
~A REMINDER OF MY OWN TOMBOY CHILDHOOD~

                Courtesy Marmont Hill Inc.

In my opinion it’s difficult not knowing what the latest, craziest escapade is involving a world that has drastically changed in values and responsibilities since long ago when I was a small girl growing-up in Mishawaka, Indiana. I believe it's because this world has become so weak and vulnerable, we must keep up with the changes if only to better understand how to cope with and, hopefully, draw our lives back into a kinder and more loving era. And, Dear Santa, could we please eliminate the inequality and blatant hatred of those not exactly like us while we’re at it? What a great gift this would be this Holiday Season!

The Norman Rockwell picture perfect world is a thing of the past. And, that’s okay by me. Now that we’ve dug down deeper into our nation’s history, most of us ‘unenlightened ones’ have sadly discovered that that world was filled with inequality, bigotry, and racism, as well. The difference between then and now is that we may not have recognized all of this back then. The kindly Grandpa images and huggable puppies running up to greet adorable, freckled-faced children may have arrested our hearts but, it clouded our vision at the same time.

NORMAN ROCKWELL ~ SELF IMAGE

                         Courtesy pbs.org

We not only recognize it but, fortunately, we are acknowledging the negativity that exists in our everyday lives today whether we agree with it or not. Taking it one step further, many of us are stepping up to the plate and trying to do something about it. Woman have marched in Washington D.C. to protest a man who is deplorable in his own right and not capable of making decisions for the betterment of our society as a whole. Athletes have taken a knee in order to protect the rights of men, women, and children whose skin is darker than rich, white men. Native Americans will continue to protest in order to preserve what little land and rights our government has failed to take away from them throughout the years.

We are being inundated by juvenile tweets almost every single day that should be highlighted by colored crayon and preschool attempts at printing out each letter of each word. The mere thought that our country is being run by a lonely,   man who consciously decides to communicate at odd hours of the day and night with the people he represents through social media leaves so much more to be desired. If we didn’t know for sure, we could conceivably say that he might be a person weighing four-hundred pounds and sitting on his bed in the middle of the night with phone in hand. Little did we know that he may have been describing himself during that Presidential Debate so many months ago!

'FREEDOM OF SPEECH'

             Courtesy The Norman Rockwell Museum                              

Deplorable. “A sorry state of affairs, indeed!” Despicable. “Taking actions that are perceived to be contemptible and mean.” Detrimental. “In the short and long run, causing harm or injury to ideals and to those these ideals represent.” That pretty much sums up the current Administration in a few, short words.

I, for one, want to believe in the goodness of mankind. I want to think that we are living through the ‘bully stage’ of our young country and that this, too, shall pass as we continue to grow-up leaving the bully far behind us in his own perpetual kindergarten of sorts. I choose to understand that the indecent actions of this current Administration will serve to create a stronger, smarter, and more imaginative mass of citizens who will work together to solve our problems and bring us together as a stronger, better nation. 

I do not believe, however, that these changes will come quickly or easily; good ideas tend to be deliberately scrutinized more rigorously than believing in or latching on to negative ones. I don’t know why this is and I never will. But, I am willing to wait, obliged to try to understand, and remain open to whatever plan it takes to create a kinder, better world to live in. Most importantly, I choose to be an active part of this plan.

Will we ever be able to revert to the naive and innocent (on the surface, anyway) world of our own youth? A time when Mr. Rockwell offered vivid designs of “small-town America and the private moments we all share but often take for granted,” as described by Christies’s Auction House where many of his images of an idealized America were auctioned off and sold. 

ROCKWELL'S SERIES OF
ICONIC HOLIDAY PAINTINGS

                               Courtesy 'Wired'

Somehow we must learn to incorporate this optimistic view of human nature into our lives once again. It’s imperative that we do so. But this time around, let us be intelligent enough to keep up with the times by internalizing all of the knowledge we have compiled throughout the years with regards to human rights and the idea of balancing our lives between that which is good for ourselves and that which is good for everyone else. If we teach our young boys to cook because, after all, they eat, too and, we acknowledge that our young girls can become strong leaders who can define America in a positive light....we could be headed in the right direction. Baby steps.

I want to have hope and I’d like to believe in a Norman Rockwell world again; it’s becoming much crazier and more difficult to do all the time. We need to eliminate the trickle-down hate and deception generated within the White House and exchange it for a kinder, better, and more tolerant world. We must learn from our mistakes. Tomorrow depends on us.

'LITTLE SPOONERS' OR 'SUNSET'
A KINDER, BETTER WORLD

                               Courtesy Art.com

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER CRAZY THINGS

A series of essays.....

BIRTHDAY WISHES FROM NEAR AND FAR

.....as seen through my eyes!






 By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

There’s really no personal win when we decide to challenge the inevitable. 

Oh, but how hard we try! Especially when it comes to growing older and having to endure consistent physical changes.

Okay, I am thinking about (feeling a bit sorry for) the people whose pictures have been exploited on social media via headlines such as: “Child stars and what they look like today,” and “Botched plastic surgery,” or “Unrecognizable after too many surgeries!” Even if these photos are not genuine but intentionally fabricated by some perverse, dark soul intending to besmirch the reputation of others, we still look at them. We may think how pompous people with fame and money can be, choose to ignore any unmitigated circumstances, and wind up feeling even more superior and portentous than many of them by believing we’d never do that no matter how wealthy we are. 

The more money we have, the greater the possibility of spending more time and effort in finding our preferred Fountain of Youth?

Our love affair with maintaining a youthful appearance always seemed quite superficial to me and yet, I sit here, hypocritically preaching, having had my roots lightened and hair highlighted only yesterday morning! Yes, admittedly, this has been my guilty pleasure since the term naturally blond began to fade (literally!) into the annals of my youth. These recorded check-and-balances every November of my life serve as documented evidence of the passing of time, undeniable aging, and yes....the onslaught of the inevitable.

We can run and we can attempt to hide from this fierce attack, but there is no denying the small wrinkles lacing the soft skin around the eyes and mouth or that wayward facial hair we pluck away only to have several more emerge the very next day. And, my favorite (NOT!) is this crazy skin condition called ‘crepey skin’ or ‘crepe paper arms!’ I ask you, "What is up with that? A perfect example of something much greater than us having a good chuckle at our expense?"

Well, it’s not like it all happens overnight you know! We have ample time to think about it, attempt to thwart and, as a last resort, totally forget about becoming a teeny bit older each day until our humble attempt at baffling the aging process no longer becomes an option for us. That November date rears its crusty head yet again very soon only to remind me that records are being kept and time continues to elapse even as I sit here typing.

If I’ve carried a particular mantra with me since my early twenties it would have to be, “You are only as old as you feel.” Truthfully, it has served me well over the years. 

Feelings are internalized. Feelings are emotional and moral sensitivity (especially in relation to personal principles or dignity). If being only as old as you feel holds true, then I made it my personal goal to feel as young as possible throughout the years. Part of this elaborate process of feeling young no matter what your age is the action of interjecting youthful ideas into and taking modern approaches towards life within our everyday routine. 

Make the time to explore your favorite options of internalizing the aging process. It could be as simple as eating healthy and eliminating sugar from your diet, making it a habit to hang-out with the younger crowd whether it be with your children and grandchildren, or by taking a class at your local university or community college. You’d be amazed how immersing yourself in the youthful energy around you can conjure interesting friendships and amazing, in-depth conversations!

Climb to the peak of a particular hill or mountain and sit there looking out upon the vast world and all of its magnificence and realize how small we are in the grand scheme of things. This will place your life in proper perspective. Now breathe in deeply and be in the moment. Our age will have no particular relevance within the vastness of this gratifying point in time and space.

Consciously align with friends who share your own youthful way of thinking because they will help to expand your horizons by riding in tandem with you as you explore life’s many wonders. 

Eventually, It becomes apparent, that we must approach each birthday with an open mind and heart and think of it as another milestone in our eternal quest for knowledge and healing. It’s true. With each new wrinkle, gray strand of hair, and candle on the cake, we become older, wiser, and better prepared for what we have absolutely no control over: the inevitable. How happy we are and how we manage the days and years leading up to this point is strictly within our own personal scope and power.

Therefore, I am eternally grateful for my freedom and flexibility, continued good health, the optimistic influences of creative and talented friends, and the fresh and vigorous antics of my precious grandchildren. Come this fourth of November, I will gladly look into the mirror at a new wrinkle or two, congratulate myself on the hair color choices, and proudly say to myself, “Damn I feel good...and, it shows!”

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

CHARACTER

A series of essays.....

 

A HOME'S CHARACTER CAN REFLECT THE CHARACTER

OF THOSE WHO RESIDE THERE

.....as seen through my eyes!





By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


It's nearly possible to feel its texture, estimate its weight, and recognize its behavior by simply looking at the written word itself: Character. The sight of it conjures up many different emotions, awakens the imagination and, literally, takes us on the ride of a lifetime.

Character, a single distinct conceptual unit of language, bursting with multitudes of meaning and innuendo, packing a punch and consistently evolving along the way. Developing, changing, and growing daily, our moral strength and integrity is seasoned by the sheer elements that surround us. It can be as illusive as an 'invisible cloak' wrapping us within its deceptive folds, especially in our youth, yet as strong and spiritual as multicolored banners comprised of Tranquility, Peace, and Love blowing softly in the breeze that gently envelopes us.

We are defined by our character. As a young adult, we can be swept up by the competitiveness and influences of modern technology that tug upon our desire to fit in, be popular, and drive us to succeed in this highly aggressive and 'Me' oriented existence. Welcome to the Fame Culture with its theme of 'selfies' and 'reality programming' setting the daily pace. 

We have turned the camera on ourselves as we shift the selfie stick back and forth in an attempt to capture that perfect shot with our own face in the foreground......life, beauty, nature, often lost, in the background. The epitome of a self-centered existence that is charmed by the acknowledgement of others to the point of instant glory due to the over-exposure of our own presence. Warranted?....., most likely, not. A 'Kardashian' influence highlighted by twenty-nine million Instagram views surrounding us in a fleeting aura of false love and envious adoration. 

Time. It takes time. It requires maturity. In time, many of us will acquire the maturity to expose our selfishness and throw down the gauntlet of challenge by turning the camera around until we come face-to-face with the many characters that comprise this astonishing world we live in. 

We are all characters playing out our specific roles as in books, movies, politics, marriages, parenting, while 'treading the boards' of this vast stage called life! Stage left, stage right, downstage as the spotlight defines our features...our souls, for all to behold during this grand performance with the backdrop neatly painted by our own hands. Dipping the brush into a rainbow of lush colors, our performance is enhanced by each stroke upon the canvas and bright stage lights shine on and reflect the joy we feel. Muted shades of gray reduce the intensity of our contentment; subdue and soften while restraining the sound of color and light.

Strategically, others are allowed into our personal world to share and offer their particular perspective and attitude regarding our character. A description of a person's attributes, traits, or abilities flow like molten lava creating a miraculous new landscape from which each co-worker, friend, or neighbor's point of view can formulate and reference our character: Kind, hardworking, capable.....dependable. An employer's dream!

Yet, something inside of us seeks out, even reveres, those of dubious character, umbrageous souls who taunt and disrupt us by offering a life we could only hint at or speculate about before their introduction, possibly, from a book, film, or play. These perfect antagonists allow us to be beautiful or rich, wicked or immoral while gleaning vicarious pleasure from a boxing match of competition and conflict, vigorously cheering on the 'bad guy' while living a mundane existence in the real world. We might marry the trustworthy, kind man, but we secretly admire the dangers surrounding the Bad Boy persona.

Character can be determined by the sugar, spice, and grit that dusts our life with its fine powder coating whether we live on top of a mountain, within a bustling city, or the more laid-back realm of a rural existence. Life is a journey into one's self. What seasonings we choose to use in order to bring zest or interest into our life is strictly up to us. 

Being a kind, loving person can be a major benefit when it comes to strengthening a resourceful, benevolent character.

Love can and should be the greatest foundation or starting point when beginning our long journey. Hopefully, it has been shared and passed down to us by those we are close to and who offer us loving examples to live by. As we travel along the road, building character and stretching our imagination, we should ask ourselves if we have our 'loves' in order. Are we spending our time and energy on our highest love, our values and passion, before the journey into one's self reaches its end?

As time passes, we should learn the importance of humility, sympathy, tranquility, peace, respect, compassion, and Love, above all else......! This is a timeless list that's meant to strengthen our character while placing our lives, our loves, in proper order.

Author's Note: This essay was first published in "Moving On....2016" on January 28, 2016. I believe that today, October 26, 2017, its message is as strong and resolute as when first written, if not more so.   


Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved

IN APPRECIATION FOR THE RHYTHM OF LIFE

A series of essays.....

DANCE TO THE RHYTHM OF LIFE
NICE, FRANCE, 2016

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

Listen. Close your eyes and listen to the world around you. 

Are you sitting in a public park, walking around in the local mall, having a meal at your favorite restaurant, or reading the morning paper within the familiar confines of your own living room? Where you are truly does not matter! The important thing is that you are listening.

I have always found joy by listening to what is going on around me. And, when I am in my personal environment, I can be so attuned to my surroundings that an unfamiliar sound will catch my attention almost immediately. It's like an experienced mechanic who takes a customer's car for a test-drive and listens intently for inappropriate clanks, rumbles, and squeals over and above any particular complaints by the customer himself.

This morning I awoke to the slightly off-balanced clickety-clack of the ceiling fan above me; its rhythm and timing was exceptionally precise. My fingers tapped out its cadence on the folds of the crisp, white sheet.

Listen. Close your eyes and listen to the rhythm that surrounds you. What do you hear right at this very moment in time? 

The sounds around us create the patterns of regular or irregular pulses; familiar and unfamiliar within our daily routine. I've discussed before the battery powered clock that clicks its rhythmic pulses as I sit here and type each day. If it were to be taken away right now, would I be able to type at all? A familiar routine can empower us; can suck us into believing in its created normalcy, and we are programmed, after a period of time, to expect to function because of its existence. Quite often, we are not even aware of what's happening to us.

Ask a person how their day went after having to skip their daily routine at Starbucks for any reason. You may wonder if their day was compromised because of the timely loss of caffeine or the break in their morning routine. Given time, all of us become, in one form or another, creatures of habit and our 'life rhythm' holds strategic importance to our daily well-being.

PARTAKE IN THE MEAL
CALLED LIFE

When I was quite young, we would never miss the National Geographic Specials on TV, long before it had its own channel on cable television! Based upon the National Geographic Magazine, these Specials took me to places I could only dream about. But, most importantly, introduced to multiple generations, amazing lands, people, customs, and international flavors without us ever having to purchase a ticket to get there. 

I was hooked. My dear Mother knew it and, somehow, knew that subscribing to the magazine was the right thing to do. To this day, I know that the wonder of photography I discovered between those iconic yellow-outlined covers taught me to love the camera and all of its magical powers.

It was the rhythmic clicking sounds of the South African bushman tribes that lingered in my mind and made me want to so desperately visit the Continent of Africa....as I still do to this day! Like the guttural sounds of many French words that are produced in the throat and can sound harsh, the Khoisan African languages, I understood, shared click consonants and the people spoke with such a unique sound that it captured my youthful attention and curiosity.

Having read later as an adult something about the stylohyoid muscle and digastrique muscle contracting, causing the hyoid bone and the connected glottis to raise, and the forward articulation is held, raising air pressure greatly in the mouth so when the oral articulations separate, there is a dramatic burst of air and even the Adam's apple may be seen moving simultaneously. Whew!

All this didn't matter to me back then. I just wanted to listen to the clicks and clacks and watch the rhythmic flow of their colorful robes as they danced to the beat made by their staffs being pounded into the dusty, African soil. The clashing sounds of the beaded necklaces and bracelets they wore added to the glorious symphony of delights that thoroughly engulfed my senses. Such a beautiful experience this was and one I will never forget. Perhaps, one day, I will see it all up close and personal.

Last night, while sitting out on the lanai and thinking of our future move back to Michigan, I wondered about missing the familiar sound of planes coming in to land or take off from the Orlando International Airport. For twenty years their sounds have flooded my senses with various levels of rhythmic intensity. There is pure joy in watching a Virgin jumbo jet float among the clouds as it makes its approach into OIA! 

Dan and I are cultivating new rhythms associated with our lives these days in accordance with a  new lifestyle slated for less than a year from now. Until retirement is firmly set behind us, I approach our life in Michigan as seasonal rather than daily. That time will come soon enough.

SIT BACK AND JUST LISTEN

For now, it is the crisp, swirling leaves that dance dervish-like in our back yard on a windy autumn's day; the soothing crackle of a roaring fire contained within the stone fireplace one frosty winter's evening; the tingle of warmth you feel inside your heart when seeing good friends walking through a spring drizzle coming to say hello and welcome you back; and, the sounds of a summer's evening complete with the neighbor's melodic violin notes wafting like precious animated jewels out of his second story window.

I invite you to listen; check all of the senses while you observe the world around you. Delight in the beauty of the rolling hills of an Irish countryside bathed in its many shades of green. Speak to the locals of a small French village in their own language, whenever you can. Walk around the narrow streets of Paris in the evening and listen to the families having dinner; recognize their polite talk and the gentle clash of silver cutlery being rested on hand painted plates. Stroll through an open market and take in all of the aromas the local cuisine has to offer. And, feel the warmth of your lover's skin while you walk hand-in-hand along the beach as the water engulfs your feet and you sink deeper into the warm, wet sand with each step you take. 

Listen to nature's music playing all around you! Clap your hands and tap your feet as the rhythm sinks into your very core.

You get to decide which beats you wish to follow in your lifetime. But, with a stage as grand and glorious as the world we live in, it may be difficult to keep the field narrow. Wherever you go and whatever you do, always remember to take a moment to sit back, relax and appreciate the rhythm of the life going on around you.

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

Copyright © All Photos 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW: A REUNION IN COLLIOURE, FRANCE

A series of essays.....

OUR FIRST VIEW OF COLLIOURE LOOKING
DOWN FROM THE D914

.....as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E. Hughes

In keeping with a promise I made to myself to honor any respite I may find within this crazy, messed-up time we live in, I am happy to announce that this is one of those little breaks I cherish....for sanity's sake, if nothing else.

The other day I was flipping through the hundreds of photos I have so conveniently tucked-away in my i-Pad and was looking for the perfect photo to send to a Facebook friend to help celebrate her birthday. With all of the photos I have and righteously refuse to remove, this act can take up quite a bit of my time. Well, of course, many photos require a second or third perusal, and that takes up even more time!

Concentrating on our latest visit to the South of France in September of 2016, it shocked me to think it was just over a year ago that we met up with old friends there and were introduced to so many new ones. I marvel at the thought that most tourists focus on a particular well known landmark or certain landscapes to take home in pictures and memories. Dan and I seem to emphasize the local people we meet and speak with. The joy we extract from that personal experience via shared ideas and thoughts remains in our hearts forever.

COLLIOURE BY THE SEA

Mais oui. Bien sûr! We do take hundreds of pictures from our various trips throughout the years and I can't imagine not having iCloud to share to and store them in! Apple, you are my friend.

This all leads me to that moment when I reconvened my love affair with Collioure, France, via photos from a year ago.

Dan and I were meeting our friend David in Collioure which turned out to be a convenient place for all of us. We were traveling down through the Pyrenees after having spent three amazing days in the village of Pieusse on the Aude River and David was coming up from his permanent home in Barcelona, Spain. Sadly, we had only around sixteen hours time to reconnect, as well as explore this beautiful coastal resort town. 

We took full advantage of our time by talking, eating, drinking excellent wine, and laughing together until we had tears in our eyes. So much fun! All too soon it was time to catch some sleep before having breakfast and leave on our separate ways. Ironically, and most likely due to our time constraints, my photos did not capture many of the locals because I was so enamored with the beauty of this resort town nestling along the Mediterranean Sea.

I invite you to scroll down and see exactly what I mean...

DAVID IN FRONT
OF OUR HOTEL

DAVID AND ME

We met David at a table along the Plage de Collioure where we drank wine and beer and watched the sun setting while we caught up with what was happening in our lives.

There was so much beauty to take in.....! Collioure is located only a few kilometers from the Spanish border. So close yet so far; we just did not have the opportunity to venture into Spain this time around.

The Chateau Royal de Collioure

THE LOCAL WINES
ARE AMAZING!

OOPS!

    Talking, drinking, indulging in spectacular views with good friends....

    That's what life is all about!

PHARE DE COLLIOURE

Walking around the periphery of the town at dusk was such a magical, colorful experience.

EGLISE NOTRE DAME DES ANGES

 

THE PERFECT STEAK

SWEETS FOR EVERYONE!

The best hamburger 

and fries (frites).

Dinner at a small, outdoor cafe right off of the beach.

Our hotel room was cozy, adequate and only a few steps from the beach in Collioure. La Bona Casa. Perfect! 

After a delicious breakfast of croissants, eggs and bacon, and strong, black coffee....we decided to walk around the harbor.

Even though our morning was overcast, the beauty of Collioure could never be dampened by a few dark clouds. It was enjoyable to walk along with David and Dan and discover, together, all of the small staircases, narrow walkways, and color...so much vibrancy of color, shadows, and contrasts.

A VIEW FROM OUR ROOM

HAD TO GET A
SCOOTER IN SOMEWHERE!

With all of this beauty surrounding us, we became a bit morose knowing that our sixteen hour visit was coming to an end. David was driving back down to Barcelona and we were driving all the way over to Nice along the coastline, as much as possible. That was an extremely long drive. We'd be spending the night in Nice and flying back to the States the next morning.

We were extremely thankful for even this limited amount of time with our dear friend. We promised David that we would return as soon as possible and meet him in Barcelona. What a grand reunion and tour that will be! We promise to make it happen.... 

AU REVOIR COLLIOURE....
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!
~BISOUS~

Copyright © 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved

Copyright © All Photos 2017 by Jacqueline E. Hughes

All rights reserved