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by Lee-Ann Mayimele, Chief Storyteller

A Long Life (A short reflection in Gratitude)

When a Jewish person passes away, it is customary for people to wish the bereaved loved ones “A long life”. I have always thought this to be a gesture most beautiful.

And knowing how fragile life is and how we all face Death’s grip (whether you have just lost a loved one or are still grieving 40 years later), I know your heart is open to allow me to wish you A LONG LIFE.

Aluta continua, as they say. May you live lightly knowing that today, this very day (messy as it is) is a GIFT. A thought which I often take for granted, but not today. Today, I am grateful for another day to cook, moan, plan, dream, write, play, cry, hurt, melt, feel and to tell my loved ones that I am grateful. Always grateful for their love.

#reflections #gratitude #longlife #blessings #longevity #whatmakesYOUsmile

by Lee-Ann Mayimele, Chief Storyteller

Have YOU ever stolen someone’s shoes? (A life lesson about surrender)

My intention was clear: it was either me or those rotten shoes!

 

So, I snuck into his bedroom at 5am, determined to execute my top secret mission. Yes, of course, you guessed it. He woke up at that very moment. I mean, which secret mission is without that drama?

 

“Morning boy” I said, quickly shoving the shoes down the front of my onesie (hoping they land somewhere decent).

 

I could not live a day longer with those damn worn sneakers! Actually, “worn” is too kind a word. The things were finished! Both big toes had pushed through the front, the rubber on the bottom sole was thinner than rice paper and the shoe fabric had faded from a bright red to salmon pink.

 

My son and his favourite shoes were causing me and my ego irreparable damage and I had to do something.

 

Yes, he did cry.

Yes, “we” searched “everywhere” for the shoes.

Yes, he was devastated.

Yes, I consoled him.

And, yes, I will surely have to pay for his therapy one day.

 

But, here’s the thing:  I also taught the kid an important LIFE LESSON and I’m not talking  “bad things happen to good people”. Not even “some people don’t have even have shoes”.

I was thinking more along the lines of the Serenity Prayer.

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I reckon he’ll thank me later. For now, I am praying that the WISDOM thing is swift.  

 

© Aluta continua, as they say.  A Heart Full of Stories, 2017

 

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Whilst we don’t know the origin of the pics used, all respect and due credit are hereby given where appropriate. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Lee-Ann Mayimele and A Heart Full of Stories with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. All media rights and copyright for the words reserved.

 

by Lee-Ann Mayimele, Chief Storyteller

Penny Drop

7am

I’m sitting in a random coffee shop.

Someone at the table next to me says to her 100 year old friend “You know, you need to pay attention to the ones that are NOT clapping when you are winning”.

The penny drops.

© A Heart Full of Stories, 2017

#thatisall #wordsofwisdom #thankyoustranger #shortstory #gratitude #lessonlearntIMG_4198

by Lee-Ann Mayimele, Chief Storyteller

We Teach People How To Treat Us (A story about etiquette)

I was at a cocktail party and a young woman walked up to me. “I really love your clothes” she said, touching my faded 35 year old silk blouse lightly.  “Tell me, how do you find your stuff?”

 

“Well” I said, trying hard to contain my embarrassment but noticing how my ego loved the compliment. “I guess I started to raid other people’s cupboards when…” I tried to continue.

 

But, the girl was lost inside her mobile phone. I paused for a second or 30 and looked at her properly. She had French acrylic-tipped nails and the screen of her iPhone was badly cracked.

 

She looked up at me and said “Yesss, yesss…” using a rolling hand gesture to urge me to continue to talk, while she continued to type on her phone and use her thumb to scroll through her Facebook feed.

 

Now look, I have a phone too. (It isn’t cracked but that’s beside the point.)

I have a phone.

I have Facebook.

I have friends.

They post things.

I like their posts.

There’s really no shortage of online action in my world.

 

But, I also understand that the biggest compliment we can give to someone in our midst, is to give them our full attention. It simply tells them that the people inside our phones are not more interesting than they are.

 

Right?!

 

Before walking away from the girl, I had a moment of doubt. Yes, Doubt my old friend is always lingering around like that.  I thought to myself “Gosh, maybe she was sending an important email to her boss” and here I am acting all-insulted. So, I squinted past the cracks to see what she was doing and she was lazily scrolling through her Instagram feed, liking pictures of clothes, teeth and dogs.

 

Yes, I did walk away. And yes, I just kept walking.

 

Because look, although neither of us was “right”, the ball was in my court and I used that advantage  to apply an age-old tactic to make my move. I invoked the Serenity Prayer. 

 

Game over.

 

© A Heart Full of Stories, 2016

 

P.S.  Just in case you need a reminder, the Serenity Prayer goes:

serenity-prayer