One Amazing Lady!

I read today in the Costco Connections magazine, an article about a lady named Temple Grandin. She is a Doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, a best -selling author, the subject of an Emmy Award -winning HBO biopic, a much -in-demand public speaker and a consultant to the livestock industry on farm animal behavior. She also has autism.
You can learn more about the movie here:  You can read about some of it below too.
found photo here:
 Staring Claire Danes, Julia Ormond, Catherine O'Hara and David Strathairn Temple Grandin paints a picture of a young woman's perseverance and determination while struggling with the isolating challenges of autism at a time when it was still quite unknown. The film chronicles Temple's early diagnosis; her turbulent growth and development during her school years; the enduring support she received from her mother (Ormond), aunt (O'Hara) and her science teacher (Strathairn); and her emergence as a woman with an innate sensitivity and understanding of animal behavior.
Undaunted by education, social and professional roadblocks, Grandin turned her unique talent into a behavioral tool that revolutionized the cattle industry and laid the groundwork for her successful career as an author, lecturer and pioneering advocate for autism and autism spectrum disorder education.
This visually inventive film offers insights into Grandin's world, taking the audience inside her mind with a series of snapshot images that trace her self-perceptions and journey from childhood through young adulthood to the beginning of her career, and beyond.

I think the thing that really touched me was about her upbringing. When she was little in the 1950's, she did not speak until the age of 4- but benefited from the structure provided by her mother and school administrators.  ( Her father recommended she be institutionalized, but her Mother refused.) It was at an Aunt's cattle ranch in Arizona one summer, during her teens, that Grandin first became connected to horses and cattle and discovered a shared characteristic between animals and those with autism. Both think by making visual associations.  "Temple Grandin has helped all of us understand the power of different ways of thinking and being, " adds CSU President Tony Frank.  She had to figure out how people behave in order to modulate her own behavior accordingly, and that's the behavior that makes her work on behalf of people with autism possible.

She goes on in the article to talk about all the people who come to hear her speak, she said " A lot of people who come to the events- I estimate 75-80 percent of them- are probably interested in Autism. One thing I am getting concerned about is I'm seeing too many kids who are considered mildly autistic come up to me and all they want to talk about is their autism. I'd rather have them tell me about their science project or how they are training dogs or that they are in the 4-H or they like to write science fiction. Tell me about what you like to do! Autism would totally take over if I let it, but I am not going to let it."

Anyway, what an amazing story of an amazing lady.

They write it because we want to read it!

I was getting my hair cut the other day and I forgot to bring a book to read . I picked up a magazine to just pass the time. I was shocked as I read about all the famous Movie Stars and all about their lives. But what really surprised me was the one article that talked about what was in the female Movie Star's purses. I mean, I know they are going to write about their hair, who does their make-up. The designer for their dresses and how much each piece of their jewelry cost but...there was a whole two pages about what was in their purses! I just couldn't believe it. Do I care what is in their purses? NO But the world does, some one wants to know everything about their lives...YES, even down to what is in their purses.

It just made me stop and think. Do I compare, or spend energy on these so called STARS? If I do then what would be the purpose. For over 25 years I have been counseling with women who compare themselves to everyone that is richer, prettier, more successful than them. I have at times, looked at a Star and wondered how did they get so lucky? But that was years ago when I didn't really know what you read isn't always necessarily the truth. When you really stop and evaluate the Stars and their lives or lack of one, it makes me feel more sorry for them, than wanting to be like them.

We need to remember to stop comparing ( I am talking to myself again ), stop wasting time on looking what others have and what we don't have. Try to enjoy every single blessing we have. When I do that, I feel so much better, my perspective is clearer, and I realize what I have ....Faith, Family, Friends. And that makes me one of the richest women in the world!

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."   ~Anonymous

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."  ~Norman Vincent Peale

Children...you gotta love the way they think!

I got to spend the whole day yesterday with my granddaughter. Since her sister has been so sick, she needed to just get out of the house and give her Mommy a break too. I just love how she sees the world as a almost 5 year old. It truly is refreshing, and makes you stop and realize some of the small and yet important things we miss as adults.

We first had a picnic in the front yard. She kept saying "Nana, I love the sunshine", "I love this day", "isn't this the greatest day ever?", "let's go find sticks" don't you just love being outside in the sunshine?" Picnics are so much fun, aren't they?" "I love strawberries" "we should do a picnic more often Nana"

It just made me think about all those wonderful, small and yet important things that maybe I don't get as excited about any more. She was so excited and grateful for everything. I think it is important not to lose that kind of appreciation and excitement and we grow up and get busy. Maybe that is one reason God gives us grandchildren...to help us remember that? Well...it worked!

Smart Thinking
My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more then one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes-- I guess he didn't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head--
Too proud of me to speak! ~ Shel Silverstein

 

The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives."  ~Robert Brault

"Children are unpredictable.  You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next."  ~Franklin P. Jones

"While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about."
~Angela Schwindt