Love. What do you think of when seeing and hearing that word? A lot? Me, too. I also see the word, “volé”. If you speak Spanish, you understand the translation. If you don’t, no problem,  it means, I flew.

While I sometimes imagine I have the wingspan of an Albatross (11 ft. 8 in.), I would be lying if I said I could fly. However, metaphorically, I open my wings and heart as much as humanly possible.

I love a lot. I love so much, sometimes, I wish I didn’t because loving as much as I do, can be negative. However, like anything, positives outweigh depressive. Even when it’s not the case, I like to focus on positive morsels.

Loving all types of people, places, things, animals, books, music, etc., etc., means more opportunities to learn and experience beauty. While on a hike with my pup, I ran towards a beautiful section of wild mustard. To many, wild mustard is probably another weed on the trail, maybe not, but I don’t often see images of mustard or hear people gushing about its beauty.

I don’t know if it was the episode of I Love Lucy I viewed as a child where Lucy is feeling lonely and unloved. If you’re a Lucy fan, do you remember that episode?  “Friends of the Friendless”? Yes? No? Anyway, I believe that episode  (or the fact I arrived into the world with a naturally big heart) turned me  into a magnet for people and things looking sad and lonely.

“We’re the friends of the friendless, yes we are. We’re the friends of the friendless,  yes we are. Yes, we are. We’re the friends of the friendless, we’re the friends of the friendless, were the friends of the friendless, yes we are , yes we are… Boom-boom-boom” stuck with me since that summer day, way…. back in the 1980’s ( just said that like Cousin Ernie).

Since then, I internally sing that song, often. Usually, when I spot someone or something needing a pick me up, a smile, an ear, or a simple: good morning, hello, or hi, the human in me, sees the human in you. Cheesy thought? Agree. But, it’s probably one of the reasons  I chose to enter the field of psychology.

Hey, Lady! Your Heart is Sticking Out!

I know. I think some people spot my GIANT heart. It makes me happy to know loving many people, things, and places create positive moments. Somehow, I  sense when people or things need a hug. Not literally, please, do not think I go around hugging strangers and objects. I so do not do that.  If I did, I would be at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and, not as an employee. I smile and say hello a lot because, sometimes, that’s all we need, to know someone cared enough to acknowledge our presence and reciprocate love and appreciation of the beauty in the world.

Beauty. It’s e-v-e-r-y-where… Really.

If I didn’t look for beauty in everything, I would have missed out on a beautiful butterfly dance while on a recent hike with my pup. My girl was ready to head home, but the wild mustard was swaying and waving like they were at a happenin’ concert. I had to go and say hello. They waved their arms in the air like they just didn’t care while yelling, “Hey! Hey! Human dancer, get your butt over here… Come, join the butterfly dance party, lady!” Of course, my good ‘ol running shoes moved to the beat of the music, “OK, come on, girl, let’s go check out the scene.”  Ms. Frida Kahlo was not happy about breaking her routine. She tugged and pulled. Tugged and pulled some more, but my feet kept veering to our left.

After realizing she had no choice, her head shook and from deep down, she unleashed a slew of”har-har-har-ffffttts” leaving her left mustache looking a lot like an angry raised human eyebrow.  “I… get it, girl. I know, you want to go back home,  but, I’m the mom, so sometimes, I need to do what makes me happy, too. Besides, that’s rude. I’m not raising you to be rude, girl. Come on, let’s go check out the pretty wild mustard.”

Often, I’m intrigued by what isn’t, typically, considered beautiful by the masses. Not because I want to feel unique. I won’t lie, I do want to feel unique in other areas, but not when it relates to people. Why? Through years of studying the mind, human behavior, and our environment, I’ve learned many of the most fascinating and fun people, places, and things in the world are the ones not fitting American ideals of  “normal” or beautiful. By the way, I don’t believe “normal” exists, but that’s a different post.

If we all looked for the beautiful (not just physical beauty) and unique in all people, we would be more kind to each other. I look closely at almost everything in life. Often, what appears as wild, tarnished, or “flawed” is filled with beauty. People who appreciate all types of people, things, and places add more to their baskets of knowledge. Plus, as a huge bonus: see, feel, taste and touch more beauty.

Epilogue

More on my favorite-ever-QUEEN-of-comedy... Ms. Uber-Funny, the late, Lucille Ball, ladies and gentlemen. Round of applause for her, please. She so deserves it. Plus, what else? My new favorite type of epilogues-pictures! Pictures! And, more… pictures!  

Comedy Lead-Off Hitter- Ms. Great “Ball” of Laughter

In case, you’re not familiar with the infamous, “Friend’s of the Friendless” episode (real title, “Lucy’s Last Birthday”), here’s a glimpse of what I sing and retrieve from  the ‘ol hippocampus from time to time. Please, watch clip, below, first, then, continue reading the epilogue. Thank you!

Why did  I kindly ask you to view clip, first?

I’m bossy. Ha! Ha! Ha! and more, Ha! Ha! Ha! NO WAY…. I AM NOT BOSSY AT ALL… Seriously, everyone in my real world will attest to that FACT. Friend to the Friendless can’t be bossy.

Back to topic…

Did you catch Lucy’s confidence and demeanor change post-“Friends of the Friendless”? Impressive change, right? Clearly, that band was full of magicians. Or, they were modeling the abracadabra of showing people they are never an insignificant speckle of matter. Like Lucy, most of us have real life people who love and care for us, but it’s normal for our friends and family to have their own stressors and preoccupations, so they can’t, always, spot our mood, feelings and thoughts, nor, should they. But, I won’t go into detail on that subject (that’s another post).

Like Lucy, pre-“Friends of the Friendless”, it’s normal to feel unloved and lonely even though we know we have people who love us. Those darn milestones, they can wreck havoc when feeling vulnerable and down in the dumps.

I’m not advocating going around town transforming sad-looking strangers into friends, but “Friends of the Friendless” were a symbol of the positive effects to mind and body when we smile and say “hi” to our fellow humans and planet.

Oh! Yes, by the way, do you have (or have ever had) band dreams?

I’ve often thought of starting a real life, “Friends of the Friendless” band, but NO…BODY, I mean, NOBODY in my real life will join. P-f-t to them, right? SO, which of you lovely imaginary/virtual friends would join my band if we lived near each other? I know one I can count on, already… My lovely-awesome-beautiful-virtual-sister-runner-lover-of-the-outdoors-food-coffee-fun-dancing machine-singer-writer-lover-of-books-and-learning-friend, the one and… only, S…..A…. Fr…anco… Please, tell me I’m right, sister; otherwise, I’ll be embarrassed. Plump-juicy-on -the -vine-tomato-in sunny- Southern-California-with-hints-of- the-real-deal-strawberry-ice-cream red.

So, who’s in? Come on… you know you want to dress up in super-cool-cheesy matching outfits and hats… I’m even willing to become a Friend of the Friendless-Running-Reading band. Who’s in, now?

Shoot! I forgot to add the pictures, I promised. Ok, here you go:

They are all over the place in my neck of the woods, right now… The rest of the pictures are from random adventures around town days after the “connection” between wild-mustard and “Friends of the Friendless”.

Butterfly Dance- Take 2

Have a sun-shiny day, lovely people… And, don’t forget to attend “Friend of the Friendless” band auditions… We are coming to a town and city near you…