“If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.” – Katherine Hepburn
“Never ever underestimate the importance of having fun.” – Randy Pausch
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Half a lifetime ago, an artist friend gave me a large abstract painting after I fell in love with it. I call it “X Marks the Spot,” and today it sits above my dining room table where it frequently catches my eye.
It means many things to me. First it reminds me of a special friend who is no longer alive. His name was Richard Sheppard , and he was a unique individual who always colored outside the lines. He was there for me during a heartbreak period when I was feeling quite sorry for myself.
Richard took about 15 minutes of me wallowing in pity before he started rolling around on the floor chanting “pitty-Pat, pitty-Pat, pitty-Pat! I stopped whining and started laughing, and then with his urging, I began to reflect on all the positive things I then had going in my life.
It began a pattern that has followed me ever since. Whenever I get down in the dumps, I ask myself how many women in the world would exchange places with me. And when the answer is millions, I stop feeling sorry for myself and get on with my quite good, if not perfect, life.
And just looking at that painting each day reminds me to be thankful for life itself.
The painting, with its colorful hues of olives, persimmon, ocher and raspberry reds, also reminds me of my two rafting journeys through the Grand Canyon, where I not only observed similar colors but cliff walls scarred with marks similar to the Xes in the painting.
Since those outdoor adventures are at the top of my list of amazing days, reliving them in my mind gives me a boost more powerful than any energy drink.
Finally, as I look at this painting, I ask myself which X represents me this day. Sometimes it’s one of the larger reds and some days it’s one of the smaller, less brilliant colored Xes. Fanciful, I know. But fun.
And who in the heck doesn’t need a bit of fun in their lives these days?
Bean Pat: To blogger Julie whose art blog is always fun. https://journalartz.wordpress.com/
Pat Bean is a retired journalist who lives in Tucson with her canine companion, Scamp. She is a wondering-wanderer, avid reader, enthusiastic birder, Lonely Planet Community Pathfinder, Story Circle Network board member, author of Travels with Maggie available on Amazon, and is always searching for life’s silver lining
Pat Bean's blog 
“Whenever I get down in the dumps, I ask myself how many women in the world would exchange places with me. And when the answer is millions, I stop feeling sorry for myself and get on with my quite good, if not perfect, life.”
Now that’s a wonderful idea. Something like that is a feeling/experience I get while blogging. I have quite a few followers here who are in bad shape/health, and when thinking of them I always remind myself how blessed I am.
Have fun, Pat, and stay healthy,
Pit
Thanks Pit. I’ve often thought that we have like souls. It’s the blessings in life that we need to count, not all the other dang stuff.
this was so uplifting to read.. i needed a bright spot. pitty pat will be what i say when we play and i win ahahahahahhaahahah love you
If you beat me. Love you my guardian angel daughter-in-law.
Your story endears this painting to me, and I loved the putty-Pat story! Thanks for sharing something personal with all of us.
Thanks fellow wanderers. Stay safe.
Lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for commenting Dawn.