It is fascinating to see people with extraordinary talents for their “ages.” We celebrate Grandma Moses, who began painting in her seventies. Shirley Temple captivated moviegoers with her singing and dancing, starting at three. Beethoven gave his first performance at seven.
Here are two exceptionally talented people to add to the list—one at each end of the age spectrum.
Aelita Andre is a four-year-old abstract painter, whose work has sold at shows around the world for tens of thousands of dollars. Her phenomenal art is now being exhibited at a New York gallery. I can’t wait to see it in person. Read about this little wonder, who has been compared to Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso.
Aelita lives in Australia
Aelita lives in Australia
And this is one of her pieces
FOF Paddy Jones, 77, is a salsa dancer whose grace and flexibility–not to mention gorgeous legs–are inspirations. Check her out.
Paddy Jones and her dancing partner
The world is filled with so much promise and talent. “Meeting” these people is one of the Internet’s greatest gifts.
I keep dreaming that my aunt Sylvia, who died last September after a long bout with cancer, comes back to life. I can’t figure out in the dream how she could possibly be alive since her ashes are resting in a container on my mantle. As she did when she was dying, Sylvia is in a strong state of denial in my dream.
We all go through stages of denial about one thing or another in our lives. We know we shouldn’t stay with a man, but we stay, hoping we’ll change him. We smoked when we knew it was bad for us, ignoring the potential consequences. We want so much for something to turn out well that we ignore all the signs that it probably won’t.
When we deny what’s happening to us, we rob ourselves of the ability to be in control and help make the outcome more pleasant. I’m not talking about the situations over which we have no control (e.g. acts of God, war) but about those we can change.
It’s often hard to face facts. My aunt Sylvia was emotionally unable to accept the fact she was dying. Many parents refuse to believe their children are abusing drugs. The wife of a physically abusive husband often blames herself.
I once begged my aunt to tell me to leave Edgar. I knew I was allowing myself to be emotionally abused by him, but couldn’t keep away and it made me miserable. I’ll never forget what she said to me: “I can’t do that. You’ll leave him when you’re ready.”
Sylvia wasn’t ready to die. Maybe that’s why she keeps reappearing in my dreams.
It’s usually hard to love thy neighbor in Manhattan since we often don’t even know our neighbor, even if his front door is 5 feet away from ours. We might nod and say hello at the elevator, but once we New Yorkers enter our apartments, we pretty much keep to ourselves.
For the first time since I moved to Manhattan, in 1968, I actually know many of my neighbors and love them, at least most of them. I even know neighbors who live on other floors and in the other wing of the building.
I’m not entirely sure why this has happened. But I suspect it’s due, in part, to the number of FOFs who live here, including Carol, a lawyer and mother of three whose energy and spirit are infectious; Linda, an accomplished author and journalist, who has a constantly inquisitive mind; Ronnie, a teacher, who lives with her husband, daughter, grandson and three dogs in a two-bedroom apartment, and BJ, who is being romanced by a new man in her life.
No matter what’s happening in each of our busy schedules, we always have time to smile, say hello and ask about each other’s families, jobs and weekend plans. I’m going to Carol’s son Tucker’s high school graduation in a few weeks, where he will give the salutatory address. David and I have had dinner with Ronnie, and Linda has become FOF’s book reviewer.
FOFs realize that it’s okay to stop and smell the roses, even if for only a few minutes at a time. If Carol, Ronnie, BJ and Linda had been my neighbors 30 years ago, we probably would never have been entirely too self-absorbed to have met.
Lina is wise for her 32 years. Today, she was taking Edie, her two-year-old daughter, to the Bronx Zoo. It was Edie’s first visit to the big zoo. “That’s so nice,” I said. “Yes, I’m really looking forward to it,” Lina answered, paused and continued: “It’s funny how the things we most look forward to change. It used to be going on a date with Joel. Now it’s seeing and doing things with Edie.”
An illustration from Zoo, by Valeria Docampo*
An illustration from Zoo, by Valeria Docampo*