Reactions: A Story & A Song

1. Get really busy with projects, walking, cleaning, etc. or
2. Veg-out with TV, reading, music, and other “less active” diversions.

Guess which group I’m in?? The latter. Aside from the essentials (connecting with family and friends, meditating/praying, and light exercising), what’s keeping me “busy?” NOTHING!

After a life-time of achieving this and that, my reaction is to just relax, and indulge in whatever tickles my fancy. And I’m loving it!

For example, I just spent a couple hours on the lanai listening to two of my favorite entertainers: the beloved Brazilian crooner, Caetano Veloso and our Michigan favorite, Vienna Teng. Here’s a story from Brazil and a song of hope from Teng.

Seen in Brazil: A Puzzling Crazy-Quilt

In 1974, I lived in Sao Paulo while my second husband worked with IBM computer systems. 

One day, I accompanied a Brazilian friend to her dentist appointment.  Up, up we went to the 40^th story of one of the many famous Niemeyer skyscrapers dotting the Sao Paulo skyline. 

While in the waiting room, I read an article about the survivors of a recent “towering inferno” fire in this very same town. The scandal was that this modern-era skyscraper had no fire-protections and, as a result, many lives were lost.  

Perhaps it was this story that drew me to the window to peer down from the great height.  At first, I couldn’t make sense of what I saw:  a multi-colored quilt of shiny turtle-tops. 

What could it be?  As I studied the image far below me, I realized I was looking at many hundreds of Volkswagen “bugs” parked in a huge dirt parking lot.

At that time, about 80% of Brazilians owned VWs, with only a few color choices. Imagine the difficulty of finding your very own yellow bug (the color of mine) in a huge parking lot!  

The inventive “Paulistas” had solved this urban puzzle by parking all the yellow cars in one section, the blue ones in another, and so on.  The result was this bumpy, shiny quilt seen from the dizzying height above. I wish I had taken a picture!

A Song of Hope from Vienna Teng

“The Atheist Christmas Carol” isn’t only about the holidays and it’s not really “atheist.” It’s about HOPE, the best reaction we can have during uncertain times. Listen to this gorgeous song here, posted with its lyrics!

Savor these lines especially. “Don’t forget, don’t forget, I love, I love, I love you.”

Vienna reportedly said, “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist.” Hmmm.