Red Candy Lips

It was a cold, snowy Indiana afternoon. In town to photograph my niece's wedding, I found myself wandering in the local mall where the warmth was second best only to the people watching opportunities.

I bought myself a treat - Starbucks 'Non Fat Cinnamon Dolce Latte, extra hot' and then headed for a candy store across the way with my 3 year old great nephew, Hunter, in mind.

Gummi worms, multi-colored gummi soldiers, blue and white gummi sharks - wow! They didn't have all of these when I was a kid. I filled several bags with all the treasures I thought he would enjoy. Headed toward the register and there they were ....waiting for me. The oversized RED CANDY LIPS!!

I couldn't subdue my glee as I reached into the box and started pulling out packages of the ruby red beauties. The clerk commented on the cost increase since we were kids. "Those things have really gone up in price!" she said.

She didn't understand. I didn't care how much they were. What a find! I could already see the photo. The entire bridal party poised in their formal attire and sporting their 'botox'ed candy lips. In the annals of spectacular wedding photography, I knew this would be a hit!

As I paid for my purchase, I became aware of a family that had entered the store as well. A young man and woman, surely barely out of a high school and a little toddler holding tightly onto his mother's hand. Their clothes had seen better days and their faces wore the shadow of bewilderment and defeat and hunger. I saw the little boy eyeing the candy bins, but his parents were not there to puchase.

As I headed toward the exit, the dad stepped forward to ask the clerk if they were hiring. I didn't hear her response but I saw the look on his face as his shoulders slumped and he turned away. I had no doubt what the answer had been.

I stood there for some time with my $26 worth of candy lips, watching that family as they walked into the next store and the next, looking for a place, any place, to punch a time card...not to be able to buy candy, but to buy bread and milk and heat.
Sadness, embarrassment and helplessness washed over me as reality kicked me in the gut.

Those candy lips never made it out of the bag. Never took a photo of them because they reminded me that you can't catch fish with gummi worms and you can't treat life like a candy store grabbing as much and as often as you want.

I'm thinking EBay or Craig's List. How much can I get for $26 worth of unworn red candy lips?

When you do something from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy...

Poet Rumi knew what he spoke of..
'When you do something from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy...'

And Wavy Gravy spoke words of wisdom from the chaos of Woodstock,
'We're all bozos on the bus, so we might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.'

****************************************************************************

Hell, there are days I don't even wear a seatbelt!

If you want to read a life-changer, pick up the book Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser. If you're not hooked by page 2, put it down. Not everyone can be a "born twice" and if you aren't one, these ideas probably won't click.
**Book review by unknown author named Limp Ropes.