An Elegant Adventure

Rikki Robbins always wanted to be a princess. Little did she know that someone else shared the same wish for her.

Gramma Kiki, as she was affectionately called, was as elegant as a Hollywood legend; her Austrian accent as charming as it must have been when she arrived in New York as an 18·year-old immigrant in 1935. Her life had been filled with ups and downs. Now a widow living alone, she found comfort in a daughter and two grandchildren who loved her dearly and would visit her often.

When she was diagnosed with cancer and after several sessions of chemotherapy, it seemed like a lost cause.

But, Kiki had other plans. While the cancer may have destroyed her cells, it

had not killed her spirit.

One day, Kiki received a phone call from an admirer who sought to bring a little joy into her life of recurring pain. A dear friend of the family asked if she would be free to join him for lunch the following Wednesday.

"How could I say no?" she answered as coyly as a teenager.

"How should I dress?" she asked.

“Up." he replied. .

It was a date. All she knew beyond that was that he would be calling for her at 11:30.

A few days later, looking regal as always, she made her way downstairs. Two of her acquaintances were sitting in the lobby of her building and you can imagine the look on their faces when Gramma Kiki’s friend arrived. Kiki, herself couldn’t believe it.

Cinderella’s carriage could not have made more grand an entrance than the shiny white stretch limousine that pulled up in front.

Her escort stepped out and greeted her with a dozen red roses. He kissed her and told her how beautiful she looked. She smiled and blushed.

With the swiftness of a presidential motorcade, the "royal" couple was off.

"I’m taking you to the top of the world," he said as they arrived at the Tower Of The Americas.

At one point during their exquisite meal, Kiki turned to him and said, "Let me just look at your face. I don’t usually get to sit this close to you." How’s that for making a guy feel special?

Much too soon, their glimmering coach was back where it started. It had all been perfect. She couldn’t stop saying thank you. For him, the twinkle in her eyes and flutter in her voice was enough. He promised to make this a yearly event and for that, she promised to live.

For one sunny April afternoon, Gramma Kiki was a princess.

And I, was her prince.

From the upcoming audio book by Sonny Melendrez - The Sunshine Kid: Living With Enthusiasm. Order online at www.SonnyRadio.com.

The 11 Way Tie

As the story goes, at a charity walk/run held a few years ago, a group of youngsters taught the crowd a lesson they will never forget.

The annual event raised thousands and gave children with Down syndrome an opportunity to have a race of their own. When the signal was given to start, a small group took off, running as fast as their legs would take them. That is, all but one little girl who tripped and fell. Hearing her cry, the others (one by one) stopped, turned around, and came back to help her.

Then these 11 precious souls did something that those in attendance will never forget.

They all locked arms with their little friend in the middle and together they walked to and across the finish line.

Perhaps our daily race can benefit from this story. Success can be even more exciting when everyone has a reason to celebrate.

The World As I See It

I recently discovered an essay published in 1931 entitled The World As I See It. Before I tell you who wrote it, let me share an excerpt that addresses the search for and the meaning of true happiness:

"I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves -- this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts -- possessions, outward success, luxury -- have always seemed to me contemptible.”

Who is this man who lived a life filled with kindness, beauty, and truth? And, who goes on to say that the most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious: That is the zest and quest for knowledge.

These are the thoughts of one the greatest thinkers the world he loved has ever known: Albert Einstein.

A Circle of Prayer

The other day, I witnessed a most touching sight. I'll begin by telling you that I am blessed to have my office overlook the oldest cathedral in the U.S. - San Fernando Cathedral located in the heart of San Antonio.

As I glanced out my window, I noticed what is becoming a familiar site in our city: A group of tourists on Segways - those two wheel vehicles that look like the person riding them could fall off at any moment. As the group rolled across the street, I saw that they were headed to the front of the Cathedral and wondered if they would stop. They did but were not able to go in and leave their expensive rentals outside unattended. That’s when I was touched to see what happened next.

Slowly, they circled these 21st century inventions and did what people have been doing at San Fernando for hundreds of years: They bowed their heads and prayed.

Keep in mind that lately, there have been dozens of workers with jackhammers and other noisy equipment working on the plaza in front of the Cathedral.

To see this circle of prayer amid all the construction and activity was heartwarming, to say the least. It served as a reminder that no matter what, and no matter where, we can always find a way to pray.