What A Cutie!

There's a lot to be said for and against the computer era in which we're living. We all know about how much easier it is for people to be cruel to one another through this faceless, no-contact format. But on the other hand, it is also easier to make friends with others, broaden our horizons, and expose ourselves to new things. And there is a virtual treasure trove of information at our fingertips. Just think of all of the things you can access, and often at no cost - movies, books, funny little videos, music...and there's all sorts of information available. Don't know what kind of plants grow well in your region? What were the dates of The Civil War? What does a white-sand beach look like? All can be found online.

I have enjoyed the way the friends I have made on social media have enriched my life, and from time to time one of them will inspire me to write a blog post. And that is what spurred me to write this piece tonight. My friend Rich posted a song from the soundtrack of the movie Rain Man. I really enjoyed the movie, and loved the soundtrack enough to purchase it in cassette format. (Some of you younger readers may not understand this. Google it.) The song was Beyond the Blue Horizon, sung by Lou Christie. I have loved that song since elementary school. We sang it in music class and choir. I adored the song and my music teacher, Mrs. Schlundt. Unfortunately, she died in a car crash at the end of my fifth-grade school year, but I still love the songs we sang with her. These were my first thoughts as I listened to the music.

As I continued listening and looked at the picture of the album cover, I remembered something delightful that happened regarding that little cassette. If you do not remember, the soundtrack album cover is a picture of the two brothers, played by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, riding in their deceased father's car. I was listening to the music one day while working in my stand-alone unit as a drive-through teller. One of my coworkers stopped by for a couple of minutes to say hi and have a little chat, and she saw the cassette case. "Oh, is this what you're listening to? I really liked this movie!" I agreed that it was a good film, and she looked at the listing of the songs. She took another look at the cover photo and said, "He's so cute!" And then we accidentally said the exact same thing at the same moment. "And Tom Cruise isn't bad either!" It was one of those really great moments when two people have the same funny thought at the same time. We had a good laugh at our wittiness, and it really brightened my day.

It was lovely to have that memory come to the front of my mind. I hope that my former coworker remembers it from time to time as well. Little moments like this can be bits of sunshine that stay bright for years. And isn't it fun to bask in that kind of sunshine?