An Emotional Yet Glowing Evening

A simple classroom was the venue for a terrific fundraiser last evening at The Center for Spiritual Living.   It was filled with a variety of foods, desserts, drinks, raffle ticket prizes and silent auction items.  However, the main feature was some 70 people whose hearts were overflowing with love for the woman who recently learned she has breast cancer.

For the first two hours, upbeat conversation, smiles and laughter were the bywords.  But no amount of Breast Cancer Awareness Days, Weeks, Months, or any related events could have prepared anyone for the ensuing chapel ceremony.

At center stage was a highly emotional hair cutting scene. 

Leading the proceedings was a woman who in 2006 was told that her own breast cancer would end her life sometime in 2009.   She began with a Mundan Prayer, usually reserved by Hindus for a child’s first haircut.  In this case, it was explained that what had transpired until this point in her life was one life and now things would start anew.

For this occasion, the script was something like this:  “Let this unbreakable razor cut the locks, and let the waters with their moistening power soften the hair of (said person).  May God remove disease for this (person).  May (person) attain to long life.  May (person) acquire knowledge from this experience.”

A table set between the speaker and the hair-cutting recipient, included a statue of Kwan Yen, the goddess of compassion and mercy.  It also held a small menorah and a candle, both representing the light of brightly-burning flames.

The lady, whose hair was easily shoulder length, remained pretty calm at the outset.  But a few tears were evident throughout the gathering.  A quick, loud shriek followed, sending more people into tears.  But the lady re-gathered her strength, and all calmed down.

During this process, two mantras were repeated 54 times apiece.  That adds up to 108, which is like a necklace of that many mantra counting beads.  The Internet mentions some 40 different reasons for the magic of that number.  It includes reference to the heart chakra, which was also part of last evening’s ceremony.

A handout sheet given to all recipients says that “Mantras, when combined with meditation, can have powerful, life-transforming spiritual, mental, and even physical benefits.”

The first of the two mantras was “Thiru Neela Kantam.”  It is chanted in the throat while visualizing a blue light, and is known as the bad karma-busting mantra, including that of financial matters.  The second mantra was chanted by all in a more happy and upbeat manner, with the thought that anything is possible.  It was “Ara Kara—Perfect Health.”

How fitting that the event was sponsored by a group known as ESPW, which stands for Encouraging, Supporting and Promoting Women.  Prior to the proceedings and well after it had ended, highly supportive well wishers hugged the ceremony’s recipient and told her in countless ways just how equally beautiful she looked after her hair was removed.

Indeed.  Her incredible beauty from within radiated a glow from her smile that was just as prominent as rays of sunshine that sparkle and glisten the earth’s waters. 

West County Woman Lives Life to the Fullest

Ruth Anderson of West County began drinking from “The Cup of Life” at the age of four.  Sixty-three years later, Anderson’s thirst for the most meaningful and rewarding lifestyle still has not been fully quenched.

“I don’t let one minute go by without living life to its fullest,” Anderson said.  “Every minute is like a precious, golden apple.  God puts surprises out for us every day, but we just don’t look for them.” 

At the time, the then Ruth Riekenberg, wasn’t too thrilled with the first really big surprise God presented to her.  At the age of four, Anderson’s parents deserted her and her two deaf brothers at Barnes Hospital.

Anderson was turned over to the authorities and she waited in limbo to become adopted.

“I’ll never forget how I felt while I was sitting and waiting there,” Anderson said.  “I thought I’d die.  I was so lonely.  Then I felt the presence of God.  He spoke to my heart and said, ‘You will be fine.’ “

What an understatement that has become!

Anderson is nothing short of a dynamo; a whirlwind of positive activity.  She not only instills a positive mindset to her own relatives and friends, but also reaches out to help others feeling downtrodden.

For starters, Ruth and her husband William Henry Anderson, a former mayor of Vinita Park, are pastors.  They hold regular Bible studies in their home as well as holding a prison ministry three or four times a week since 1973.

“We’ve been married for 46 years,” Ruth Anderson said.  “Each day gets sweeter.  He’s my gift from God.”

Actually, nearly every person whose life she has touched can probably say the same thing about Ruth Anderson.  She has put her art training from Washington University and Harris-Stowe Teachers College degree to good use by teaching a variety of subjects from her Heritage Farm home, including a preschool Heritage Farm fellowship.

“We teach whatever mothers feel they can’t teach,” Anderson said.  “There’s no peer pressure for our home children.  As a result, they’re all self-confident.”

Anderson jokes about her farm home being located in two counties.  The Andersons eat and sleep in Franklin County while their activity room lies in St. Louis County.  That recreational room is from an original log home dating back to 1830.

And what activities and plans take place in that room!  For the past 20 years, Anderson has gone into the inner city to teach art and music.  She spends considerable time on both interests in her home.

Anderson plays all percussion instruments and has composed more than 100 songs, some of which are played on the radio.  One of her favorites is an anti-abortion tune entitled, “I Want to Live.”  Her new song is “Heart Strings.”

“In this house, we never use words like ‘bored,’ ‘old’ or 'depressed',” Anderson said.  “If someone says he’s bored, I just tell him to find someone to do something for.  We have to get our minds off ourselves all the time.”

One thing is for sure.  Anderson is never bored.  She also teaches riding for preschoolers, is an organic farmer, a massage therapist and an inventor.

Anderson’s inventions include a perfume named “Rose of Sharon,” as in the Old Testament’s Song of Solomon, a poison ivy formula named “Golden Glow,” an arthritis formula named “Lotion of Lebanon” and a hair-growing tonic.

There’s still more.  Anderson took up fencing about two years ago and last year won two gold medals, a silver and a bronze in that sport at the National Senior Olympics.  She also earned the award of “Miss Congeniality” at the 1993 Senior Missouri pageant.

“I love people and each day,” Anderson said.  “I value each moment and rejoice with life.  When someone gets down or feels old, he should just think of the passage from the Book of Psalms:  ‘My youth is renewed like the eagle, and I will mount up like the wings of an eagle.’ “

Anderson to Defend Gold Medals in National Competition

Considering her peaceful, “beating swords into plowshares” attitude and demeanor, one of Ruth Anderson’s most recent successes may come as quite a shock to a lot of people.

Touche! 

For two years, Anderson has lifted her own sword and has enjoyed every second of it.

“It’s something I always wanted to do when I was a little girl,” Anderson said.  “Then, I got it out of my mind for a long time, and got involved in music and a lot of other stuff.  Well, about two years ago, I asked my husband if I could get fencing lessons for my birthday.”

Anderson signed up with the Parkway Fencing Club after enrolling in its continuing education program, also run by Coach Chuck Willis.  Eight months later, Anderson won a pair of gold medals at the National Senior Olympics.

Naturally, no one could have predicted such a rapid rise for someone who focuses her attention on so many interests and professions.  But Anderson was confident she could accomplish whatever she set her mind to…or anything she set her heart to.

“It was a desire of my heart,” Anderson said.  “I’m a person who loves the Lord.  I prayed and prayed and God had me go forth to the challenge.  I just took all the zest and zeal that God gave me.”

The event was held in Fort Myers, Fla., and Anderson walked away with gold medals in both epee and foil for participants 60-years-old and over.  She also won silver and bronze medals in age 40-and-over competition.

Despite her already full lifestyle, Anderson and her grandson, Nathaniel Smith, give fencing demonstrations to high school students and Boy Scout groups.  She also enters as many tournaments as she can against opponents age 12 and older.

“It helps me with my agility and in keeping it,” Anderson said.  “It also stimulates my mind.  You have to develop strategies and think quickly so when something comes at you, you’re able to defend yourself.”

Despite leg injuries and slow progress, Anderson said she is determined to defend her gold medals at this year’s National Senior Olympics, beginning Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Meanwhile, Anderson is enjoying her fencing life through another of her many interests.  Her new song, “Heart Strings,” is currently being developed into a video.

“This story is about a great pianist named Blair Dyerman who played on the radio for years,” Anderson began.  “One time he asked me, ‘What instrument did Jesus play?’  The answer was heart strings.

“Anyway, that’s how I chose the title of the song, and I use fencing in it.  I’m in my fencing outfit and Nathan has a heart on him and strings coming out.  I take the foil and pluck on his heartstrings with it.  My granddaughter is also in it, dancing in the fields by our house wearing a pretty chiffon dress.  I can’t wait until it’s ready for production!”

That will certainly be just one of many productions in a most productive life.

***This article and sidebar first appeared in the June 1, 1994 editions of various West County Journal newspapers.  Within a year, my son David and I, who I home schooled from September 1994 to June 30, 2000, enjoyed our visit to Heritage Farm.  A few years later, Ruth and Nathan were the featured speakers/performers at St. Louis Area Mensa’s monthly meeting at the Washington University extension on Forsyth.  My girlfriend, Stalina, was with me at the time, and we posed for pictures with the fencing stars.

Peanut Butter Passion

    (published in the Baton Rouge Advocate...back in the early 1980s)

Over 700 phobias are known to mankind, and Arachibutyrophobia is one of them.  Yes, there really is a fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.

Yet, it is quite obvious that this fear is hardly of consequence.  In the United States, 117 companies produce peanut butter, and approximately 630 million pounds of the tan spread were consumed in 1979 alone.  That is roughly 50 ounces per person!  

Peanut butter is packaged in everything from six-ounce snack jars to colossal five-pound plastic pails.  It easily outsells all the jams, jellies and preserves combined, making peanut butter the 14^th most purchased supermarket item.

Although peanut butter is near the top of America’s favorite food list, it is but a rookie to the diet.  After all, unlike sap used in maple syrup, peanut butter does not merely flow from trees.  It took a long time in reaching the sandwich spread.

It all started with the peanut, Arachis hypogaea L.  Recent scientific research has pinpointed a small region in eastern Bolivia as the likely birth of the peanut, way back in 2100 B.C. 

However, the more modern strain is traced to Peru, where archaeologists have discovered jars of peanuts and remnants of peanut-shaped pottery from 750 B.C.  Sixteenth century Spanish explorers seeking gold in Peru, found these peanuts instead.  They took this ‘gold mine’ back to their kingdom, and later traded peanuts to Africans for spices and elephant tusks.  Africans fell in love with their ‘goobers,’ which were believed to have souls. 

In parts of Africa where gold was plentiful, local craftsmen hammered the gold into nuggets then shaped them into the form of peanuts.  These peanut nuggets later became the gifts of tribal chiefs to warriors at great festivals and feasts.

Naturally, when Negro slaves were brought to the New World, peanuts were transported as well.  Peanuts had finally reached American shores.

As the popularity of the peanut grew after the Civil War, Dr. George Washington Carver and others began experimenting with it in order to find other uses. 

  Lo and behold, in 1890, a little-known St. Louis physician discovered peanut butter by tossing a handful of peanuts into a grinder.

Although South Americans had produced a peanut paste mixed with honey and cocoa several centuries earlier, the St. Louis doctor is credited with creating the first widely-used peanut butter.

Soon peanut butter was recommended to invalids because of its high protein value and low carbohydrate content.  But it was seldom eaten at first due to limited quantity from a scarcity of manufacturing equipment, and an inflated market price.

Today, one of the foremost reasons for peanut butter’s wide use is its relative low cost among not only protein foods, but all foods.  It still costs only eight cents for the two tablespoons commonly used to make a sandwich.

An important decision facing the sandwich maker is, of course, whether to use smooth or chunky.  The latter variety simply combines small bits of roasted peanuts into its contents.  Industry figures point to a 3-to-1 choice for smooth over its counterpart.

The late Senator Hubert Humphrey was content on lunching on his own creation—toast literally drowned in peanut butter and topped with bologna, cheddar cheese, lettuce, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

“Give me smooth or crunchy,” Humphrey said.  “I’m not fussy.  I just love peanut butter!”

Another Senator, Lowell Weicker of Connecticut, is a skin-diving enthusiast as well as a peanut butter enthusiast.  His claim to fame, other than politics, was eating peanut butter snacks 50 feet under water.

While touring an undersea lab off the Grand Bahama Islands, Weicker claimed, “It was nice and quiet down there, the company was fine, and for breakfast I had peanut butter and mayonnaise on a cracker.  It was just heaven!”

Peanut butter started to gain popularity around 1900.  Peanut roasters, blanchers and grinders were placed on the market for home use.  A few years later, peanut butter was commercially made and sold by the pound.  Grocers used to ladle it out of tubs, and by 1910, the first packaged brand name peanut butter appeared in colorful metal pails—now collectors’ items.

 

Prior to the 1920s, the entire content of peanut butter was peanuts and a bit of salt.  A new development was then introduced—stabilizers—which prevented the separation inside the jar.

When the Peanut Butter Manufacturers Association was organized around 1940, improvements were made in methods of roasting, peanut grading, spreadability, extending the product’s shelf life and lessening the chance of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.

 

In recent years, there has been somewhat of a revival of the pre-1920s product.  Most health food stores sell this item, which contains 100% peanuts and a layer of oil on the top.  By the mid-1970s, a few companies had developed countertop grinders for home use.

Peanut butter has been a popular staple in this country because of its pleasing flavor, easy use in cooking and refusal to spoil.

Political analyst William F. Buckley, Jr., once listed his life values and placed peanut butter No. 5 behind God, his family, his country and Johann Sebastian Bach.

If you think peanut butter is ‘for the birds,’ you are right.  According to experiments at the Georgia Test Station, all birds love peanut butter, whether insect eaters or seed eaters.

Of the 300,000 tons of seed consumed annually by birds, 100 million pounds is peanut butter.  Naturally, they also prefer a bit of additive to render it less sticky.  What bird likes to have peanut butter stuck to the roof of its beak?

Whether feeding a child or a flock of birds, there is little question about peanut butter nutrition.  The scrumptious spread is 26 percent protein—a percentage higher than milk, cheese, eggs or fish sticks.  In fact, peanut butter contains more protein for the money than any food except dry beans, and also delivers 11 of the 13 mineral elements essential to the human diet.

The high nutritional value of peanut butter has been especially appealing to athletes.  Mile runner Dick Buerkle, names peanut butter as a major factor in the new indoor record of 3 minutes and 54.9 seconds he set in 1978.

 

Golfer Al Geiberger is known as “the peanut butter kid.”  He credits peanut butter as the stimulus in capturing well over $1 million in prize money over the past two decades.

“It’s my secret weapon,” announces Geiberger as he chomps on a peanut butter sandwich while preparing for the final holes of a round!

The Spirit of St. Louis is All Around Us

On this day in 1927, Charles Lindbergh left the runway of Roosevelt Field in Long Island, New York on “The Spirit of St. Louis.”  Traveling 3,500 miles, he reached Paris a full 33 ½ hours later to become the first pilot to fly the Atlantic alone. 

As a lifetime St. Louisan, I always burst with pride when I think of the plane’s name.  It also makes me think of the 1974-75 and ‘75-‘76 American Basketball Association seasons played by our Spirits of St. Louis.  The jersey uniform worn by colorful figures like Marvin Barnes, Maurice Lucas, “Fly” Williams, Moses Malone, and Freddie Lewis, featured a depiction of Lindbergh’s plane as part of the large orange logo.

The Spirits also introduced a young upstart named Bob Costas as their radio announcer.  Here is one of Costas’ main broadcasting highlights from the Spirits’ first season.  It came in game five of the playoff opening series that pitted a St. Louis team with a 32-52 regular season record against a New York Nets team led by Julius (Dr. J) Erving that finished 58-26.

“Lewis from three…Yes!  Yes!  He made it.  The (New York) Nets with no time outs left…(Bill) Melchionni  heaves it…It’s no good.  The Spirits win the series!  The Spirits win the series!” 

 

But far beyond basketball talk in the midst of the National Basketball Association’s conference finals, “The Spirit of St. Louis” also makes me think of how fortunate I’ve been to call St. Louis my home.  Like any major metropolitan area, we do have our problems, but yes, most of us are indeed filled with civic pride as we enjoy our lives in one of the nation’s most affordable large cities!

Now at the start of the summer travel season, our own Forest Park is one of the nation’s finest city parks.  It’s 60 percent larger than New York’s Central Park, and contains one of the very finest zoos, the nation’s largest outdoor theater (Municipal Opera), and also the Science Center, Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, the Boathouse, and miles of walking/biking trails.   Nearby Missouri Botanical Gardens is also one of the very best of its kind in North America. 

The St. Louis area also boasts other incredible attractions that include The National Museum of Transport, Grant’s Farm, Jefferson Barracks National Military Park, Laumeier Sculpture Park, The City Museum, the Old Courthouse, Cahokia Mounds, the Magic House, Six Flags Over Mid-America, several wineries, and dozens of parades, fairs, and festivals in and around our nation’s two greatest rivers.  How can I forget the St. Louis Cardinals?  Many of us have been weaned on them!

It’s time to head out for lunch.  It shouldn’t be tough finding a nice place to eat since I’m just a few miles from Lindbergh Boulevard!  This will be a happy flight…I mean drive!

Life’s Momentous Occasions

From mid-to-late July 1969, most of the world was abuzz and completely captivated by the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. 

First was the pre-flight anticipation.  Next was the lunar landing on The Sea of Tranquility.  

Finally, mankind’s first steps on the moon were taken by Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, who passed away last August 25 at the age of 82.  Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin followed Armstrong onto the moon’s surface while Michael Collins piloted the command spacecraft in lunar orbit, awaiting his crew’s return.

Few of us could ever imagine even coming reasonably close to matching such an endeavor in our own lives, but we have all had our own thrilling life experiences. 

 

Several dozen of my greatest memories have revolved around earthly land travel.  In fact, the first major vacation I remember just happened to fall during the Apollo 11 mission.  It was an eight-day trip to nearly all of the top spots of eastern Texas.  

This was in the period of me using my junior high Study Hall time to be a college football  bookie and planning detailed vacation itineraries for my own family and that of many of my Parkway North classmates. 

 

There were so many memories from that trip of nearly 44 years ago!  First, despite not leaving until mid-morning, my mom drove the full 800 miles to Houston and the Chief Motel on day one.  Of course, back then, the speed limit was at least 70-75 everywhere.  I had to check the average cost of gasoline which was 35 cents per gallon.

I do recall that just as we were approaching northeast Texas from southern Arkansas, we heard on the car radio that there was a prisoner escape from a penitentiary in Longview or Marshall, Texas.  What a soothing thought!

The next day was a memorable one indeed!  After spending some time in the motel swimming pool, we walked across a huge open field of grass to Astrohall where the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus was then being held.  Next door was the Harris County Domed Stadium, better known as The Astrodome, deemed “The Eighth Wonder of the World!”  

I still have a ticket stub for a $2.50 mezzanine reserved seat in the 4-1 Los Angeles Dodgers win behind subsequent Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton over Astros hurler Denny Lemaster.  Jim Brewer got the save for the Dodgers and first baseman Wes Parker homered.  Another Hall of Famer, Joe Morgan, known primarily as a Cincinnati Reds second baseman, homered for Houston’s only run.  So, we did get to see the huge, ultramodern scoreboard go crazy with fireworks for that and the word ‘Tilt’ printed upon it after Parker’s blast!   

The Astrodome, known as “the first, fully-air conditioned, enclosed, domed, multi-purpose sports stadium in the world,” was first opened for an Astros-Yankees exhibition game on April 9, 1965.  Sadly, it has sat totally vacant for a few years now, and before this calendar year ends, it will be decided if it has a future or if it will be demolished.

We next headed for lunch at the Continental Restaurant in Victoria, then for the Rodeway Inn in Laredo.  It’s interesting to read through the breakfast menu and see free coffee, doughnuts for 10c apiece, and a combination of three hot cakes with ham, bacon, or sausage for exactly $1. 

How exciting it was to cross the Puente Internacional Laredo into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico!  It was the first time my two sisters and I had ever set foot in a foreign country!  All I remember is how dry and narrow the Rio Grande River was, and going to marketplaces where we bought sombreros, castanets, and jewelry.

Next, it was up to San Antonio and the Master Hosts Wayfarer Inn Motor Hotel.  Yes, we did first head to the most famous attraction, The Alamo. 

I still recall the eerie feeling I had while walking inside and on the grounds of where so many died in Texas’ War of Independence in what was noted on a brochure as “Thirteen Fateful Days in 1836.”

We took pictures of us with a Spanish cannon from 1830, the original front door, the Ammunition Room, the cenotaph, and the original well.  That same night, we ate at the revolving restaurant near the top of the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas in Hemisfair Plaza from the World’s fair held there the previous year.

I still have the souvenir ashtray from our Tower of the Americas' dining experience.  But I also have two other memories.  One was watching all the city lights while the tower slowly moved around in its circle.  The other was looking down and seeing a flashing light way down by our car.

From far above, it sure looked like we were getting a parking ticket.  But after a couple of us ventured down to the street, we realized that it was just a street cleaner.

Speaking of clean, that is my lasting impression of Austin from the next day’s visit.  We loved touring what was then noted as the nation’s largest statehouse with its grandiose capitol dome.  

We also have a photo of The Ten Commandments statue on the grounds.  The entire city of Austin seemed so young and new, with a population of less than 250,000.  It has since added 600,000 residents to that total! 

On to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and a couple nights spent at the Quality Motel Cibola Inn in Arlington.  Unfortunately, that featured one of my worst memories ever!  After heading down the sliding board into the shallow end of the swimming pool, I slipped into the deep end and would have drowned if a man hadn’t dragged me out and resuscitated me!

In addition to that near nightmare, we decided to forego visiting the crime scene of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.   It was still so fresh in our minds after watching all the video tapes on TV less than six years prior, on November 23, 1963.

The next day, we had an absolute blast at Six Flags over Texas!  

Highlights were The Southern Palace show in the Confederate Section, Krofft’s Puppet Theater, Spelunker Cave Ride, Fabulous Flume, Fiesta Train Ride, Crazy Horse Saloon, and the Sawmill Ride!  What a long, fun day that was!

The next morning, we had breakfast at The Hungry Bear in Dallas.  We all remember that the place was like a giant cafeteria with such horrible service that my mom ended up going from table to table and pouring coffee to fellow travelers.

Prior to our last night’s stay at the Howard Johnson’s Trade Winds East in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we spent a couple hours at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center in Oklahoma City.  There were mementos of “The Singing Cowboy,” Gene Autry, a Gary Cooper saddle, and several other items.  My dad probably enjoyed it the most, but the rest of us were not really into that sort of thing.  

But travel itself is another story!  Since that time, I’ve been to every state but Alaska, all but three Canadian provinces, dozens of cities and towns in non-touristy Mexico, the Caribbean, Western Europe and more.

 

What memories do you have of your first major vacation?  Please share details by clicking the ‘comments’ tab below.