100 Day Project - Day Four

Maya Angelou would have been 90 this week. It was remarkable to see the out-pouring of respect and admiration for her on that anniversary. Not surprising but deeply moving and for me, still incredibly significant. In this time, when navigating being a person of integrity, a woman of integrity, is throwing up challenges both ongoing and new at every turn, strong role-models feel especially important. Maya Angelou embodied integrity. Heart driven but with a good head; compassionate and wise, she forged a path that is still leaving a wake. In my life and in the world.

I first discovered her writing when I was at university. She was not on the curriculum. Even on the most liberal campuses, early 80s South Africa did not actively encourage the study of women writers, unless it was Austen or Brontë, and certainly Black women were not even officially acknowledged as existing. In those days studying André Brink, under the tutelage of André Brink, was considered radical. But, there were plenty of works (many banned) doing the rounds unofficially. Along with discovering the music of Miriam Makeba and the joys of eating ice-cream for breakfast, reading Maya Angelou felt both incredibly subversive and like a home-coming to me. She’d not long since published The Heart of a Woman and I remember devouring a copy and being deeply moved by her story.

I remember sitting around at the home of one of my professors, for the first time in a racially mixed group of my peers, being served ‘special’ brownies that he’d made himself and discussing everything from the role of law and journalism in a state of emergency, the lyrics of Rodrigues, if wearing braids as a white-freckled-redheaded South African was appropriate, where to buy the cheapest red wine by the gallon (literally), and the role of Black women in the civil rights movement. Maya Angelou was with us in that moment and she is with us now.

Her life story was so different to mine and yet I did and still do hear my own heart in so much of her writing. She had the gift of expressing some universal experiences through the telling of her very individual story. That is just one of the ways she modelled, for me, how to be in the world. We all have a story to tell. They may not all land on a world stage or be told quite so eloquently but they’re all significant. Together, they add to and add up to the story of the world. I always think about what I’d like my bit of that mosaic to look like. Still working on it.

2018's word

dare:

: to be sufficiently courageous
: to challenge to perform an action especially as a proof of courage
: to confront boldly; defy
: to have the courage to contend against or for, venture, or try

I have to be honest, 2017's word did not play out as hoped, although who knows how much lighter it was than it might have been without it? I have high hopes for this one though. It feels like the right intention, the right guide, the right time.

With courage, you will dare to take risks,

have the strength to be compassionate,

and the wisdom to be humble.

Courage is the foundation of integrity.

Keshavan Nair

My life has been long, and believing that life loves the liver of it, I have dared to try many things, sometimes trembling, but daring, still.
Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

Dare to Explore. Dare to Dream. Dare to Discover. Dare to break the rules. Dear to Leave. Dare to Begin. Dare to Live. Dear to Love. Dare to be You.
Oksana Rus

2017. Word.

Light lʌɪt/
noun

• the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible
• a source of illumination
• an expression in someone's eyes indicating a particular emotion or mood
• understanding of a problem or mystery; enlightenment
• an area of something that is brighter or paler than its surroundings
• a device used to produce a flame or spark
• a window or opening to let light in
• a person eminent in a particular sphere of activity
• (in a crossword puzzle) a blank space to be filled by a letter

verb

• illuminate; provide with light or lighting
• ignite; make (something) start burning
• come upon or discover by chance

adjective

• of little weight; not heavy
• relatively low in density, amount, or intensity
• gentle or delicate
• requiring little mental effort; not profound or serious
• not solemn or unhappy; cheerful
• easily borne or done

I'll be seeking you in all your forms.

Making space for love

Today is Robert's Birthday and almost three years since we lost him. Impossible to think of that really. They say time heals but I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the space on earth that he no longer inhabits. It will always be just that to me, a space. His space. This photograph is on the pinboard in my kitchen - me and my other siblings on the lagoon beach in our home town. It was taken many years before Rob died and I don't remember why he wasn't there but, whenever I look at it now, I imagine him walking in the space between B and I, in the space that will always be his. 

Today, naturally, he's very much on my mind and I'm trying to focus on the love rather than the loss. Rob knew how to love. He was such a kind, open and loving person and despite hurts that would have left some of us too guarded to go there again, he did. I so admired that about him. 

I intend to crank up the music and spend some time painting today. He drew and painted so beautifully and I wish he could see what I'm doing now with colour and canvas, and how much I'm enjoying it. I think he would have approved. It would've been such fun to paint together, something we never had the chance to do. 

I'm also starting a blog series in honour of making space for love - the things I love, the places I love and, most importantly, the people I love. I'd like to rekindle the pleasure blogging brings me and that I've recently not made space for in the frenzy of work and the daily grind. I have no real plan except that I think it'll run for 42 days... one for each year that Rob lived and loved. 

Happy Birthday Rob! We miss you. Now and always.

K xox

Silence sings...

Sitting in the sunshine on the verandah at the farm, enjoying a lovely cup of tea... so, so peaceful and still. Yet, when I closed my eyes and tuned in to the sounds, not silent.

I could hear a breeze blowing over the grasses, windchimes, a picking truck in the apple orchard, various garden birds, a dove calling in the pine trees, a fly buzzing by, rustling autumn leaves in the Pin Oak, Hadeda Ibis calling as they flew over the dam, the hum of the generator, leaves being raked...

I am convinced that tea tasted better for my being soaked in sunlight, and that subtle orchestral accompaniment!

Word

Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness.

Mary Sarton

(1912-1995)

Let us be about setting high standards for life, love, creativity, and wisdom. If our expectations in these areas are low, we are not likely to experience wellness. Setting high standards makes every day and every decade worth looking forward to.

Greg Anderson

(1970)

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.

Og Mandino

(1923-1996)

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.

Abraham Lincoln

(1809-1865)

I want my love, my joy, my laugh, my smile, my needs

Not in the star signs

Or the palm that she reads

I want my sun-drenched, wind-swept Ingrid Bergman kiss

Not in the next life

I'll have it in this

I'll have it in this

Good as Gold - The Beautiful South

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.

Mary Lou Cook

(1918)

Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.

Helen Keller

(1880-1968)

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

Horace

(65 BC-8 BC)

Still, what I want in my life is to be willing to be dazzled-to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even to float a little above this difficult world.

Mary Oliver

(1935)

Living creatively is really important to maintain throughout your life. And living creatively doesn't mean only artistic creativity, although that's part of it. It means being yourself, not just complying with the wishes of other people.

Matt Groening

(1954)

Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake...

Francis Bacon, Sr.

(1561-1626)

One of the single most useful practices I've adopted over the past few years is the selection of the annual word. If you've been coming round here for a while, you'll know that I find it almost impossible to narrow anything down to just one... I cannot bear the limitation because, for me, almost everything depends on context. I have strong preferences, yes, but my favourite today, in this setting, won't necessarily be my favourite tomorrow if presented with a new situation and array of choices. I do my best. I have only three favourite colours and could probably narrow it down to a 'top ten' in most categories of stuff if I had to... but just one? Can't do it. And my lists change.

Some may see this as indecisive, flighty, or fickle even - I have battled with this myself. I admire the focus of those who can hone in on something singularly and direct all their attention at it. It's wonderful to see what can be achieved in those circumstances. But it's just not me. I reserve the right to be and do many things, often simultaneously, to change, and to change my mind*. I will never be a specialist and for that reason, probably never 'the best' at any thing. This used to worry me enormously. Now I prefer to see it as an expression of a Renaissance soul, the Renaissance being a time when being multi-faceted was actively encouraged and enthusiastically pursued. I find there are a lot of Renaissance souls who inhabit the blogosphere and that's one of the things I love most about it. Anyway, I digress... see, so easily distracted.

The annual word has been something that I've found does allow me to focus on one idea or concept to the extent that I am able. I know a lot of people experience the value of the practice and I encourage anyone who has never done so to give it a go. It's a powerfully simple thing. One of the things I love about it is that within a single carefully selected word there can still be variety and nuance. It reminds and holds me steady but allows me freedom at the same time to explore and grow over the course of a year. The annual word has worked magic for me.

So, last year my word chased me down at strange times and in strange places, and chose me. I resisted a bit (it's not an obvious 'me' word) but it felt right. In every way. Sparkle. A word to conjure with... 

Yeah. No. 2010 was probably my least sparkly year ever. There were very, very brief flashes but overall it was more of a fizzle than a sparkle. I did not feel in way light, effervescent or fiery. Sometimes the universe has its own ideas.

When I started to think about my word for this year, I wondered if I needed a word that gave me room to grow and heal quietly, to take it slowly. Unfold made it onto the list. Also, enfold. Glow was another option. Or renew. All more gentle words. But none felt exactly right. Knocking around in the back of my mind, the word sparkle kept showing up and waving at me, with both hands... perhaps it felt I hadn't given it enough of a chance, or that both of us were thwarted by events beyond our control. I don't know. But it wouldn't go away. And I decided not to ignore it.

So, in an unprecedented move, I'm choosing to go with it for a second year. Sparkle is my word for 2011. Again.

I do wonder if I might regret this decision: Perhaps I just don't have the sparkle in me anymore and no amount of looking or trying will make it happen? Perhaps I'm expecting too much? I know I yearn for it though and in good moments I can still work up a reasonable twinkle. But then, perhaps the darkness of last year will allow it to be found more readily and enjoyed more keenly this year? Perhaps I'll be more inclined to seek it out, truly invite it in and take a chance on it this time? Perhaps all I learnt from it last year is to keep striking the tinder, and this is part of that; sticking with it for a second round in hopes of an actual flame? Maybe it's just sheer bloody-mindedness and a refusal to settle for less? I don't know. But it feels like sparkle and I have a journey yet to travel together. All those reasons it felt true and right to me last year, still apply. If anything, I feel I need it more than ever now.

I take it as auspicious that when I was searching through my collection for quotations to encapsulate my wishes for the year ahead, I pulled out eleven. Eleven! All of them speak to me deeply in some way though and I've decided to go with that too. Sparkle allows for a bit of overthetopness, don't you think? In fact, that's kinda the point in some situations, isn't it? So instead of narrowing them down as I usually do, I'm kicking off two thousand and eleven with all eleven. I'm starting as I mean to go on...

I'm also planning to post, once a month, a list of the ways that sparkle has manifested in my life over the month - to help me with the process of spotting those more fleeting moments even in the dark times, and to maintain focus. I have a dinner party planned for February (surely the darkest time of year in the Northern hemisphere after months and months and months of winter?) the theme of which is going to be sParKLe. And I have a list of several mini projects up my sleeve to encourage creative sparkly expression throughout the year, a couple of which I might enlist some help with, from those who live in the world of sparkle much more easily than I. This morning I cut up an incredibly beautiful glittery calendar of 2010 sent to me by Linda Sue, framed some of my favourite images, and have hung them up in my art space... I have little bits of glitter all over me as I write this. And I love that.

As on the outside, so on the inside.

Sparkle on 2011... I insist.

*♥*


*The only exception to this rule seems to be the way I feel about people. Once I open my heart to someone, it's a forever thing. That doesn't always serve me well.

A sense of embrace

The Angel of the North

Good art is not what it looks like, but what it does to us.

Roy Adzak

(1927-1987)

Controversial when it was raised and it remains controversial for many even now. And I understand why.

But I like it.

Whenever I travel north for work, it welcomes me as I approach and I know I am nearly there. Last time  I had an opportunity to get up a bit closer and I like it even more having done so. 

On a grey and gloomy day it had deep colour and interesting texture and was surprisingly warm to the touch. And I do feel it offers "a sense of embrace", which is what the artist, Antony Gormley, apparently intended.

Today I head north again for a few taxing days and I know it will be waiting to see me arrive.

In a world of change it's comforting to be able to count on something being there, being the same.

Colour week - turquoise brings the beauty of the ocean home to me

Blue, or what I think of as my blue because I have almost no true blue in my personal space, is turquoise - all shades from palest aqua through richest teal. It's one of my three favourite colours and one that never fails to make me calm and happy - the colour of the ocean in all its moods. I have a distinct memory of one of the first times I was encouraged to choose my own clothes whilst out shopping with my mother, who bravely allowed me to have anything I fancied on this occasion. My choices included two pairs of corduroy dungarees - one in deep purple and the other in a lively teal - stylish! Fortunately I outgrew my dungaree love but the colours are still those that I choose today. And the ocean blues overflow into my living space too. In my flat I found many turquoise bits that capture the comfort or sparkle factor I'm seeking out during this colour week. I've chosen just a few...

~ my new quilt as a backdrop for my baby macbook - I love my bed and can spend hours here given half a chance, reading, or blogging, or browsing the net, and of course, sleeping - it is and always has been my most comfortable spot. The computer is essential to my comfort too - a link to the family of my heart, all across the world. I never thought it possible to be so attached to a piece of technology but I do love this little machine and at the end of this week it's having to go in for some repairs 'cause the casing's cracked (hence the tape) from just too much travel and use, which is making me a bit blue.

~ I love how the blinds bend the sunshine and create patterns of light and shadow on this little windowsill collection. The vases are two of my favourites, pretty even when they're empty, and although I'm not really a figurine person, my sister bought me this tiny girl with the blue birds (appropriately called happiness) and I do feel she beautifully captures a moment of joy. I think it's almost impossible to stand in that way, with arms outstretched, palms up and head slightly tilted back and not feel something positive. Try it and see. Or is it just me?

~ glass, plastic, polished wood, silver, mother-of-pearl, agate, crystal - just a tiny selection of the many sparkly bits I have hanging in my bedroom where even when I'm not wearing them, they bring me pleasure. 

~ the glow of candles is essential to my comfort at home and this one in my hallway smells subtly of a summer's day at the beach - gorgeous. The teal framed print in the background is one of my favourite Degas pastels, the original of which I was lucky enough to see in an exhibition some years ago. I'm not sure she's going to live there permanently but that's where she landed on unpacking and she seems happy enough at the moment.

~ A tiny beaded angel dressed in blue, bought in Cape Town at a city centre gallery I went to with my very dear friend, M, when I was last in South Africa. She (the angel that is, not M) hangs on the pinboard in my kitchen and recalls that lovely day, along with souvenirs of other cities I've called home and friends far away. In this shot a ubiquitous Roman fountain and a postcard of Paris - reminders of beautiful places and the beautiful people I met there and who are still in my life, adding comfort and sparkle through their friendship even at a distance.

Can't wait to see what the other lovely colour seekers are offering today in the way of beautiful blues. Have a look at Lisa's sidebar if you'd like a peek too. 

And have yourself a very lovely Tuesday!

Colour week - at home with radiant reds

Red is the ultimate cure for sadness

Bill Blass

(1922-2002)

Sparkle and comfort at home, in red. Day one of colour week.

Red, I've discovered, is the accent colour that links my room's schemes together. Paired with turquoise, or orange, or purple (my three favourite colours), deep and subtle or bold and bright - radiant red is everywhere in my home. In China and parts of India and Africa red is the colour of celebration, symbolising good luck, but in most Western cultures it's associated with danger and masculinity, neither of which seem especially appropriate for my space. I don't know why I'm drawn to it exactly and I know it's not for everyone as a decor choice but, no matter what the shade, it's the colour of strength and fire at the core of my heart and always lifts my spirits.

There was plenty to choose from but yesterday I particularly noticed these bits of brightness as I went about my day...

~ a fragile bauble catching the sunlight and beautiful butterflies from a friend dancing in its glow - I see these first as I open my eyes after my Sunday nap, and every day when I wake.

~ a hand-blown lantern in my living room reminds me every time I pass it of the alluring ancient city where I bought it - and the special time spent there, with three very special people. Good memories.

~ essential kitchen appliances for the production of tea and toast, two of my comfort staples - shiny and new in a cherry hue.

~ a pretty dishcloth makes doing the dishes just that teensy bit more appealing - and helps keep the sink empty, which is how I prefer it.

~ glistening and glittery gifts from loved ones - these casting soft red reflections - surround me and make me smile and sparkle on the inside too...

And so the colour fun begins... for me it's all about home comfort and heart sparkle and I can't wait to check out this evening how my fellow colour week players and our lovely hostess have found and interpreted red in their worlds. It's bound to be a treat.

Happy, vibrant and radiant red Monday to you!
♥

p.s. Lisa has also set up a Flickr group for colour week enthusiasts here

Reflecting on the dance...

{click to embiggen if you'd like a closer look}

Right, so I've been spending a bit of time thinking about this blogging gig and what it means to me - what I love about it, what inspires it, how I can continue to use it to encourage my creativity and record my musings, and what I might do differently now that I've been doing it for a little while.

To begin with, encouraged and inspired by this lovely lady, I stepped away from the keyboard and put together a very quick real paper and paste mood board that I hoped would capture both the essence of the content as well as the look and feel of this little space of mine. I limited myself to an hour to do it, otherwise I knew I might get bogged down in trying to make it "just so", which was not the idea.

And what you see above is what came out. It was such fun to do (I should get sticky more often, something I used to do a lot but haven't for a long time now) and I'm actually quite satisfied and pleased (she says in a surprised voice) that it achieved the objective. I put the photograph of it into a big white bordered frame because that's one of the things I enjoy about how this space feels to me: that, within safe parameters, there's room to stretch and breathe.

The key thing I've discovered is that for the most part I'm quite happy with the way things are and do not feel compelled to make huge changes. I love that this is my very personal space with no aspirations of becoming anything else, that I still feel no pressure here to behave any differently or alter my voice, or to show up more often, and that the people who visit me are sparks of light and warmth in my day. I'm delighted and still somewhat surprised by the connections that have been made here and how some of these have developed into true and cherished friendships, whether we've met in person or not. The kindness and generosity and inspiration I find in these relationships is something I am thankful for and enriched by more than I can ever really express. I enjoy that it also gives me a place to celebrate the places and people that I do encounter and know in the real world, or a space to rant and release the things that make me frustrated or hurt. I'm also encouraged by how blogging makes me look at my offline life in a different way and has helped me use my camera to capture some of that everyday beauty. I love that it remains nothing but a pleasure for me.

Not that I'm suggesting there aren't ways to do things differently or better and as always, I am keen to hear your thoughts...

And what do you think of the bigger picture format? Too much?

Now that's done, I'm off to catch up with all the lovely spaces and people I've missed this week. See you in the ether...
♥

Welcoming November with the spirit of Invictus

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

(1849-1903)

This has been a favourite poem of mine for almost thirty years, inspiring me through rougher patches in my life, urging me to be brave, and reminding me that I too am the captain of my unconquerable soul. It's quite earnest but I love it.

And I'm so excited about its apt association with this forthcoming release. Nelson Mandela, Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood - along with an inspirational true story - an illustrious collaboration for movie majesty (Matt Damon's not too bad either).

I remember this moment in history well. I'd never been a fan of rugby, still am not, but on that day of the Rugby World Cup final in 1995, I cried as President Mandela walked out onto the field wearing a Springbok rugby shirt and I was swept along (with most of the country) as he again broke down barriers previously thought to be cast in stone, and united a nation divided for decades in one euphoric sporting moment. It was something I'll never forget.

If anyone embodies the spirit of Henley's poem, it is surely Madiba. And even though it might be a little bit Hollywoodised, the combined gravitas of Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood I hope will avoid it being overly trivialised. I can't wait to see Invictus the movie, rugby and all.

And I'm happy it's November.

[My current quotation notebook's from here - these products are so beautiful, just browsing the site makes me happy and, at last, they are starting to appear in UK stores. I'm planning to start a collection...]

Feeling grounded, thank you!

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back

Maya Angelou

(1928)

The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention

Oscar Wilde

(1854-1900)

I really just wanted to stop in quickly and say thank you, thank you, thank you.

I've spent the whole weekend preparing the presentation for my interview today (deliberately avoiding going online because I know how it sucks me in) but I checked my inbox this morning to find it overflowing with e-cards, notes and comments. A bounty of good wishes; 'atta girl! cheers; candles lit; good vibes flowing through the ether; fingers, toes and elbows crossed; poems about butterfly wings and generally loving words of support and sound advice (as a result of which, I am wearing my prettiest knickers with butterflies on them! Apologies if this is too much information but I am a firm believer in the power of pretty undies). I would like to respond individually to each kind word but, because I won't be able to do that until later in the week, I hope you'll accept my heartfelt appreciation here. I am so bowled over and deeply touched by your caring kindness.

I feel good about the interview. I am as prepared as I can be, I will give it my best shot, and the rest is in the lap of the universe. I'm not fatalistic to the extent that I believe everything is pre-ordained and I have no control at all but I do believe that we cannot control everything and that those things have an impact on us too. In my experience though, things usually turn out the way they do for a reason and often for the best, regardless of how it feels at the time. I will be disappointed if this doesn't happen but I am sure that if it's right for me and I'm right for it, I'll be selected. If not, It's good experience and I firmly believe it's because there is something better ahead that I just can't see yet, or there's a lesson to be learnt. As a very dear friend said to me earlier today, "if it's for you, it won't go by you".

In the meantime, I am feeling simultaneously grounded and buoyant - anchored and also lifted up by how fortunate I already am. I am overwhelmed and thankful for the love and support I feel flowing around me and will be carrying all of your thoughts in my heart today as I face that interview panel...

Thank you for reaching out, for the warm hugs, pats on the back and acts of kindness... They really mean more than I can say in words, but I'll say them anyway. Thank you.

And I hope you have a lovely, lovely Monday!

♥

p.s. I'm heading up to the North for two days directly after the interview this afternoon and will have limited internet access while I'm there but be sure that I'll stop by on Wednesday evening and let you know how it went...

[Flickr credits]

Be the change...

When I visited South Africa a few years ago, I had a chance to go to Robben Island and stand in your cell, and I reflected on your courage, your foresight and conviction, and on your fundamental belief that we do not have to accept the world as it is; that we can remake the world as it should be.

Barack Obama to Nelson Mandela

July 2008

Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place. We wish you strength and fortitude in the challenging days and years that lie ahead. We are sure you will ultimately achieve your dream of making the United States of America a full partner in a community of nations committed to peace and prosperity for all.

Nelson Mandela to Barack Obama

November 2008

The impact of some people reaches beyond boundaries of nation and time. And they leave the world, and each of us, forever changed. For the better.

Congratulations on your new First family my American friends!

Congratulations to all of us.

Edit: I came home slightly early from work so that I could watch the oath-taking and inauguration speech on TV. This was followed by a documentary on President Obama's life that echoed much of what he wrote in his first autobiography, Dreams from my Father, as well as documenting his journey to the Presidency. It really moved me. 

And his speech today did the same thing. It moved me. Because - as I just wrote to a friend - I believe him. And I believe in him. He is not a magician or a miracle worker and I might not agree with all he says and does in future but I think the world is better for what happened today. For having him in it. For all the individual acts of hope that it took to get him to this point. For all the integrity I believe he will exercise in this office. For the impact that he might have on history yet. And it feels good to have something good to believe in. 

I am better for it.

Inspirational lovelies...

Long before I was inspired and encouraged by a special friend to start blogging myself, I was a reader of blogs. And I was overwhelmed by the talent and creativity that is out there and how generously people share of themselves and the beauty of their worlds. I also loved the sense of community that is evident.

I now count myself privileged to be one of this virtual community but otherwise, not much has changed. I still love to spend time browsing and reading and being awed and inspired by people in the blogosphere.

And this New Year I have loved seeing people's 2009 start to unfold, with posts of celebration, intention or resolution...

These particularly delight me:

• Anairam's starlit list of art, dance and travel plans
• Lisa's exuberant, colourful and sparkling moments
• Rachel's quiet thoughts
• Mary-Laure's champagne and roses and the adorable oracle, Benjy, who answers cosmic questions
  
• ELK's wonderfully simple but compelling approach
  
• Sebrina's commitment to capturing her mornings
• and Mila's exquisite, luminous visual wishlist, accompanied by a great soundtrack

Inspirational lovelies all - Thank you!

The Glow...

Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

John Keats

(1795–1821)

Yet taught by time, my heart has learn’d to glow

For others’ good, and melt at others’ woe.

Alexander Pope

(1688-1744)

And therefore, as we hither came in peace,

So let us still continue peace and love.

William Shakespeare

(1564–1616)

I hope you are experiencing the glow of beauty, peace and love this week...

[Flickr credits here]

Happy Week

Curious Girl (Lisa) has officially declared this Happy Week.

She put it like this... 

'the gist is to post each day (through saturday) about whatever makes you smile, swoon, laugh and/or dance with wild abandon.

an entire network of happy mojo sure would be amazing.'

I agree and I'm in. Happy Week it is.

Pop over here to see how to play along.  

As I've already posted for Monday, I'm going to declare my recycling mini book the happiness thing for today. And it's true, recycling and colourful creative projects do make me very happy. 

What's making you happy this week?

Say it out loud - a little encouragement goes a long way...

I love this project, found via the wonderful Krissy at paper schmaper...

Instructions about how to contribute at Boom

Up, up and away...

Spur of the moment decision - I'm off to Wales for the weekend... Well, at least for tonight & tomorrow.

I feel like I need to escape the city for a bit of a breather and a lovely friend has offered me sanctuary in her semi-rural hideaway...  Perfect!  I've remembered to pack my camera this time so hope I'll have some pictures to share when I return.

In the meantime, I leave you with this delightful find via the lovely Stephanie, at even*cleveland, who always unearths the most amazing treasures. Check out the animation category under her post labels... Some real beauties.

When I saw this the first time I watched it again and again in quick succession. SO clever, so pretty, and I love the music...  Quite apt I think for a week of uplifting happenings.

Whatever you're up to, I hope you enjoy it and have a lovely weekend.

Happy Friday!

In search of wisdom...

wis⋅dom   [wiz-duhm]
–noun
1. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.
3. wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
4. a wise act or saying.

Wisdom is such a broad and encompassing concept and I although I hope that I am wiser now than I was, and will continue to become more so, I do not presume that I will ever entirely have it. But I aspire to it nevertheless.

I think that wisdom, to whatever extent, is something that one comes by with experience, and provided one is open to it.  And I believe there is a certain understanding, certain wisdoms, that cannot be acquired secondhand. 

But I also believe that there are things that - like other skills and insights - can be learnt from people who have been there before and found the way. I think we all encounter wise people in our lives and if we are lucky, they will share their wisdom with us. My life is laced with wise souls who have enriched my knowledge and understanding. And this does not have so much to do with time or age - one of the wisest people I know is a lot younger than I am, and he always has been wiser - but the nature of age suggests more time for having gained experience...  

Filmmaker and photographer, Andrew Zuckerman, also believes this, and he believes that wisdom should be shared.  And so he created The Wisdom Project - a one-hour documentary film and accompanying book that "share the collective experiences of 51 luminaries over age 65, including authors, artists, and world leaders from Willie Nelson to Nelson Mandela."

"Inspired by the African concept of ubuntu, which emphasizes human connectedness—I am what I am because of who we all are—Zuckerman set out to gather and communicate the lessons his extraordinary subjects have learned about love, work, the environment, and conflict resolution."

I love, love, love this. ♥♥♥ it!

Zuckeman's list includes precisely the living people who I would want to pose these questions to myself if only I had access to them - artists, activists, statesmen and women...

Nelson Mandela - the only person who has ever acted as a politician (and he is so much more than just that) that overwhelms me with his awesomeness.   The only person who, if I were given the opportunity to meet just one well-know figure in my entire life, I would choose to meet. I can't even put my respect for this man into words.

Andrew Wyeth - artist extraordinaire, whose beautiful, sparse, essential portraits and landscape paintings are some of my very favourites.

Dr Jane Goodall - groundbreaking primatologist and conservationist and someone I wanted to be when I was younger.

Chinua Achebe - poet, novelist and all round incredible man.

Dame Judi Dench - wonderful actress and epitome of elegance at any age.

The list goes on. And on...

The book is currently only for sale in America and Canada (Yay for Amazon International) and the documentary I believe has yet to be released. Can't wait to see it.

If you could tap into the wisdom of others, who would be on your list?

Wishing for wings...

...again!

Maybe in a parallel life I am doing this.  I hope so.

I'm not sure if I think these guys are insane or incredible.  Probably a bit of both?

Either way, I envy them the sensation of free flying.

I won't be jumping off any cliffs or high buildings wearing my glittery wings but if I ever lay my hands on one of those wingsuits, who knows?