DAY 603

"The Universe story is the quintessence of reality.
We perceive the story. We put it in our language, the birds put it in theirs, and the trees put it in theirs. We can read the story of the Universe in the trees. Everything tells the story of the Universe. The winds tell the story, literally, not just imaginatively. The story has its imprint everywhere, and that is why it is so important to know the story. If you do not know the story, in a sense you do not know yourself; you do not know anything."

Thomas Berry


Since I was a little girl I knew this to be true in a very intuitive way. The importance of the story we all share (and the micro-stories inside the big story) has defined my life,  my need to find the hidden connections  has guided me, and the possibility of telling my own vision of them, in my own voice (even accepting that I am much more than the stories I can tell)  has fascinated me. Maybe it is time to turn this into something more tangible, to explore more deeply, to stay true to what is essential to me. 


Maybe it is time.  

Maybe it is time to  be reborn, to awaken to the sacredness of this lifelong task.

Happy Easter, dear friends

Much Love,

Z.

DAY 506

this week I am celebrating LOVE

Lately I´ve been thinking of persons who inhabit (or have inhabited) my world and how them have marked me some way. I have known some of them for a very long time; I met others only once or twice and even so I have never forgot them and I am getting to know some of them right now, but I already know that will be part of that group. Some are family or old friends, others just acquaintances. I have coincided with many of them along my personal life´s paths but there are also former students or persons that I bumped into due to my work activities and of course, on-line contacts.

Some of those persons have hurt me deeply or made me feel sad or angry, or triggered any kind of unease, although they were not meant to do it... I guess this happens to all of us. But many others have developed much more positive roles.

However, while revising my list I´ve realized that any and each of them have taught me important things some way or another. But what has amazed me more is how the hard impact of some of them on my life has tarnished the beautifully constructive influence of the rest.

Some times in life what some authors usually call tyrant teachers (those who don´t want to teach us anything but do it anyway, through the pain they cause and its subsequent processing) gobble up all the good things and persons around.

I have decided that it´s time to change that. I need to focus on what is good and nice and rewarding. I need to focus on those who help and embrace and applaud and support. I need to focus on what I have created, not on what I have been deprived of. I need to focus on the beautiful self I have been able to construct regardless of the obstacles.

So this week I am celebrating the LOVE I have received from those who has been generous enough to offer it to me, even when maybe I was too immersed in my own world.

Those who have lent a hand and open their hearts.

Those who have given me thanks, or have appreciated me some way maybe only once.

Those who have gone with me along the peaceful days. And also, through the uneven moments.

Those who have listened or given good feed-back.

Those who have laughed (and cried) with me.

Those who has believed in my success and defended that I have something good to offer.

Those who have seen my light when I only saw darkness and have shared their beautiful souls with me.

Those who has been with me day after day sharing their love and joy.

Those who has been patient enough to await my blooming.

Those who come here and read and are kind enough to take time to do it...

This week I am rejoicing in love signs and proclaiming that love is all around. This week I am sending love to you all and looking for ways to honor all the good persons in my life (including myself).

Would you join me in this celebration?. I would like to know more about how you are honoring and celebrating love in your life.

Much Love

Z.

DAY 504

far from where I used to be

This is my Photo-Heart Connection of January. I thought that it would be any other photo but when I examined my photo files yesterday morning, my heart was captivated by this one, so I followed it, and tried to understand the reason why this photo caught my eye when I hadn´t even considered publishing it. 

Of course, we pay attention to some photos (and this is equally valid if we talk about circumstances, persons or any external stimulus) depending on our mood, that is, depending on what we are feeling, experiencing or thinking in a given moment. It is said that we see the world as we are, not as the world really is, and it´s totally true. Somehow, our feelings, thoughts and state of mind create the reality... at least, a way to perceive it.

According to my opinion, this is the main idea that underlies this challenge and this is also the reason why I love my photography practice. When I look at the photos that I opted for taking in a specific moment, they transmit me clear messages not only about what is happening in my life (as they are somehow documenting it) but also, about my inner world, whether I want it or not. Both kind of message are relevant but they cannot always been understood at first sight. Indeed, their meaning often become clear along their scrutiny and editing process -when I am immersed in the image and let my rational mind aside-.

When I came across this photo, I thought first of my winter walks and about how rewarding is to go outside in a cold day when the sun is shining.

Later I noticed the thorns (how not!) and the way light makes them look smoother... this led me, of course, to countless musings and ramblings.

But then, I got lost in the beauty of plants and this made me remember that for the very first time I am being able to grow plants at home (insert a proud smile here). My mother is one of those persons that has the proverbial green fingers so I grew up surrounded by plants, but I don´t know why I have always managed to kill them sooner or later. Nevertheless, at the end of last year something changed: suddenly, I felt that I needed plants around me and they have survived (I´ll write about that in an upcoming post).

When I was thinking this was the reason why I found this photo appealing, I realized something more and it was about photography itself. I am a newcomer to this field, so I have been trying this or that as part of my learning process. Till today, when someone was interested in my photos I was not able tell something specific about them. However, while contemplating this photo I could see something that I recognized it´s mine...

Something that pleases me, something that tells me that I have gone beyond the technical process, the doubts and the need of approval and have reached a new stage which is not about content, but about vision (in the widest sense of this wonderful word), it´s not about others and the way they perceive my work-who I am-, but about me and my gaze.

About me and my gaze... this words resonate deeply with my soul and while I am writing them I can see that they describe a ongoing change in the rest of my life too.