An interactive perspective through Lens invitation.

I heard it said once that a person photographs that which they are afraid to lose.
What is the last picture you took?  What would an image of what you hold most dear, what you would be afraid to lose look like? If You can, I invite you take some moments today and go take a picture of what you love most, what lights your heart, brings a delicious smile to your mouth, peace to your heart, and motivates you to feel there is some wonder, some good, in the world you exist in.
I am sharing pictures of my Littles each respectively, at about two months of age, smiling in recognition at their adoring parent.

Is there a very recent image you particularly resonate with, the subject that which you love?  I invite you to share that image and if you wish a brief accompanying comment.

Lucian 2/8/2017

Torleif 4/3/2013

A Message for us all in a Dream.

Last night I dreamt:

An average, middle age, middle weight, white, brown bearded man walked into my classroom.  “You all think you’re so smart, you liberals; well think on this” he said just before detonating a bomb, where I was speaking to hundreds of students, both of my sons among them.  Body parts were strewn about the room, the windows painted grotesquely red, I could make out a detached finger smearing down through it among many other unidentified bits of flesh.  Somehow I was now outside of the locked down classroom, part of the task force containing the scene.  “We must find common ground and build bridges if we are to effect change, if we are to survive this war” a detached voice said. 

I awoke shaking, crying, and thinking.  To those who wish to participate, to lead, the revolution, if there is to be any hope of effecting positive change I believe it would be of great benefit to learn to hear, not ‘just’ blatant or subtle aggressions, but also others’ perspectives.  If positive, lasting peace, change, is to come common ground must be found and bridges built from those tender, tentative, shared footholds.  Active listening, caring, must take place, people are going to need to feel heard, those who you anticipate agree with you and those who will not. 

To that end, I invite each of you to reach out to someone, share tea, a conversation, and reach for a shared concern, listen to the other to hear them, to see the world, the specific situation, their story, through their lens, from their specific perspective.  Listen to see through their eyes, not to respond or convince.  See then if you can find some common care and build together on that.  I think it is reasonable to assume that most you encounter are reasonably intelligent, concerned individuals who want what’s best for themselves and those they love and care about.  Regardless, it does you no harm to assume that is so and to make efforts to work with everyone you encounter and every situation you encounter with that in mind, intentional in your efforts to connect.

Wishing you all Peace, Perspective, and Love.