Behold the beauty in this world

Beautiful Graffiti, Waikiki, HI, December 2014, iPhone 6, 29mm, 1/60 sec @ f2.2, ISO 40, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp

Can you imagine stumbling upon this graffiti while roaming around town?

The buildings in this area were generally decrepit, and yet someone created and shared with everyone this amazing artwork, painted on the corner of a building!

Simply amazing!  Beauty can be found anywhere one looks closely enough.

Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.

L.R. KNOST

And perhaps more importantly ... what are you doing today or tomorrow to make this world a more beautiful place?

The world is not waiting for someone to heal it.   It is only through the power of our own intention, that we will mend what is broken, that we will shine our light and illuminate the beauty for all to see.

What you are, the world is. And without your transformation, there can be no transformation of the world.

J. KRISHNAMURTI

What if you just turned off the TV?

Just turn it off, Graffiti in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 2012, Nikon D600 with FX 28-300mm VR lens, 
32mm, 1/100 sec @ f3.8, ISO 400, 0 EV, no flash © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

No, really.  What if you turned off the TV?

    Not - watch less of it.

    Not - just keep it on "in the background".

    Not - save it only for your favorite shows.

    Not - play it back from a DVR and therefore skip through the ads, on your own schedule.

    Not - only catch up on the news.

What if you just turned it off, and never turned it on again?

    "Oh, that's just not possible.  Why in the world would I do that?"

Ah, but it is.  At first I didn't think so either.

I knew I never really liked watching the tube.  For me, it was all consuming.

My wife, however, really could have it on in the background, and still do other things, like quilting, embroidery, and amazingly to me, even read a book.  Right there on the sofa, while the TV is blaring away.

But me?  I just could not multitask in this situation.  If the TV was on, I was watching.  Even stupid shows.  Mindless, lowest-common-denominator stuff.

And then one day, it just happened.

The TV was turned off, and it was never turned on again.  I credit my wife for this decision.

The TV wasn't evil to her; just a tool, like the internet.  But I guess she too noticed it somehow had become a time sink.  And so, when I came home from work one day, the TV was off.  After dinner, the TV stayed off.  And it was never turned on again.

And instead, in the evening, after an unbelievable home-cooked vegan meal (I am such a lucky man), we tend to read now.  And during the day, and on weekends, we have more free time to pursue our interests, or spend time outside in nature.

So did turning off the TV profoundly change our lives?  I'd say, "yes and no".

"No," because all we did was turn off the TV.  Anyone can do it.  In fact all you really have to do is not turn it on.  So really, it is the art of just saying "no."

And "Yes," because we actually did it.  The intention was made, and the decision followed.  Bravo.

And what I realize is, this is something that can be applied to any part of your life.  You really are in control of your life.  In this case, where and how you choose to spend your free time.

And if you can control that aspect of your life ... what other changes do you long to make?  Perhaps with the additional quiet time now available to you, there will be more time for introspection and reflection.

And this can allow you to create the life that you have always wanted.  Or just follow your nose to see what the next surprising decision might be.

Just by turning off the TV.

On being kind

Buddha Frog, Böblingen, Germany, September 2011,
Canon PowerShot S90, 35mm focal length equiv. 28mm, exposure 1/125 sec @ f4, ISO 80, no flash, exposure bias -1/3 

 © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This morning there was a fly buzzing around my office; an uninvited guest from last night's (wonderful) dinner on the veranda, with the door propped open so Frito could come and go.

Flies really annoy Frito.  He snaps at them whenever they buzz or land on him.  He'll actually get up and go to bed just to avoid a fly.  Carol's not too keen on them either, but mostly because they annoy Frito.

Let's see -- flies eat sh*t, they can carry disease, lay their eggs on something over-ripe in the kitchen, and incessantly bounce themselves against the window trying to get out.  I mean, what good are they?  And where is that fly-swatter anyway?

Sound familiar?  Are these common thoughts for you?

Well, I've now come to a different perspective.  Since I made my intention sometime ago not to harm any living creature, I now see this fly not as an annoyance, but simply as a trapped animal trying to get free.  First of all, that feels better.  One less annoyance.  Then I do what I can to free it, which really isn't very hard (just a cup and stiff piece of paper, and he's pretty easy to catch against the window).  Now take him outside, and let him go.

And you know what?  It makes me smile.  A deep and satisfied smile.  I just helped another being.

It's funny -- I find I've become very sensitive to all beings, and it just feels right.  And when I see someone act as I would have not that long ago, and swat at an insect that bothers him, I feel this pang in my gut.  Why do we feel the urge to kill just to remove an annoyance?  What sort of conditioning have we been given?  Do we even realize what we are doing?

But here's the good news.  It is really pretty easy to reverse such conditioning if you want to.

It really only takes your sincere intention -- that's all -- just a simple decision on your part.  Because even though your old habits will die hard, and you'll find yourself accidentally swatting at flies or stepping on ant hills, you will observe a momentary pang in your own gut, and think for a moment about that action.  And this will cause the space to form between action and reaction, and this will give power to your intention, and allow you to change your behavior, and yes, experience great peace and happiness.

It is a wonderful and peaceful place to be.  I wish you all have the opportunity to experience such peace.

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." -- Dalai Lama 

What do you believe?

Face in the Wall, South Garden below the Castle, Prague, Czech Republic, May 2010,
Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, Focal length 6.14mm, Exposure 1/50 sec @ f3.2, ISO 80, no flash,
post-processed with iPhoto © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

I’ve had a feeling for some time. Twenty years, maybe more. But I wouldn’t call it a belief — I mean, maybe I am wrong. Who really knows, ya know?

But I think I just got a push. I mean, c’mon. Either you believe it, or you don’t. And what’s the worst that can happen — you end up changing your mind; revising your beliefs. That’s not the end of the world, right?

OK, so here it is. You know the expression, “You are what you eat”? Well, I’ve really come to believe that recently. My wife and I have taken the plunge. We’re all about fresh produce, avoiding any packaged foods. Thank God for my wife — she is willing to cook from scratch, and oh-my-God it is all so delicious. And healthy. We now buy organic. Cook with lots of fresh herbs and lots of spices. Really. I mean, it’s better to eat at our house (tastier and healthier) than dining out. Trust me.

OK, so what else is like that? What else do we consume on a daily basis? How about the news? How about TV? How about movies? How about video games (well, maybe not us, but our kids)? So here’s the deal: not only are you what you eat, but you are also what you read, what you listen to, what you watch, what you play ... you get the idea.

What food is to our bodies, so too is this external stimuli to our our minds, our psyches, and our souls. They are what we "consume" into our minds. So what are you consuming? Are you reading inspirational, motivational, reflective, wise material? Or are you gorging yourself on all that other garbage that is out there? You know what I’m talking about. It might be the message itself, or all of the advertising that surrounds it. It might be the gossip, the petty thoughts, the cheap shots, the sarcastic comments, the talking behind one’s back.

So how about trying a different approach? Find sources that speak to your heart. Cultivate those, and eschew those that taste bitter or spoiled.

Here’s a story I think you will enjoy. Please take a look and see what you think of this person’s incredible passion and heartfelt emotion. It reinforces my faith in humanity. And I know it is the truth. Or at least that is my belief. What is yours?

Happy New Year!

Make your own fireworks, Jaffa, Israel, April 2008, Canon PowerShot SD870 IS, Exposure 1/160 sec @ f3.5, ISO 200, no flash © Steven Crisp [Click on the photo to enlarge]

This photo comes from the Old Port City of Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv, Israel. I was walking through the old alleyways, in amongst the shops, and I came upon this painting, unceremoniously hung on an outside wall.

Not for sale. Just for decoration.

Indeed, the shops had closed, and the painting remained open to the elements and to anyone's mischievous hands. What a wonderful gift.

I love all the colors, and imagine them, tonight especially, as my own personal fireworks display.

"Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can." -- Danny Kaye

I would also like to share with you this simple list I collected somewhere along one of the alleyways in my own life.

To me, it is like one of those quick-use guides to the game of life, meant to help those who have no patience for the thick instruction manual printed in so many languages, replete with warnings and alerts, when all we want is to start playing with our new gizmo.

Very well then. By all means. Let the games begin.

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Continue to learn.
Appreciate your friends.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.

-- Mary Anne Roadacher-Hershey
It is my profound wish that each of you find peace and harmony during your journey into this Happy New Year!