Prison Break

"Faith goes out through the window

when beauty comes in through the door."

So said George Edward Moore, an English philospher "well known for his advocacy of common sense concepts, his contributions to ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics, and his exceptional personality and moral character."

The photos were taken a few days ago at the Bureau of  Corrections in southern Muntinlupa.  I love the lattice work on the windows. They exude both a masculine and feminine feel. The portal to the building on the other hand is like that of a church: huge, solid, of old, and welcoming.  As you step into the building the air of authority is felt. Many a convicted felon has passed through this door to his place of confinement, tucked away at some cell, his personal freedoms curtailed.

The inner sanctum which i have not had the opportunity of seeing leaves  me wondering about our own brand of imprisonment. 

We may not be physically in such a facility paying for some misdeed or crime, but with our own negative and growth stunting mindsets and behaviors we can just as well be locked in. Addiction, envy, jealousy, hatred, cynicism, guilt, fear, insecurity, unforgiving. The list is long. 

Only when we allow faith to flourish  and open ourselves up to new ways of perceiving shall we, with courage, let our shackled selves go.

New Possibilities, New Experiences, New Connections

Eskimo Spy's photo on flickr

Back after the deluge that was. Our social networking sites have likewise been flooded with depressing news. Time to clean up. And get a whiff of the wonderful in the world.

Wow! When was the last time you blurted out that word in awe? Our days can become quite monotonous and bland, bereft of joie de vivre. Many of us, frankly, are stuck in this kind of drudgery. Which should not be...if it were up to us. We need mind-expanding, awareness-heightening, endorphin-producing moments (without the use of illegal mood-altering substances, of course), moments that make our eyes sparkle because inside is joy.

Here are some that might just do the trick:

1. Take long walks. Or run.

2. Dance.

3. Get your hands in the soil and plant something.

4. Play.

5. Find three new things you are grateful for.

6. Perform a random act of kindness. 

You've heard this one a thousand times. It does work.

7. Try something new.

8. Meditate.

9. Go into a flower shop.

10. Smell the flowers.

Special Spaces

"A time of quietude brings things into proportion and gives us strength. We all need to take time from the busyness of living, even if it be ten minutes to watch the sun go down or the city lights blossom against a canyoned sky."

I so love this corner of our hotel room. Much thought has been processed here. Many tensions and worries have flown out the window. And here a couple of sunsets have rested the body, mind and weary spirit. This chair and ottoman became my old friends as they let me nestle in, rest the side of my torso on its arms and cushion my fears in its cusp. It has heard me whisper my longings and absorbed my every unedited thought.

And in this spot, this gem of a space we got reacquainted with Ms. Serenity.

Keep Calm and Stay Dry

This unpredictable weather gets exciting by the minute. With sudden downpours of rain alternating with snatches of sunshine i feel like i am in some game of hide-and-seek with the elements. Because of work we are grateful to have been billeted in one of the new hotels in the south for an overnight stay two consecutive weeks now. Being in the eighth floor with large windows gives us a dramatic view of the sky and the way it changes: heavy dark clouds birthing torrents of rain, wind-swept clouds giving way to a bright sky face, and then if you are extra lucky, or have been good ;) you get a yellow apparition. 

Such was our (husband and i) cave when we found ourselves once again facing a storm in our lives. It was good to just soak it all in and allowing things to be the way they were whilst our hearts were cooking up a tempest upward in prayer. 

I have emerged from those special moments knowing that everything will be all right, as always. This too shall pass. Everything does.

Befriend Your Spouse

Bird of Paradise

Just got back from a Marrieds Retreat. It was a mix of young and not so young couples, all wanting to go notches higher in their relationship with their respective spouses. Some were hurting from the ravages of addiction, while others had just started on their journey in life together.

Common was the astonishment about where on earth did the paradise go? Like knots that needed to unravel, a lot of issues had to be brought into the open, acknowledged, and dealt with. Needless to say it was not easy. Definitely not the Eden we pictured.

After tackling communication issues, corrosive/ constructive behaviors, and other such elements that build or destroy a marriage, what impressed me was this ---- the necessity of friendship.

We learned reading something from John Gottman,  a hotshot marriage therapist. His 35 years of research on marriage can be summed up in two points:

• Happily married couples behave like good friends, and they handle their conflicts in     gentle, positive ways.
• Happily married couples are able to repair negative interactions during an argument, and they are able to process negative emotions fully.

Love your spouse. Be a friend.

Simple is Beautiful

Ikebana by Baiko

I have always been fond of the art of arranging flowers. My mother opened my appreciation for things Japanese as she would gush about how they pay attention to detail, be so thoughtful and reverent in every arrangement. I so like their minimalist approach. 

Gazing at Ikebana arrangements calms me. It had to be a calm, serene, disciplined person to harness the beauty of part plants. Each flower, stem, twig is well thought of. During the creation of such pieces, silence is a must. Very soulful. Very spiritual. Simply beautiful.

Flow With It

Photo by Laurel Stream

A not so funny thing happened to me just this week. As i took a bite of a chocolate covered ice cream bar i felt something break. To my chagrin my dentures broke. I am left with a toothless grin akin to old ladies who have not bothered to replace them. Good thing i do not have any schedules or appointments with the rest of humanity set for this week. Except for the necessary trip to the dentist -- i am under house arrest. No teeth, no face, i believe.

The need to flow is a must. We truly never know what exactly will come our way on the day-to-day. Much as we ensure preparedness for anything --- there are just some things that just pop up and test our emotional, and even adversity quotient. Some may be as shallow as losing one's front chompers --- little irritants, annoyances --- or God forbid, something that is devastating.

One's ability to go with the flow is a plus. Nothing happens by chance. Nothing is quite random as it seems.