Friday, August 02, 2013

Iftar Night with the Black Culture Experience (BCE) Group

To all the beautiful souls who were present that night, you've definitely earned special slots in my memory lane :-) ...
 


Our cups of friendship
Filled with the finest conversations
Steeped in warm memories
That lovely Iftar night
 


Beethoven's 5 Secrets - One Republic (Cover by The Piano Guys)


Madiba says ...


Marius and Cosette - A Quote from Les Miserables


fineartamerica.com


“Marius and Cosette were in the dark in regard to each other. They did not speak, they did not bow, they were not acquainted; they saw each other; and, like the stars in the sky separated by millions of leagues, they lived by gazing upon each other.”

- Victor Hugo, Les Miserables


Monday, July 22, 2013

Major Turnoff for Women

HAHAHAHA! Major turnoff.





Ardella

I'd like to thank Gox for educating me about the Harlem Renaissance. I appreciate you. This beautiful poem was written by Langston Hughes, a great poet and leader of that significant period in history.
 
Ardella
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.
 
 


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Saturday, July 20, 2013

A Quote from Bob Marley


“Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.”   
--- Bob Marley
 
plainpicture.com
 

Friday, July 19, 2013

Avatar

deviantart.net

As the clouds open their doors to shed
Volumes of answers to our silent questions
Abundant graces fill the cup we share
The sun sets on our destiny
And our footsteps close in
Reaching a single path.

Friday, July 12, 2013

A Long Walk - Jill Scott


An Irish Blessing


Source: zeninsights.com

May the blessing of the rain be on you—
the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
so that all the little flowers may spring up,
and shed their sweetness on the air.
May the blessing of the great rains be on you,
may they beat upon your spirit
and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool
where the blue of heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.
--- An Irish Blessing

Friday, July 05, 2013

Musings on a Friday - Technology

Technology ... Such a powerful word in this age of gadgets and gizmos. I had a discussion with my friend months ago regarding the role of technology in the world today. Technology, just like any other, has its pros and cons.
 
Technology has definitely made life easier for all. Everything is at one's fingertips. My only concern is, if we won't be very careful, people will start to become anonymous and interactions will start to become impersonal.
 
Whenever I go to restaurants, I see families who eat together. This would have been their perfect bonding time if not for the fact that some of them spend more time on their phones than actually talking to each other. I've witnessed some friends and couples who hang out together but do the same thing. Spend more time on their gadgets and gizmos than with each other. 
 
Technology has made it easier for us to widen our social circle. I have nothing against this. I have met awesome people online. I do believe though that if one decides to take friendships and relationships seriously, interactions should not stay online. It should get more personal than that. Gone are the days when a guy surprises you with a bouquet of flowers during a date. This rarely happens now because there's an easier alternative to that. He can just simply send flower icons to your phone. Random calls throughout the day that burn those landlines are slowly dying out as well. SMS and social media messages are slowly taking their place. Heck, couples can even go on virtual dates instead of meeting each other in person.
 
I am not against technology. These examples are okay if they don't happen frequently. Let's not dehumanize our lives.
 
I miss receiving postcards. I miss getting letters through snail mail. I miss hanging out with my dear ones and spending the entire time just focusing on each other. Well, that's what quality time is for.
 
Yes, I miss being "human" and spending time with "humans." I welcome technology but let it not kill the very essence of humanity.    

Life was much easier when ...

HAHAHA! Seriously missin' the good old days ...




 


Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Hey Soul Sister - Train

I am the Rain

I am the rain ... In every way ...

I am the rain ...
I fall
Bravely
Celebrating every drop
As I hit the ground
My purpose
Unquestioned.

I am the rain ...
I shimmer
Under the moonlight
As I tiptoe on your skin.

I am the rain ...
I tease your tastebuds
Add flavor to monotony.

I am the rain ...
My presence is constant
Gently coming and going
In your life.

I am the rain ...
A cascade of infinite possibilities
Flowing
Not resisting
Everything.

In Your Presence


In your presence
Thousands of candy floss dreams
Melt on my tongue
Their delicate threads of sweetness
Touching sensitive nerve endings
To bursting point
And my mind and my heart explode
In a continuous symphony
Notes erupting one after the other
Not wishing to stop
And I willingly disappear in the music
Only to be found as a child
Dancing in the rain
Smelling life
The roots of oak trees
Bathing in damp soil.

Thursday, May 23, 2013


Circumstance after circumstance
A cascade of events
Moment to moment
Linked together
In time and space
If such things exist
Do we wear the entire necklace
Of the chapters of our lives
Proudly on our necks
Exposed to every passerby
Do we cut off inconvenient portions
Those that are too heavy to bear
Those that prick our collarbone
The sharps
The jagged edges
The uncomfortable curves
Do they need to go in the trash
Or do we need to celebrate them
Those imperfections
The tarnished parts
I say
Let the whole necklace shine bright
Exposed to the sun, the moon and the stars
Let it soak in the rain
Let it burn in the fire
Let it freeze in the ice
Let it truly represent a life that was lived.




Thursday, February 14, 2013

Saturday, February 02, 2013


When Spring Comes - Edited




 
When spring comes
The petals will let down their walls 
The ice will bow down and kiss the earth 
And the arms of the sun
Will enclose souls in its loving embrace
Once more
When spring comes.


Monday, January 28, 2013


"Surrender everything --- your body, your life, your inner self --- and you will experience peace, ease, non-doing, and inexpressible happiness."
 
--- Yuan Wu
 
Source: http://godsownamycolleen.blogspot.com
 



Thousand-Petal Lotus Mantra


 "All things, by immortal power, near and far, through hidden ways, are to one another linked, that we cannot stir a flower, without troubling a star."

Friday, January 25, 2013

Les Miserables The Movie


I don't regret catching Les Miserables on the big screen. Everyone gave an exceptional performance.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013


Source: fineartamerica.com

 
"The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself."
 
--- Henry Miller

Friday, January 18, 2013

My Healing Mantra

I am beautiful. I am pure.
All the negativity bounces off me.
I am beautiful. I am pure.
Divine Energy flows through me.

The Pilgrimage Within


I attended Dr. Bahareh Amidi's Poetry Writing and Healing Workshop entitled "The Pilgrimage Within." Like several others, my faith requested me to be there. So I went. I wasn't disappointed. The workshop made use of Poetry Therapy, an innovative way of promoting healing and growth through reading, writing and sharing of poems. We formed a healing circle, read poems, penned our own, shared them with the rest of the group and expressed our thoughts. Everyone was free to share anything and everything, as long as they're comfortable with it. There was no critique nor judgment. Acceptance, loving kindness and empathy prevailed. At the end of the 2-hour session, I realized how fortunate I was to have met such beautiful, centered and grounded souls. I look forward to joining the next session. I heard it's scheduled on February 8. They will try to make it a monthly activity.  
 
Here's one of my favorite poems in the workshop, written by Dr. Bahareh herself:
 
The Angel Who Lost His Wings
 
by: Bahareh Amidi PhD
 
Once upon a time
there was an Angel
an Angel who had
lost his wings.
He was walking through life
wondering what fault had made
his wings disappear ...
He saw the birds flying through the sky
and the bees buzzing around -
He saw a rock by the river and sat
                                               and sat
                                                    and sat
After years of sitting he decided
to walk again and look for his wings
That is when he started
to fly wingless with heart.