Amazing day

I love how e.e.cummings expressed this simple gratitude for an amazing day! We really have a lot to be thankful for. We only need to look around outside and also inside of ourselves.

This photo is once again taken from my favorite island here in the Philippines, Boracay. I just love the white sand and swinging palms of this place. 

The moon is a friend

Carl Sandburg must have really been lonely when he wrote this line. What do you think?

It just occurred to me, what is the difference between lonely and lonesome? Or is there a difference? When do we use them?

I tried substituting "lonely" to the "lonesome" used in this quote, and I could not see much difference. However, I must admit that "lonesome" does sound better here. Oh well, maybe you would like to add to the comments what you think.

The photo I used here is actually made of two layers. The 1st layer is the moon photo and the 2nd layer is the trees photo. I created a texture of the trees and blended them in Photoshop.

We have only today

I love this quote from Mother Teresa because it exhorts us to take action...today! This is  a very good reminder for procrastinators like me.

The photo is that of a clock that I processed in Photoshop using gradients. I wanted it to have a happy and positive feel as well as give a time reminder.

Dreams

I like the way Edgar Cayce describes what dreams are.

The background is a layer of two photos which I processed in Photoshop. The tree texture is from my own collection of textures.

garden of awakening

This quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, a zen Buddhist monk, makes my heart expand with joy. I can't help but smile as I imagine hundreds of flowers blooming!

The photo shows the flowers of Averrhoa bilimbi, or cucumber tree or "kamias" in Pilipino language. I have this tree in my backyard.

love and faithfulness

When I read this verse from Psalm 138, I was right away reminded of this photo of Gerbera daisies. They look like they are bowing.
We must indeed give thanks for the love and faithfulness of God.

Be a beginner

We can all be beginners every single morning. Isn't that wonderful?

Nothing beats waking up each morning with a prayer; then followed by a steaming cup of coffee plus your favorite magazine. Don't you agree?

Prayer is a longing of the soul

I love how Mahatma Gandhi described prayer. Every time I see a sunset or a beautiful creation of God, I always say a prayer of thanks and I feel that Gandhi is right about the prayer being "a longing of the soul."

The photo is another sunset while I was in Boracay, my favorite island here in the Philippines.

Be my friend

I like this quote from Albert Camus. It tells me that as friends, we are co-equal. Nobody really leads, nobody follows.

The photo shows two friends walking along the white sand of Boracay, my favorite island here in the Philippines.

Happiness sneaks through a door

What an inspiring quote this is! This truly makes me smile as I am reminded that often happiness comes when we least expect it. Thanks John Barrymore!

The photo is an old building found in a resort here in the Philippines. I love the way the early morning sun passes through this slightly open door.

Friend

This quote from Elbert Hubbard is so simple yet so profound. A friend really knows our strengths and weaknesses yet loves us just the same.

The photo shows the pink flowers of of a variety of Euphorbia milllii.

Flowers preach

It might be surprising to learn from CGRosselli that flowers preach. However, if we come to think about it, flowers can indeed tell us many things if just care to listen.
For example, what makes flowers bloom? It's usually the right combination of temperature and moisture that will trigger the flowers to bloom. There will be different rates of growth on different parts of a flower such that we will see the edges of a petal curling and then opening up.

The photo shows flowers of the fire tree or Caesalpinia pulcherrima.

Forgiveness

Sometimes we are too strict with ourselves. We can be our worst critic and we can become so unforgiving of our mistakes. However, as Dr. Dyer says in this quote, "forgiveness is the most powerful thing you can do to yourself." If we forgive ourselves and also others, then we can move on.

The photo shows two raindrops that look like they are whispering to each other.

lesson from the woods

We do learn far more lessons just simply by being one with nature than by seeking everything from books. This I know from first hand experience. Sometimes the lesson is even more profound and long lasting. So let's all go out and be one with the trees, the woods, the flowers, the wind, the sun, the rain, the stones, the ants, and birds

I took this photo while we were waiting for the sun to come up from around the hills and trees of Corregidor.

perfect conditions

I like this motivational quote from Alan Cohen. It tells us to begin whatever we want or dream of doing. We never can totally control all the conditions, but if we begin, everything will just full into place and everything will be perfect.
I am one of those guilty of postponing things and waiting for the right conditions. It used to be that when I plan to write something, I usually start by first cleaning up my table, or sharpening my pencils before settling down to write. Then I lose the urge to write after that. Hahaha! Now, what I do to avoid falling into the same trap, I just write directly on my computer and then just leave it for a while and then go back for some editing. I find that I am now able to accomplish more things this way.
There is just an unfortunate catch to this though. Somehow, I always felt that I write better when I am using my pen or pencil on paper. I always felt that there is a better communication between my self and what I am writing. However, I have seen so many projects left along the wayside. There are just so may start-ups and very few completions.
By writing directly on the computer however, I find that I finish more things, but I also have to revise several times until my piece will get the touch or flavor that I usually feel is lacking at first.
Aw, I just have to learn to make the most of the situation. So here's to the imperfect perfect conditions!

The photo shows small leaves I found in the garden of a friend. I don't know the name unfortunately. I was simply attracted by the pattern and feel of newness or new beginning.

Love waits

 Does love really wait? This is what William Carlos Williams said in this quote. I suppose love does wait but maybe if we know how to appreciate something as simple as "the edge of a petal."

The photo is a macro shot of a dark pink rose.

Confidence

Walt Disney is somebody I really admire. I think he was able to make all his dreams come true because he exhibit all these four Cs. 

The photo is a baby snail exploring among the leaves as soon as it hatched from the egg. It certainly exhibited also the four Cs the moment it emerged from the egg.

Purify your thoughts

Mahatma Gandhi is so wise. We indeed must aim for "complete harmony of thought and word and dead." If there is no harmony, then we will always be under stress. We will always be unhappy.

The photo is a flower from a decorative bamboo-like plant.

Dance like nobody's watching

I like the exuberance of these lines from William W. Purkey. They are so full of energy and lightness. When I read them, I felt like dancing and singing myself!

The photo is an orange mum that looks like it's a ballerina having the time of her life. I processed it with gradients to give it a dreamy effect.

appreciate each moment

We really must learn to appreciate each moment in our life. So this quote from Lauren Kate's work, Fallen,  is so inspiring. We might indeed survive eternity if we learn to do just that - appreciate each moment that is.

The photo is a tulip made dreamy by using gradients.

Embrace the twist and turns of life

This is a good reminder for us from W.T.VanderVen. We really should learn to embrace the twists and turns of our life. We have to learn to accept them because they can bring us lessons and happiness from unexpected sources.

The photo is the spiral portion of the stem of Tristellateia australasiae. I'm sorry I don't know its common name.

Make your rose important

This is another favorite line from The Little Prince. It's really the time that we spend on something or someone that makes it/him/her important.

It

Macro photo of a red rose is what I used here as background.

Friends are flowers

This quote from an unknown author is so true. Friends really "...are flowers in the garden of life." We can therefore fill our garden with different kinds of flowers to make it lively and interesting.

The a photo is a bunch of purple mums that I bought from a florist.

A virgin shall conceive

In preparation for the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary on September 8, I am posting this verse from Isaiah.
Happy Birthday Mama Mary!

The photo is a a kneeling Virgin Mary that I saw inside a church in Pampanga, a province here in the Philippines.

Be yourself

How timely is this quote from  John Jakes! Too often, we put on a different face when we are in front of friends, or family, or associates. It seems that we got multiple personalities. So this reminder about being yourself is rather a wake up call. We really must let our true selves shine through in everything that we do.

The photo is a variety of peace lily or Spathiphyllum.

Faith

I like the way the unknown author of this quote describes what "faith is". Calling faith as "the vision of the heart" helps me have a clearer view of God. The heart knows!

I'm sorry I have not yet identified the orange flower I used as background here. I just found this in a park.

Put on love

If we want perfect unity, we must "put on love..." as this verse from Colossians says. Love is really the thread that binds all of us together.

The photo is a spray of Dendrobium orchid. If we observe, most orchids are usually in a spray or a group. Somehow, being together gives them an added dimension and beauty.

A bamboo bends

The bamboo bends and thus does not break easily like other plants. In fact I remember that there is a story about a bamboo tree and a narra tree wherein they had a sort of contest to find out who is the strongest. The bamboo I think was able to withstand the strongest wind because of its ability to bend whereas the mango was uprooted by the same wind.

Filipinos are regarded to be pliant like the bamboo because we manage to survive whatever conditions we are in. In fact we not only manage to survive, we actually survive smiling!

The photo is a miniature bamboo that is  used for decorative purposes.

Simplicity

Simplicity is really powerful, be it in ones lifestyle, thinking, and even in composition of an art work. As Rainer Maria Rilke said, simple things can "...become great and immeasurable."

I love this solitary raindrop photo because of it's powerful effect on the viewer. I think it is the perfect background for this quote from Rilke.

True friends

This quote from L.M.Montgomery truly captures the essence of what true friends are. "Always together in spirit" says it all!

The photo shows gold mums taken from below. I love how an entirely new aspect of their beauty is captured at this angle.