the purpose of light

One of my favorite authors is Paulo Coelho. He has a way of putting things into words that reveal such a deep understanding of mankind. He has written so many books, the most widely read is, The Alchemist, which has been translated into 80 languages.

This quote that I used here is from his book, The Witch of Portobello. I'd like to  interpret it as referring to our talents and gifts which we should share to the world. We are not supposed to hide them because they can serve as light or inspiration to others.

This is very similar to what is said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

The photo is a streetlamp in a resort, partly hidden by a tree.

Sometimes

These lines come from a poem by an unknown author. The first two lines are actually what attracted me to this poem. It's because I love taking photos of flowers with raindrops and so I thought my photo and the poem fit each other.

Here is the whole poem:
      

"Sometimes it takes rain
To make the flowers grow
Sometimes it takes real pain
Before real joy one knows
Sometimes it takes tomorrows
To understand days gone by
Sometimes before the laughter
There comes heavy sigh
Sometimes it takes the midnight hour
To value morning light
Sometimes it takes the longest mile
Before things come in sight
Sometimes you often wonder
Why your heart can get so sore
But its the rocky paths in life
That makes you cherish the smooth roads more!"

                                        - Unknown

Unity of love

Unity of love is what makes us strong as a people, as a nation, or as a family. I love this quote from Hans Urs von Balthazar because it emphasizes unity of love.

The photo is a floral decoration at a hotel where we stayed. The flowers are actually made of cloth, but they look so real that I could not resist taking a shot.

Happiness is a butterfly

Nathaniel Hawthorne's idea of what happiness is so intriguing, don't you think so? It seems we always try to pursue happiness, such that Douglas Kennedy even has a book about it. However, if we just listen to Nathaniel Hawthorne, then we should "sit down quietly" and it might even alight upon us like a butterfly. 

The background photo is a white butterfly as it stopped by a leaf.

light from within

I like the way Elizabeth Kubler-Ross describes how true beauty is "revealed only if there is a light from within."

The photo I used here is that of brightly colored pebbles as they sparkled when hit by the rays of the afternoon sun.

Courage

I like how Maya Angelou tells us about courage as the "most important of all the virtues". 

The photo I used here is just a wild mushroom I found in our backyard.

Understanding

I wholeheartedly agree with this quote from Norman Vincent Peale. If we understand things then half the battle or half the difficulty is already won because we know more or less how to proceed to the next step.  Understanding also makes us less afraid to go on because we know what we are facing.

The photo is the church beside the Mall of Asia here in the Philippines.

a little rain

I love this quote from an unknown author. The "little rain" that sometimes come, makes me appreciate better the good things that happen in my life.

Actually, I love rain because it creates raindrops that I love to take photographs of.

rare things

I like what Henry David Thoreau says here about doing rare things. It opens the possibility for us to be able to do something rare!

Photo is a raindrop on the petal of  Tristellateia australasiae or Australian gold vine.

friends are like rainbows

Friends not only brighten our life, they also lighten our load. Whoever is the unknown author of this quote surely must have a great set of friends!

The rainbow colors in this photo was created by catching light on a cd.

Become great

I find this quote from Mark Twain so true. I must also add that same is true for negative people - they tend to zap your energy especially if you give them your attention.

I love the determination of this surfer as he moves towards his destination. You can probably guess that I took this shot while in Boracay, my favorite island here in the Philippines.

Friends

This is another quote about friends. Unfortunately, I don't know the author but I wholeheartedly agree with what he/she said.

I took this early morning shot while we were waiting for sunrise at the highest point in Corregidor island, here in the Philippines.

your destiny

The unknown author of these reminders sure knows how things start! Yes, everything starts as a thought or an idea before they actually become manifested as words we utter or as part of our actions, habits, or character.

I created this completely in Photoshop.

Cherish your visions

I like how Napoleon Hill describes our visions and dreams as "children of your soul" and "blueprints of your ultimate achievement."

I do not know the name of this flower. I just thought it goes well with this quote from Napoleon Hill.

grateful attitude

Having the right attitude will carry us through any situation. And as Joel Osteen puts it, it's "going to determine how you're going to live your life."

The photo is a flower of "kamias" or Averrhoa bilimbi. I got a tree in my backyard and it's blooming most of the time. It's fruit has many medicinal uses.

stand for what you believe in

This quote from an unknown author certainly encourages us to be courageous! As long as we believe in what we stand for, we should not give up!

The photo is a lonely tree on the slope of the Cordillera mountains here in the Philippines. It sure is standing alone bravely!

Hope in the Lord

I find this verse from Psalm 31 so reassuring. As long as we put our trust and hope in the Lord, then we can go on.

The photo is that of Rudbeckia, a variety of the sunflower family.

A friend is a present

A friend is truly a present we give ourselves! I love this quote from Robert Louis Stevenson!

I took this photo of two girls while we were on an out of town shoot. I had so much fun watching them play together. They were playing on top of a wooden platform. I processed this in blend and gradient modes in Photoshop.

In celebration of my 200th post, I am giving you permission to download or use any one of the photoquotes here. It can be this photoquote today or any one of the other photoquotes in the past. Just please link back to blog. Thank you very much!

For every love

I love the positive feeling that this quote gives me. Don't you feel the same way?

The photo is that of an Alstoemeria flower. It belongs to the Lily family.

Tender flowers

We cannot touch the stars but we can appreciate them. Flowers however are here on earth, for us to both touch and appreciate. Just reading this quote from Jean Paul Richter, somehow makes me feel closer to God. Thank you God for the beautiful flowers that I can touch!

The photo is another view of the powder puff flowers or Calliandra tergemina.

Perfect miracle

I fully agree with Walt Whitman in his quote. Every day is really a miracle, and every hour that we are alive is even more of a miracle! So we really have a lot to be thankful for!

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

the mind

Plutarch is so wise. His quote should be taken to heart by everyone especially the teachers. If every teacher kindles the mind of every student, then we will have a whole bunch of creative people.

The photo is a flower that I saw in a park. Unfortunately, I do not know its name. However, it looks like it belongs to the same family as the squash.

duty of the artist

This quote from Robert Schumann must inspire every artist. Imagine being told to "send light into the darkness of men's heart!

The photo shows flowers of the African lily or Agapanthus africanus.

It's never too late

Yes, I believe it is never too late to do anything especially if it is about fulfilling ones dream. Thanks George Eliot for this reminder!

The background photo is again one of my favorite flowers - the Oxalis or wood sorrel. This is the purple kind or Oxalis regnellii atropurpurea.

You win

Richard Bach said this thing about the power of the mind so well. Everything that we experience actually starts as an idea before it becomes manifested. So if we think we can win, then we can, as Richard Bach says!

The photo shows purple-pink colored mums.

Multiply happiness

I love this quote from Paul Scherer. It reminds me of the way living cells also multiply - they divide!

The photo shows some wild flowers that I found in a resort. I just processed it in Photoshop to create the multiple effect.

God solves your problems

We all have problems but as the unknown author of this quote implied, either we can handle our problems ourselves, or God helps us to solve them.

The photo shows trees blowing in the wind. I took this while I was in my favorite island, Boracay, here in the Philippines.

Do what you were made to do

This quote from O.S.Marden is so inspiring. It tells us that we have to trust what our heart tells us to do and we will be able to do whatever we are supposed to do. Isn't that amazing?

The photo is a flower from a kind of bromeliad. I do not not its scientific name.

Friendship gives value to survival

This quote from C.S.Lewis is like a tricky answer to a simple question. It makes you sit up, then you realize it is so true! Friendship does give value to survival! Actually, not just to survival, but also to having an enriched life. 

The photo is a pair of flamingos I found in a bird park in Malaysia.

Live simply

What a simple yet meaningful quote from Mother Teresa! It does remind us that we are all connected to each other.

The photo is a seedling emerging from a pod. I think the quote and the photo really complement each other. Don't you think so?

Make friends

This quote from Stephen Richards is so true! Friends indeed change us in many beautiful ways.

The photo is a bunch of mums that I bought from a florist. I processed it in Photoshop to give it a soft dreamy mood.