What's Your Sentence?

Besides the happy fact that the author's last name is PINK,
this is one of my favorite videos. I love the first question:

What is your Sentence?

What are you about? What is your life about? What is it you're creating of yourself? It's a worthwhile question. I've watched this video several times and each time I come closer to understanding what the question is and as a result closer to understanding what my sentence is. I feel an excitement, a scintillation, shimmer through my body as I allow the veils to fall and myself to become more clear. How about you? What's your sentence?

And then there is the second question:

Was I better today than yesterday?

It's like working from the end; It's like envisioning your success and then filling it in with the daily life that creates the fulfillment of the goal you've set for this lifetime. I think we know what we want to experience in our time here on earth, our sentences have always driven our journeys, yet asking ourselves to consciously remember and state them to ourselves and/or others, may help us stay on course.

<3

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IslandLovely

©Fito Gordo

My friend Fito is an avid sailor and not long ago he was in Ilhabela for the Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week. Ilhabela is in Brasil, in the state of São Paulo, where I, actually, we, grew up. Yup, Fito and I have known each other since 3rd grade, maybe it was 4th grade. Ilhabela literally translates as IslandLovely. The picture above was taken by Fito and is absolutely beautiful to me ... those dreamy blues, the mirage-like quality, the light reflecting off those billowing sails, the flatter ones intermingled. Oh how I love it. And then there's that PINK! sail, oh my. I could watch this picture all day long, so I couldn't help but ask Fito if I could share it with you here. I may ask him if I can show you one more from his IlhaBela album. Fingers crossed he'll say yes! It's gorgeous as well, but different. Stay tuned!

PS. Please feel free to leave Fito a comment under this post or join us on FACEBOOK:)

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Two More!

SavannahTree
WaterTree
I didn't intentionally set out to paint a series of trees. I paint what happens. Looking at them together though, I began to notice what they had in common. It seemed to me that they (the last 4 I've shown you and there are 4 more coming) all have a certain treeness about them. I do love trees, so it's not surprising that what's in my heart, is painted out. Then again, maybe they're not trees. The one I've titled (always subject to change) 'WaterTree' often looks like balloons to me, or seaweed, or an amoeba, or funny people or a big storm.

What do you see?

I'd love a child or writer to be drawn in by this magic and write a short story inspired by this painting.

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Doesn't she?

This lady so has a story, doesn't she? Do you see it? Can you hear it? Will you tell it? <3

The Sunrise Ruby

Rumi, On Being a Lover (by Coleman Barks)
Being a lover is close to being a worker. When the ruby becomes the sunrise, its transparency changes to a daily discipline. There's a story about a sufi who rips his robe and gives it the name faraji, which means "ripped open" or "happiness" or "one who brings the joy of being opened." Peace and compassion come as coverings are thrown open and the streaming beauty of emotion flows through the lover-worker.

THE SUNRISE RUBY by Rumi (translation by Coleman Barks)
In the early morning hour,
just before dawn, lover and beloved wake
and take a drink of water.

She asks, "Do you love me or yourself more?
Really, tell me the absolute truth."

He says, "There's nothing left of me.
I'm like a ruby held up to the sunrise.
Is it still a stone, or a world
made of redness? It has no resistance
to sunlight."

This is how Hallaj said, I am God,
and told the truth!

The ruby and the sunrise are one.
Be courageous and discipline yourself.

Completely become hearing and ear,
and wear this sun-ruby as an earring.

Work. Keep digging your well.
Don't think about getting off from work.
Water is there somewhere.

Submit to a daily practice.
Your loyalty to that
is a ring on the door.

Keep knocking, and the joy inside
will eventually open a window
and look out to see who's there.

(OPEN for IF this week)