A Thought To Take With You

“Love's gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.” 
― Rabindranath Tagore

Happy Friday!

“Great calm, generous detachment, selfless love, disinterested effort: these are what make for success in life. If you can find peace in yourself and can spread comfort around you, you will be happier than an empress.” 
― Rabindranath Tagore

Happy Birthday, Papa!

“Children are living beings - more living than grown-up people who have built shells of habit around themselves. Therefore it is absolutely necessary for their mental health and development that they should not have mere schools for their lessons, but a world whose guiding spirit is personal love.” 
― Rabindranath Tagore

Papa would've arrived at 72 years of age today, he is a Snake Year born. He was a marvelous spirit. He still is.

Happy Spring

“If someone smells a flower and says he does not understand, the reply to him is: there is nothing to understand, it is only a scent. If he persists, saying: that I know, but what does it all mean? Then one has either to change the subject, or make it more abstruse by saying that the scent is the shape which the universal joy takes in the flower.” 
― Rabindranath Tagore, My Reminiscences

smile because it happened

“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.” 

― Rabindranath Tagor

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

― Dr. Seuss 

this could be the anthem for this blog

A Letter to Susana

Aloha,

It is Sunday morning, and I just got on the bus to go home. It is 8:30 a.m., and I am missing a quality breakfast. I will make some when I get home to share with J. I stopped by Au Bon Pain, but none of their breads looked happy, so I didn't buy any.

I'd like to find a good bakery by one of the subway stops, between 135th and 42nd St, along central park west. I just love freshly baked bread! The warmth, the fragrance!!! Mmm, deep comfort.

I stayed over night at 208. I brought my own sleeping bag, and a pillow case. I slept as well as I could in a place I slept for a first time. Next time I would probably sleep better. A said he wished more people would do that. In Seattle there are overnighters. I would surely enjoy company. A slumber party would be best!! Staying alone, I felt safe enough and warm, but I didn't like going downstairs to the bathroom. I don't like going downstairs even during class, with lonely corners and closed doors and curtains. I must mention this to A, maybe he can do something about it.

I woke up with sunrise, packed up my sleeping bag and other belongings, tidied up the cushions and chairs, picked up trash, and basically left the place neater than I found it. Respect to the
spirits there.

I am home soon. Yummy breakfast awaits!

Hugs & Laughter,

C.

Soufu Honda And Her Brush

Soufu Honda is an amazing calligraphy artist from Hokkaido, Japan! I met her for the first time today at Kinokuniya Book Store by Bryant Park in NYC. She was performing her art in partnership with Anything who exhibited their product of maekake, a traditional work apron. To my delight, the small exhibition in the middle of bookshelves was very engaging and I felt very appreciative of encountering this event. Soufu has been practicing calligraphy since she was two years of age, and she further studied the history of calligraphy in university, and she's an enthusiastic wiz who entertains and educates about original meaning or intention behind the characters of kanji.

For my husband's created word いとい (pronounced ee-toh-ee), a Japanese equivalent to BFF, Soufu selected a kanji character 絆 (pronounced ki-zu-na) representing the bond between friends. You can see my husband in the moss green shirt, and Soufu intently writing the character.

I must say, Honest Man looks real good in his maekake! Eh, my husband doesn't usually look like such a nerd. Only when he deliberately tries to look like a nerd, like he was doing for this picture.

Words on the Street

When ever I'm near the Library Way (41st st and 5th ave) I like to take a small detour and walk east to visit one of the Japanese shops on that street. Along the way, I am captivated by these embedded plaques on the side walk. Here are few I liked very much today.

Le Jour Et La Nuit

by George Braque

I thought, yeah, truth really do resonate like it simply exists. Like a certain sense of 'of course, and I always knew that somehow' feeling. On contrary, falsehood is busy and distracting and unsettling. We humans feel this, everyone senses this in various degrees. Everyday, I am exposed to so much junk in the world once I step out of the house. Be it objects or opinions, it's a constant filtering and it's tiring. So when my eyes lead to this, I felt supported in my efforts to keep filtering out the negativity and junk.

The Awakening

by Kate Chopin

This one reminded me of my friend Susana L., who has recently returned to Aotearoa for a job assignment. She's doing well and soaring, like the bird here which expands its wings beyond the edge of the frame this plaque was given.

"Why Some People Be Mad At Me Sometimes"

by Lucille Clifton

Isn't this a cute and darling quote? I thought so, maybe because I really can relate. Not that people are mad at me everywhere, but it reminded me of those moments as I am telling my story that these thoughts rise in back of my head. 'Is she interested in listening to this at all?' 'Darn, did I just cut him off?' Well, in my defense, I will quote Tavi here and say 'I blame you, because you wasted your own time!' LOL~!! She's so cute, have you seen her blog?

"1212"

by Emily Dickinson

Now, I've never heard that 'a word is dead, when it is said', but I do believe that it 'begins to live that day'. I believe a word, or words are energetically powerful. It also depends on perspective or choosing to receive it or rejecting it, too. You can take someone's word to heart, or brush it off. Words have so much affect on people. Written words aside, recited words are magnificent in that it combines with sound vibrations and can expand infinitely into the universe. Prayers, mantras, affirmations, poems, wishes, and even spells, they live from the moment they are said. So watch out people, be careful what you wish for!