Tiny Tragedy

 

Tiny Tragedy, originally uploaded by Theresa111.

Springtime 2008 brought a steady stream of tornado’s, high winds, lightening, hail, rain and house shaking thunder to the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA. One morning about two weeks ago, I went outside and found, to my dismay, this little unborn baby bird. Because the shell is a light blue I believe it is one of the robin red breast’s, which frequent our neighborhood.

I gently picked up this tiny fallen victim and brought the baby into my house. Placing the small body on a paper towel I quickly found my camera. It might seem a bit morbid to put death on display, but I am in fact celebrating the short lived development of one of perhaps hundreds of incubus that are storm victims. Silent they remain, unbeknownst to most of the world.

See how perfectly the bird is formed? There is purpose for all of us.  I wish that we would see this unique perfection in everything.

I buried the tiny bird on a bed of rose petals and said a prayer and finally placed a rose bud atop the small grave.

Our Long Journey

Outer space….or?, originally uploaded by Stefan Söderström.

On our way in and on our way out, this earth is glorious in all her beauty. She is irresistible and forces us to choose her, time and time again. The wealth of colors alone is stimulus enough to entice us back to her skies, mountains, valleys and beaches. Once is not enough to absorb the daily changes and the seasons of the passing years. We must be born, live and die many times, to find ourselves drawn and pulled back to her surfaces. She is the most beautiful of the planets and acts as our vehicle of choice, on our long journey, through the star studded universe.

Money

Money, originally uploaded by Leaca’s Philosophy.

This photograph is one that really caught my attention, whilst I was traveling through the Flickr world of photography. The artist, Leaca, has truly captured the quality of the coins inside the Mason jar. I do not know the reason they are called Mason jars. Perhaps I should research the name to figure it out.

When I was just a tiny girl, my Father would allow me to play with the change, which he removed from his work pants before dinner. I would climb upon my parents tall bed and taking my place in the middle of the mattress, would settle in and balance myself with both of my legs akimbo and spread to either side of my small frame. Expectantly, I would place my hands together, face up, the left one on top of my right.

Father would look into my little face. Upon seeing the excitement shining from my blue eyes, he would pat me on the top of my brown curls, then stretch his large hand above my own. Just for a second, he waited, my indrawn breath was audible in the hushed air. Opening his fingers, a stream of beautiful coins streamed like a colorful cascade to rain down into mine.

Naturally, many of the coins would spill over and out onto the bedspread. However, the remaining ones were mine by challenge, to keep … if I dared play the game of my own making. Tossing the coins into the air, I would reverse my hands and catch the falling coins onto the backs of my hands. Now my fingers were splayed as far apart as I was able, but without letting any coins slip through the cracks. I would repeat this many times.

Toss and release was played until my Father decided to finish the game. Whichever coins were on my hands when he said, “Stop,” were mine to keep. Taking my treasures of coins and heaping them into a pile, I would examine them by turning them over and over and searching the monumental figures of dead people’s faces and old buildings. There was a wonderful buffalo and a few rare nickels had a large bust of the animal.

My favorite coin has always been the dime, silver and intricate in its design. I was always amazed that even though is was smaller, it had twice the value as the much larger nickel. It was easy to see the age of many coins, by their darker shades and dirt embedded within the numbers, lettering and etchings. Sometimes I would get an old toothbrush and clean the faces by scrubbing, as best as I was able to reveal a slightly shinier jewel.

I have always loved the clanking sounds that coins make against the inside of a piggy bank, tin can or glass jars chosen to hold loose change. The much gaudier and loud sounds of slot machines does it for me. It is one of the best aphrodisiacs to mine ears. The rich drumming of falling and clanging coins makes my heart sing and brings a smile to my lips. My eyes light up and immediately I am taken back to the times spent as a small girl sharing a special time with the most important man in my world … my Father. I love you Daddy!

One more thing. There has yet to be a coin bank that I have ever actually filled up. I always end up removing the coins as I love touching their surfaces and shaking them together.

Finding Purpose

Iceberg: Isle of the Dead, originally uploaded by Greenpeace Esperanza.

As a child in grade school, I recall seeing pictures that our teacher would share. We children were always thrilled by the shapes on our spheric globes. By the whiteness of the coldest continent Antarctica, and the floating ice caps of our North Pole.

Why did the top of the earth, as I would think of the North Pole, not be deemed a continent? It would be years later before I would understand the difference. But I do recall musing about those cold places and wondering what the fuss was about the icebergs. Why was is so cold at the top and the bottom of our planet? What was the point? I would ask myself countless questions like these.

Of course years later, I see the devastating changes in our planet and the impending threat to the wildlife. The ice caps are melting and our stores of fresh water are quickly disappearing. Our rain forests are dwindling and the lush continent of Africa is fast becoming a wasteland, a place of sorrow, whereas she used to be a dark, mysterious place full of romance, beauty, robust peoples and boasted a huge population of wildlife. A short time ago, these things were true.

Today while I was traveling through many photographs on Flickr, I input the word oceans in the search bar. I felt like a breath of fresh air. I found incredible photography from people who snapped their cameras, all over our blue planet. So many of the photos were breathtaking and astounding. Some, like this photo are profound.

So, I wonder, what are we going to do? Can we all put on the breaks, be humane, stop the fighting and the cruelty? Allow the domination to be dispelled? Please ask yourself what you can do to be a kind, helpful, responsible citizen of the world. What can you do to stop abusing our planet, wildlife and domestic pets, put an end to slaughterhouse terrors and end all war? Look favorably upon the person next to you? What can you do to make a difference?

Let’s take our world back. Let’s leave something for the younger generation. I remember our parents making this a better place for we children, but what about our children? Take a look at all of the photos of our planet. She is so beautiful. Don’t let her die.

Inspiration

Plated Horns, originally uploaded by Theresa111.

I have a feeling that what I have been learning recently will take me on a journey, for which I have longed to travel. The road toward a wealth I never thought could be mine. By sharing this gift I can help others to achieve what they need and in turn, I will earn all that I want.

Because it is an open door where the sky is the limit, I need only apply myself half as hard as I have for someone else and I will be living the dreams I dreamt as a young woman. It’s like wanting to eat this dessert, everyday and never gain an ounce and having beautiful and positive people all about me, and we are on this quest together. I am inspired and will be an inspiration to others.

Belly Flop? Or Racing Dive?

Tiger Leaps in to the water! I’m going to really miss these guys ;(, originally uploaded by Nikographer [Jon].

This photograph was taken by Jon in Washington, DC, at The National Zoo, two years ago. He has captured an amazing shot and I for one really appreciate his sharing it with us on flickr.com

I would have loved watching him hit the water and swim about. I haven’t visited the zoo since the early 1980’s, with my sister and my niece in her stroller. Rachael is too grown up for strollers nowadays. We did have a good time and the reason I haven’t been back is that I do not like to see the animals in cages and I abhor the smell of the monkey area.

Manhattan from the plane

Manhattan from the plane, originally uploaded by michaeltucker.

This shot shows where I lived on Staten Island. Photo by Michael Tucker.

At the top of the photo about an inch down and a bit to the right, at the part which protrudes, is where we lived on Nicholas Street. We would sit on our steps, look to the left and see Manhattan in all her glory. As soon as I win the Lotto, I am going to purchase a house right where I can see the same view.

 

Things

DSCN1770, originally uploaded by Theresa111.

We are constantly being talked into buying things. Radios, broadcasting their commercials, magazines, newspapers, our friends, relatives and neighbors. The most effective are the television commercials, whereby, merchants display their wares in quicksilver moments of time slots, which reach the viewers who are, and who are not, paying attention. We have been bombarded by media frenzy who’s goal is to get us to buy things.

From August through the end of the year the public is sending their children “Back To School,” readying everyone for the “Fall Collection” of fashionable clothes. Then there are all of the weekend sales beginning Memorial Day, Columbus Day, Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, After Thanksgiving Day, Winter Holidays, Religious Holidays and New Year’s Eve.

Only to commence once more with New Year’s Day sales!

We are constantly being shown different automobiles, lawn care products, housewares, rugs, flooring, linens and such. And were does it leave us? We the consumer are made to believe that we need it all.

I have learned a very valuable lesson, over the past few months. Something personal and a little mind blowing. Things can make life easier but what about the things we have accumulated? What about the things we have purchased and used once or twice? Was is all right to buy these items, use them a few times and then leave them on a shelf or in a closet to live their existence by gathering dust?

Why do we think we will feel better by possessing things? Especially when we do not use them anymore or they are no longer fashionable? Getting back to the lesson I mentioned earlier, I must confess to wanting things and then putting them aside after trying them out.

Apparently, I lose interest or perhaps it is the fact that they have become my possessions and that is enough. Just knowing they are waiting for me exclusively, for whenever I choose to pay them any mind. It sounds a bit callous, I know. I always believed myself to be caring and not of a greedy nature, but it seems I have flaws and this is a major one, indeed.

So, I am going to go through my things.  Routing things out and giving them to charities. I am going to keep only the things which I must have. The things I know I will use and the rest is going to find another home. No more stock-piling!

For those things for which I have a sentimental feeling, I shall only keep those things which can fill five large boxes. Everything else must go. I am determined to keep my things in sight and use them. No longer will I neglect my possessions. Everything has a place and a use. It must be productive in order to remain in my world. My world that is now to be lived in a minimalist way. I will be happier.

When I go shopping, I will ask myself whether or not I really want to use it or possess it. This will help me decide if I will pay for it or not.