View allAll Photos Tagged Openminded
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - July, 5 2015: beautiful pregant young woman during Amsterdam Roots Open Air, a cultural festival held in Park Frankendael on 05/07/2015
Stupid questions people ask when they find out we are swingers. Read here: www.partnersid.com/post/stupid-questions-for-swingers
One of our puppies crossing the border between the inside and outside world for the first time.
This is one of my favourite Zen stories:
Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.
Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"
"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"
Keep a Beginner's Mind and be open to new things. Never be afraid to ask even the most basic of questions. This makes life more fulfilling.
I just wanted to wish a very happy birthday to one of the best friends I have ever had in my life.
There are very few people that we are fortunate enough to meet in our lifetimes who enrich our lives and make the world a better and brighter place, and you are most definitely one of those people. I could tell you how fantastic and amazing and gifted and kind and special you are, but words can't adequately describe how amazing you are, or how lucky I am to have met you and been able to have shared so many wonderful, funny, crazy, heartbreaking, unbelievable moments with. I know that you sometimes wonder if you have made a difference in people's lives, but I can attest to the fact that you have made a wonderful difference in mine. I mean, good god, who else would have stolen street signs, tee-peed the inside of the Sig Tau's house or decided to visit Chicago at 2:00 a.m. with two townie strangers from Mt. P with me? All kidding aside, thought, I'm not sure what my life would be like today without you and the memories we've shared.
I love ya, babe! Happy birthday!
this was the actual lighting.
see large, on black to read more easily.
(okay, so was waiting for a "just right" shot to represent the 2nd epiphany i had the other day, but haven't taken one yet that quite gets it down. so this one will have to do.)
well HELLO girlfriend! #2
walking back from the hospital, through the mcallister projects, realized that - *just* about everywhere i've ever been - i have felt as if i ... belonged.
in san francisco? the financial district, russian hill, the tenderloin, the castro, the mission, noe valley, soma, nob hill, the laurel district, the universities, medical schools, yoga studios, homeless encampments, upscale dining establishments ...
see, i have felt "home less" all of my life, looking for "home". i had a mother, a father, 3 stepdads, a stepmum - but was never mothered or fathered; far from it. leave it at that. i went to 12 schools; and lived in something like 25 or 30 places in my lifetime. i've had 3 live-together sweethearts (6 years, 5, and 8), but never "married" or had children. even now i'm once again in flux, the end of my last relationship having left me heartbroken, my heart has once again lost a home - and the rest of me doesn't know where the hell it's supposed to be, here? there? anywhere?
"home", "family" ... have been banes of my existance.
and yet, standing back, looking back, i can see a lifetime of belonging in such varied neighborhoods, places, with such varied peoples - any one as much as another - no matter the culture, race, gender/sex, economic bracket. and most people have treated me as if, i have generally been assumed as either "one of us" as an ... "honorary member"? ... or simply accepted as a good/decent, gracious person, worthy of *be*ing wherever i was.
(well, that and the fact that i've also apparently been a kinda intiimidating little badass in a certain way my whole life long. not aggressive, but standing-my-ground, holding eye-contact, self-possessed: "you have a problem? yeah? and ... ?" )
although ... there have been exceptions. and for the most part i remember those exceptions very specifically, as very particular places/moments/events/people/incidents - and they've almost always been because of sociocultural/economic differences. that is, i grew up fucking poorer than a churchmouse, irish/polish urban appalachian white trash as it were. trust me, people with money can smell that a million miles away. and they consider the smell a stench.
but more than not, i have *blended*, adapted, chameleonlike; not from a lack of essential self, not from a lack of centeredness or cohesion wtihin myself. rather from an abundance of elements, of qualities, a cohabitation of multiplicities of being within myself - from embodying inumerable characteristics - from identifying with *something* in every single person - from interest, curiosity, openminded/hearted/spiritedness and appreciation of whoever i was in the company of, wherever i was.
i have always - in spite of feeling so alone all of my life, left out - also felt a *part of* everything on this earth (let alone beyond) - no matter the circumstances, and even mostly in spite of others' attitudes. therefore, *at home*, belonging ...
rather than home being a specific, small-in-the-scale-of-things, humble domicile - where i put my stuff, and come & go from every day ad infinitum, and my special person waits for me - i have an expansive sense of it as ... everywhere.
i still want a love, and a shack! but for the whole thang to be my home? wow.
how could i not be humbled, grateful, awed.
“A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends” – George Washington
2048 x 2048 pixel image for the iPad’s 2048 x 1536 pixel retina display.
Designed to complement the iPad iOS 7 & 8 lock screens, also works on an iPhone, just centre the image horizontally after selecting it.
Typefaces: Exo 2.0, Greatesque Brush Script
I noticed this cute lil cloud in the sky when I was outwest.. As soon as I seen it I thought Angel wings.. and had to photograph it! Just seeing it made me feel somthing, not to sure what.. but I felt it. I thought it was going to mean somthing was going to happen.. but all went well! Oh.. and the others I was with thought it looked like a cheesy puff.. hence the tags.. lol Guess there not as openminded as myself...
I met Zenia close to a local Metro, while waiting for further transport.
Zenia is working for a company that offers help and advice for people who are starting up new businesses, and said that she found the idea abt. 100Strangers interesting. She did not hesitate to accept my request for a photo, even though the wind was blowing annoying where we were standing.
Thanks for you positive attitude Zenia, and have a nice summer!
#86 in my 100 strangers project, find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at: www.100Strangers.com.
As I saw her on the street block party, I knew she looked familiar somehow. Indeed, I had seen her 4 months ago at a public circus performance downtown. We didn't exchange more than a few, polite words, but I still remembered her.
However, it is actually only now that I've approached her and found out how amazing this young woman is. Saila is an inspiration and definitely belongs in The Human Family group.
"I'm soon a 25 year old university student, who isn't really interested in studying at the university at all. I've studied theatre props making and graduated a couple of years ago but didn't get a job so last autumn I moved to Helsinki to study geology.
In the beginning of this year I also became an entrepreneur, I make hobbyhorses for my living. Arts and crafts are close to my heart.
At the moment circus is my greatest passion. I was lost and lonely for many years in my life, but when I found 'Sirkus Magenta' a year ago, I finally felt that I have found my place in the world. A place where I'm welcome just as I am, a place full of wonderful, kind, openminded and loving people.
I've had circus as a hobby for 1,5 years now and it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. It has changed my life completely. Once so shy, gray, lonely and self-confidence lacking girl is now happier than words can tell, optimistic, brave, smiling and full of life. Now I have friends, I believe in myself. The circus makes me feel so alive.
In addition to my normal circus lessons, which consist mainly of acrobatics, I do balancing on a slack-rope.
I tried the slack-rope for the first time last autumn and fell immediately in love. I've trained with my rope about five times a week since last December and have become quite good at it.
Walking on a rope is kind of meditation for me, it calms my mind and gives me energy.
Day after day I've become more confident that circus is the thing that I want to do in my life. I'm going to follow my heart and try to get to study circus the next spring. I might not be good enough to get in a school of circus arts, but I'll train hard for this year, try my best and see if it's enough.
I think dreams are made to come true.
My message for the world would probably be: Listen to your heart and do things that make you happy."
Thank you, dear Saila, for being such an inspiration!
I wish you good luck and may all your dreams come true !
This is my 16th submission to The Human Family group.
Visit the group here to see more portraits and stories: www.flickr.com/groups/thehumanfamily.
This is the final and last photo from my trip to libya and the sahra. It is dedicated to all people who have shared with me this absolutely incredible experience (from the left):
Urs - who has proved to me that the next generation is not only a bunch of dull, flatbrained consumers, but thought- and senseful people, openminded and worth investing in them.
Mohammed I - His friendly and warm heart made us laugh so often and has a great trick to stretch spines.
Markus - Who survived cold, heat, sand storms, camel saddles...to tell about this wonderful trip.
Ahmud - Who always fascinated my in the deepness of his love to the desert. He knows every animal track, any plant, any source. If you need someone to survive the desert - call him.
Mohammed II - How has pleased us with terrific food, many wonderful old songs in haussa and a lot of fun.
Regula - How has not only been a great guide, but builded the bridge between a swiss guy and our Touareg friends (my french is so terrible).
Karin - A dear old friend, who has asked my a year ago if I would join her for this trip.
Let me end this with a part of the Touareg's "anthem" Ténéré which we heard always at night arround the fire:
"Ténéré...Ténéré...d´assouf igan. Igarau ahi imisilin n-iwakhsane...
Ténéré... Ténéré...
Desert...Desert...Melancholy surrounds me. And the sound of the animals reaches far.
Desert...Desert...
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - July, 5 2015: young mother with her daughter during Amsterdam Roots Open Air, a cultural festival held in Park Frankendael on 05/07/2015
After all, I have a true belief that books and chances going abroad cannot take a Certain role in opening mind of somebody. In the other hand, the knowledges that they have collected accidentally turn out their weapons to against innocent people with new level of insidiousness. For example, if you give a mad man the best gun with full magazine, they surely will use it to kill naive persons instead of protecting from bad guys as they should.
Sau tất cả, mình thật sự chắc chắn rằng sách vở và việc được đi đây đó ra nước ngoài, đón nhận kiến thức rộng mở từ bên ngoài Không thật sự đóng vai trò quan trọng trong việc cởi mở đầu óc của một cá nhân. Trái lại, những kiến thức được thu gom ấy lại vô tình sẽ được dùng phục vụ cho những mưu mô xảo quyệt, nâng tầm xảo trá lên một đỉnh cao mới. Nó cũng giống như việc anh giao khẩu súng tốt nhất với đầy đạn cho một thằng loạn óc vậy, nó chắc chắn sẽ điên cuồng xả đạn vào những người vô tội thay vì dùng để bảo vệ những người hiền lành trước cái ác.
#madman #knowledge #books #openminded #guns #amor