View allAll Photos Tagged selfless
Wishing all the devoted, selfless & deserving Mother's of the world a love-filled & pampered Mother's Day!!!
Dedicated to the Quarantine Team . ❤️ At they’re core, they are selfless, amazing heroes ♀️ ♀️ 👍
Follow advice of Drs, wear masks in public no closer than 6 feet to strangers Check on family . Older folks and those struggling with health issues. Gloves now , as well, are being used in some countries.
This is for the Doctors, Nurses, First Responders and just the kind people who share with those who have not .
Without judgement
Without hesitation
With condescending
Just because it’s the right thing to do ...
God Bless- stay safe ❤️
4.) Me:
This is me, I can't be anybody else. I'm not stunning, I'm not selfless, nor am I consitent. Sometimes I'm vain, othertimes I'm selfish, and there are times I'm barely hanging on. But every fault has brought me to where I am today and all I can do from here is learn from my mistakes and walk forward.
I also really, really love fall.
Join my fanpage
Fallout 76 - Photomode - 4k
All across America, they were the first to run into danger: the brave fire fighters, police officers and medical professionals who selflessly served their communities. After the bombs fell, they formed the Responders. Their mission – help each other… no matter the cost.
It is with a broken heart that I have to tell you that my sweet Lucky boy has crossed over the rainbow bridge. He left us yesterday at around 1pm. When he woke up yesterday, he couldn't get out of his crate- he was unable to walk. Once we got him out he took no food or water, and was shaking with fear- the strength and mobility in his back end was gone. We knew it was time. My wonderful husband fashioned a stretcher from a dog ramp, a dog cushion, and duct tape so he, my daughter and myself could get him safely into the dogmobile. Then my husband and I drove him to a 24-hour vet clinic which was about 2 hrs. away. I rode in the back of the dogmobile, on the cushions right beside my Lucky boy,petting and loving him during the drive. He was such a brave boy. At the clinic when it was time, My husband and I had the privilege of being on the floor with him as he crossed the bridge. As the sedative was being administered, he was licking my face with his wonderful puppy kisses, reassuring me in his beautiful and selfless way. I was able to tell him how he was loved and to thank him for sharing his life with us, and what a special gift he was to all of us - stroking him the whole time, as he gently rested his head on my lap and went to sleep. It was both beautiful and devastating. I know he is happy and safe now, playing with my dad,my former dogs Ringo and Poochie as well as his friends Emma and Koi and Holly and all the wonderful flickr friends that have already crossed the bridge.
He was such a very special being. He taught me the true meaning of loyalty- I had to once be away from my family for a while- and he never stopped waiting for me. When I arrived home, he was overjoyed to see me- happiness oozing from every pore. He never left my side- he was my shadow. Lucky was such a happy boy. His tail never stopped wagging. People were always amazed upon meeting him- saying that all the dalmatians they had met were sometimes aloof - and Lucky was so friendly and gentle. Even the vet commented that he was the best tempered dog he had ever seen. He loved cucumbers- and often stole them from our neighbor's garden. He was called the "cucumber bandit" that summer. He was a great big brother to Bentley- he would bark to alert me when Bentley was hijacking food from the counter top. Bentley heard the tags jingling from Lucky's collar when I moved them yesterday- and looked room to room trying to find Lucky. It will take awhile for all of us to adjust. I loved him so very much- we all did. He was such a joy to us- a beautiful blessing in our life. I will never forget how he has been there for me- his dedication never wavering. I miss him and it hurts.
I am so sorry for disappearing for so long. I have been busy with one thing after the other. What a disappointing contact I have been!! I am so sorry and I have missed everyone so, so much. I hope everyone is having an amazing summer. I will be back in a little while longer. I need some time for my heart to begin to heal. I look forward to seeing everyone really soon!
...I wake up and first things first
I’m of service
I make sure your needs are met, as a selfless
I give hard and serve hard and now I, I need a break
I give big, I give all and now it’s time to regenerate
Today’s all about me, all about cup filling
Today’s all about me learning how, how to receive
How to receive,
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I move on through offerings often one-sided
Being this low on list of worth: over-extended
I give hard, provide hard and now I need some relief
I look out, I proffer, and now I need some respite indeed...
Details:
the will and the wish
the loveliness and the loneliness
everywhere and nowhere
from anyone to anyone
where it starts and where it ends
the years full of months full of days
from movements to rapid silences
the various exhaustions; what ifs.
shear zone formed at the sea, so tensed
by oscillation of the raining thoughts, and to
'listen within' to my meditative, centering guide
if triggered, would you stick to your guns?
cravings get coddled & the carving self
stands on incomprehensible legs - the
opaque notes scrabbles in a fine estate,
not to release everything immediately.
facts transfer the load to triste learning.
the ego me still chews the old dawns and
icecream never maintains a fixed point
as en route undertow kicks out comfort.
today what we feel, the thirst never goes
and happiness held in the freezer,
because everything rushes us along.
the circumferences of revulsion,
the cut and paste of misunderstanding,
the velocity of experiencing it all.
those memories under these tired hands;
sugar loaf's crumbs, fragments of discontent.
never conjoined at every point all the time,
this cohabitation's towardness, be not whole;
whose drowning days nurses a dark secret.
the magic of an immaculate conception
the daily healing with teaspoon of calm,
billions of galaxies in this four clover leaf.
eyelid moments, this dream to redeem.
without sorrow valley, in thousand thoughts
quietness, full of emotional resonance
from dusk to dawn, the horizon of sleep.
i know i'll see you <3
east begins with a magical 'e'
and breathes in the micro-moments
of eterna presence
from dawn to dusk, the earnestness
from dawn to dusk, the heart opening
purely to tenderness of a good Heart.
✏️
Paraphrasing an idea of Merton’s...a flower gives glory to God..just by being a flower...not so easy for us “with awareness of choice.”
Thus...
God shares himself in creation because, just as we ‘yearn’ for him, so he eternally ‘yearns’ to give himself and to be loved. Dionysius strikingly picks up Ignatius’ phrase, ‘My eros is crucified’, and maintains that this divine eros, this longing, is fundamental to all we say of God (ibid. IV. 12). God comes out from his selfhood in a kind of ‘ecstasy’ (ekstasis, literally, a ‘standing outside’) when he creates; and his ecstasy is designed to call forth the ecstasy of human beings, responding to him in selfless love, belonging to him and not to themselves. Thus in the created order there is a perpetual circle of divine and human love, eros and ecstasy (ibid. 13–14)...
...The eternal Word first empties himself of his divinity to become man, then empties himself of instinctive human passions in accepting suffering and death. Human beings are called to share in his human kenosis, responding to the divine kenosis: we must empty away our lives in order to grasp what he has done (Capita theologiae et economiae I. 55, PG 90, 1104 BC).
-The Wound of Knowledge The Wound of Knowledge Christian Spirituality from the New Testament to St John of the Cross, ROWAN WILLIAMS
NORTH HOLLYWOOD - The selfless efforts of an a observant plumber and other motorists helped save the life of a despondent teen precariously perched on a Hollywood (SR170) Freeway overpass on December 28, 2012. © Photo by Mike Meadows
So today I went to have my pictures developed. After collecting my negatives and paying for the service, I asked about a brand of film I haven't tried shooting yet. The Mr. Shop Assistant had trouble finding it and the queue of impatient customers was not short either. Still, he went on scouring the place and, at last, managed to dig up a boxful of my wish. He took two rolls, handed them to me, smiled and bade me farewell without wanting any cash. And now, whenever I look at those pictures, I'll see a selfless act of kindness that made this day a great one.
"The sea - this truth must be confessed - has no generosity. No display of manly qualities - courage, hardihood, endurance, faithfulness - has ever been known to touch its irresponsible consciousness of power.” -- Joseph Conrad
“How inappropriate to call this planet earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” -- Arthur C. Clarke
A shot I took of the ocean one stormy day at Cape Kiwanda, the same day as this shot. I was reminded of this shot while reading a story of an 11 year old boy who drowned on a beach not too far from here after getting caught in rough surf this past weekend. A 16 year old boy tried to swim out to save him and is also presumed dead. The ocean is a place of unimaginable beauty at times, but is also something that can never be trusted and even to be feared. It gives without generosity, and takes without appetite. Our prayers to the families of the boy and the young man who selflessly tried to save his life and lost his own in the process.
Wallace Stevens: “The enigmatical / Beauty of each beautiful enigma / Becomes amassed in a total double-thing. / We do not know what is real and what is not.”
Dogs, lives are short, too short, but you know that going in. You know the pain is coming, you're going to lose a dog, and there's going to be great anguish, so you live fully in the moment with him, never fail to share his joy or delight in his innocence, because you can't support the illusion that a dog can be your lifelong companion. There's such beauty in the hard honesty of that, in accepting and giving love while always aware that it comes with an unbearable price. Maybe loving dogs is a way we do penance for all the other illusions we allow ourselves and the mistakes we make because of those illusions.
My dog taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things...a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness.
Seeds are funny little things. They are like birds with wings. Where they go, often we don't know. And God is the one that causes them to grow. They are a marvel and this I surely know. I so want to be a seed. I want to grow in a heart that is in need. To me that is the most nourishing type of feed. To bestow upon my fellow man a good and selfless deed.
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honouring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future.
Inspiration for our representatives? Could they ever be as selfless and brave as the six burghers of Calais. The story always fascinated me.
Who thought to place this Rodin Statue here. How ironic. Selfless I rarely see from our elected representatives, self serving mmmmm ....? You decide.
They have been the most neglected subject when it comes to photography and they have never complained. For them, the high was in not getting clicked but seeing their son gettting satisfaction from pursuing his hobby. Their love for us was and would be selfless. Thanks for everything you have done to shape us. This one is for you. (Unfortunately my mom is totally dependent on Dad due to her fading vision but even then manages to admire my photos)
June 1, 2011.
Thank you so, so much for the Front Page for Day 169. It's my first ever Front Page and I don't even know how to thank all of you for your encouragement and support.. I wouldn't be here without any of you. :)
I question my existence, the value of my existence, the purpose of my existence.
I question the reasons why I keep going and why I'm doing this.
I question very single action I carry out. Every single word I utter. Every single thought that passes through my head.
But most of all, I question the reason why I am alive.
What makes me deserving to have what I have, while others may have much less?
What am I living for, exactly? I must be here for a reason, to do something, to fulfill some kind of goal. Something that would cement my footsteps deeply into this Earth, to let me know I have made some kind of difference; made someone's life better.
If I were to die, the very next day, would all I have done up to now, be worth it? Or will the last few transient memories of what I was fade into dissolving silence?
I don't know what I'm living for; not just yet. But I do know, that for now, nothing, utterly nothing is worth dying for. Not until I have managed to change something for the better.
Not until I have shred the threads of self obsession for selflessness. Not until I have derived something that will prove that everything I believe in, is real.
So the next time before you say 'I would die for..' Just think. Would you really?
TONY RIDDER
"PUBLISHER, PHILANTHROPIST,
AND FRIEND TO SAN JOSE"
THESE SHOES SYMBOLIZE THE LONG RUN THAT TONY RIDDER MADE TO SUPPORT AND IMPROVE SAN JOSE. THEY ARE BIG SHOES TO FILL. IF OTHERS FILL THEM BY FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE OF STRENGTH, SELFLESSNESS, AND DEDICATION TONY RIDDER WILL BE HAPPY INDEED.
PEOPLE OF SAN JOSE 1993
A source closely connected to the Mercury News provided me the following article from the April 28, 1996 edition of the Murky.
"Though he's been gone from San Jose for a decade, the oversized cast of his running shoes in the Guadalupe River Park reminds people that Tony Ridder, the former publisher of
the Mercury News and now the CEO of Knight-Ridder Inc., is still an important local presence. So it may be intriguing to know that he's in a brouhaha in Florida because of his efforts to keep the National Basketball Association's Miami Heat in Dade County, which incorporates Miami. " "First, a bit of background: Nearby Broward County made a concerted effort to attract the Heat and the Florida Panthers hockey team. But at the last minute, Ridder stepped in to help save the Heat for Dade County: A new $165 million arena will be built on bayfront land. But this raised ill will in Broward County, where fans and politicians had been hoping that the Heat would be the anchor of a new arena. The critics assailed the objectivity of Knight-Ridder's flagship newspaper, the Miami Herald. But Ridder was ready to - yes - take the heat. When radio host Neil Rogers called Ridder ''one of the little rich boys at the Herald,'' Ridder responded this way: ''I'm 6-foot-3. That isn't so little.''"
Yad Vashem (Hebrew: יָד וַשֵׁם; literally, "a monument and a name") is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead, to honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi German oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need and to researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future.
Established in 1953, Yad Vashem is on the western slope of Mount Herzl, also known as the Mount of Remembrance, a height in western Jerusalem, 804 meters (2,638 ft) above sea level and adjacent to the Jerusalem Forest. The memorial consists of a 180-dunam (18.0 ha; 44.5-acre) complex containing two types of facilities: some dedicated to the scientific study of the Holocaust and genocide in general, and memorials and museums catering to the needs of the larger public. Among the former there are a research institute with archives, a library, a publishing house, and an educational center, and the International School/Institute for Holocaust Studies; among the latter, the Holocaust History Museum, memorial sites such as the Children's Memorial and the Hall of Remembrance, the Museum of Holocaust Art, sculptures, outdoor commemorative sites such as the Valley of the Communities, and a synagogue.
A core goal of Yad Vashem's founders was to recognize non-Jews who, at personal risk and without a financial or evangelistic motive, chose to save Jews from the ongoing genocide during the Holocaust. Those recognized by Israel as Righteous Among the Nations are honored in a section of Yad Vashem known as the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations.
Yad Vashem is the second-most-visited Israeli tourist site, after the Western Wall, with approximately one million visitors each year. It does not charge any fee for admission.
Ha-tikvah : youtu.be/B0rVDbYqE7E
All rights reserved.
This Easter I traveled to the colonial town of Taxco, Mexico to relax and document the Semana Santa or Holy Week procession festivities. They are based on customs originally brought from Spain almost 500 years ago. These rituals were periodically banned for political reasons but have been regularly practiced in Taxco once a year for the past 100 years or so. One can see, hear, and sense the processions as they wind through the ancient cobblestone streets. Children dressed as angels, followed by the faithful shouldering beautifully carved religious statuses. I witnessed “penitentes” who demonstrated their faith through self-inflicted suffering.
These re-enactments and processions are an amalgamation of Spanish and pre-Columbian worship and culture. For example, the use of percussion and musical instruments, and the specific qualities of “penitente” practices have indigenous roots. The indigenous identification with Christ’s (Jews) suffering at the hands of the Romans, mirrors their own history of suffering at the hands of the conquistadors. The flagellation practices are reminiscent of those found in Aztec culture. Their use of decorations, plants (zarzamora) and materials by the “penitentes” are clear adaptations to medieval Spanish customs and ritual.
Taxco is reported to be the “Silver Center of the World” where four tons of silver a month are made into jewelry and other works of art. In the late 1920s, the charm of this colonial hillside town attracted William Spratling, a North American architect, writer and artist, and his charisma in turn made Taxco “the haunt of Bohemian American artists and literati.”
Since 9/11 they’ve been hit hard due to drastically reduced tourism and because of the increased prices of silver. These are a proud, hardworking people who are very devout in their spirituality and commitment to their families. These are part of a series of images captured in Taxco as well as Cacalotenango. I got to the later by paying a private driver to transport me there. On my return to Taxco, I was blessed by having made friends with two Univision TV cameramen who’d managed to have a police truck at their disposal.
Cacalotenango is a small agricultural town in the mountains about one hour west of Taxco. The Semana Santa Good Friday festivities and passion play are acted out authentically. The whippings, flagellations and crucifixion actually occur live in front of spectators who are warned to stay clear of the action to avoid getting hurt. True to form, the crowds (and the photographers) were constantly being harassed, pushed and shoved by the Roman centurions who were clearing the way for the procession along the “Via Dolorosa.”
At one point, a bullwhip lash meant for “Jesus” actually hit me. I didn’t really get hurt but (in my mind) I fancied myself an “artist-penitent” of sorts as I roasted in the hot sun running up and down a wide area of hills and steep walkways trying to stay close to the action.
Let me tell you, this was as real an enactment as can be, short of death. According to an indigenous penitente, who became a friend, the crucifixion was real on both hands though the feet were tied in place. As I followed the Christ figure through various phases of torture, defilement and physical injuries, there was no doubt he was actually experiencing incredible suffering, exhaustion and pain.
As a semi-lapsed Catholic convert and human being I was extremely moved by the devotion of the participants and spectators who were able to relive the suffering, sacrifice and selflessness of this event.
A “penitente” told me this suffering was offered prayerfully for the well-being and healing of themselves, their families and communities. Beyond this was also an offering for national and world peace.
As an example, this indigenous “penitente” told me that he was praying for peace in Iraq and for the safety of American soldiers. Although I found these practices to be extreme and outside of my frame of experience, there was nothing fanatical or pathological about the people choosing to do this. They presented as very intelligent, discriminating, balanced and kind.
I got the sense that they were at peace with themselves and very centered. They seem to go into ecstatic or meditative states that defy ones concept of human endurance and self healing. I was told elderly diabetics have healed completely after deep flagellations with lead tipped whips after exhausting processions of many miles.
About 36 hours after severe self flagellation with metal tipped whips causing severe open wounds and ripped flesh, my friend's back appeared to have only a slight purplish hematomas with unbroken skin. I accidentally touched it when we hugged and he did not feel any pain........ Had I not seen this, I wouldn't have believed it possible.
Though I don't feel moved to do what these folks do, having seen what I've seen and having developed friendships with these wonderful people, I can understand how they attune to their spirituality in this way. When I think about it, I'm amazed at the perfection, joy and abundance of spirit to be found everywhere, however alien these particular practices may have seemed at first.
I have somehow developed a faith that the "economies" of spirit are perfectly balanced and without judgement toward all manner of human spiritual development and devotion. This is part of a forthcoming series of images documenting Semana Santa (Easter) in Taxco and Cacalotenango, Mexico in April 2007.
For Dannee love is sacrificial and selfless, for her love gives a reason to live, a hope for the future, and the strength needed to fight… For her buddy, friend and lover Sam, she did not know, he liked to make fun of couples in love, so for him it was mostly passion that existed, yet he even admitted that he liked to feel her affection so before he would go and revert to his usual routine at his home, she decided to make their time passionate, beautiful and unforgettable, playing in temptress...
Siwash Rock, also known by its Squamish name Skalsh or Slhx̱i7lsh, is a famous rock outcropping in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada's Stanley Park. A legend among the Indigenous Squamish people surrounds the rock. It is between 15 and 18 metres tall (50–60 feet). It became known to mariners as Nine Pin Rock for its vague resemblance to a bowling pin at one point too. [source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siwash_Rock]
Siwash Rock is one of the most iconic of Stanley Park’s father figures. Located at a sharp bend between 3rd Beach, Prospect Point and the Lions Gate Bridge, Siwash is a rocky outcrop with a tough, twisted handful of Douglas Firs sprouting on top. Long before Lord Stanley gazed upon the lattice of rocky shores, sandy beaches and giant cedars that make up our beloved park, Siwash Rock stood ‘like a noble-spirited, upright warrior” according to E. Pauline Johnson (aka Tekahionwake), the author of Legends of Vancouver.
Whether you choose to salute Siwash Rock as an interesting, coastal formation or a monument dedicated to a selfless father figure, it’s still one of Stanley Park’s most photographed and revered attractions. The geological explanation for origins of this Vancouver icon says that Siwash Rock came to be thanks to a volcanic dike forming in the sandstone and mudstone that form the park’s foundation. Burning hot magma was forced upwards through a crack in the Earth’s surface creating an abstract-looking basalt stack. Tougher than the sandstone cliffs nearby, Siwash Rock is the only sea stack for kilometers around. [source: www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/08/22/history-of-siwash-rock/]
Stanley Park is a 405-hectare (1,001-acre) public park that borders the downtown of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada and is almost entirely surrounded by waters of Vancouver Harbour and English Bay. The park has a long history and was one of the first areas to be explored in the city. The land was originally used by indigenous peoples for thousands of years before British Columbia was colonized by the British during the 1858 Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. For many years after colonization, the future park with its abundant resources would also be home to non-aboriginal settlers. The land was later turned into Vancouver's first park when the city incorporated in 1886. It was named after Lord Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, a British politician who had recently been appointed governor general. Unlike other large urban parks, Stanley Park is not the creation of a landscape architect, but rather the evolution of a forest and urban space over many years. Most of the man-made structures we see today were built between 1911 and 1937 under the influence of then superintendent W.S. Rawlings. Additional attractions, such as a polar bear exhibit, aquarium, and miniature train, were added in the post-war period. Much of the park remains as densely forested as it was in the late 1800s, with about a half million trees, some of which stand as tall as 76 meters (249 ft) and are up to hundreds of years old. Thousands of trees were lost (and many replanted) after three major windstorms that took place in the past 100 years, the last in 2006. Significant effort was put into constructing the near-century-old Vancouver Seawall, which can draw thousands of residents and visitors to the park every day. The park also features forest trails, beaches, lakes, children's play areas, and the Vancouver Aquarium, among many other attractions.
On June 18, 2014 Stanley Park was named "top park in the entire world" by TripAdvisor.
[source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Park]
Vancouver, officially the City of Vancouver, is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada, and the most populous city in the province. The 2011 census recorded 603,502 people in the city, making it the eighth largest Canadian municipality. The Greater Vancouver area of around 2.4 million inhabitants is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country. Vancouver is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada; 52% of its residents have a first language other than English. Vancouver is classed as a Beta global city. The City of Vancouver encompasses a land area of about 114 square km, giving it a population density of about 5,249 people per square km (13,590 per square mi). Vancouver is the most densely populated Canadian municipality with over 250,000 residents, and the fourth most densely populated such city in North America behind New York City, San Francisco, and Mexico City. The original settlement, named Gastown, grew up on clearcuts on the west edge of the Hastings Mill logging sawmill's property, where a makeshift tavern had been set up on a plank between two stumps and the proprietor, Gassy Jack, persuaded the curious mill-workers to build him a tavern, on 1 July 1867. From that first enterprise, other stores and some hotels quickly appeared along the waterfront to the west. Gastown became formally laid out as a registered townsite dubbed Granville, B.I. ("B.I" standing for "Burrard Inlet"). As part of the land and political deal whereby the area of the townsite was made the railhead of the CPR, it was renamed "Vancouver" and incorporated shortly thereafter as a city, in 1886. By 1887, the transcontinental railway was extended to the city to take advantage of its large natural seaport, which soon became a vital link in a trade route between the Orient, Eastern Canada, and Europe. As of 2014, Port Metro Vancouver is the third largest port by tonnage in the Americas (displacing New York), 27th in the world, the busiest and largest in Canada, and the most diversified port in North America. While forestry remains its largest industry, Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature, making tourism its second-largest industry. Major film production studios in Vancouver and Burnaby have turned Greater Vancouver and nearby areas into one of the largest film production centres in North America, earning it the film industry nickname, Hollywood North. [source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver]
When I immigrated to Canada at the age of 17 I went through a culture shock. The most differences between the Canadian society and the Iraqi society are the lack of commitment, and how lightly love is treated here. I first came to realize that commitment is not highly valued here at my first summer job: people simply didn't care about the company, the products they were producing, their co-workers, or the owners—they only wanted their pay checks. I don't even want to start talking about love here, because I don't know where to start and where to end! I just want to make one comment about love:
Love is not only a feeling, if it was our Lord Jesus Christ wouldn't command us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Because when was the last time you felt love towards your enemy? So love is also a commitment: while a feeling is something you can't control, a commitment you certainly can. It is after you make the commitment to pray and do good to your enemies that the feeling of love may come.
I remember while I was new in Canada I watched on a Judge Judy show a woman suing her common-law husband who is 25 years old because he does not work or help her around the house because he only plays video games with his friends, while she takes care of their 2 children. I had to laugh when I heard that, as I was new to this concept of a 25 years old man who does nothing with his life but play video games! Then around that time I heard in the morning news that a man was wanted in a drive-by shooting related to gang wars, and they said he was 35 years old! I was very shocked to find out that a 35 years old man is still in a gang and he goes around shooting people! It took me few years to figure out what is going on to a high percentage of people here: people (both males and females, but it seems males have a higher percentage) seem to go through infancy, childhood, adolescence, but have such a hard time passing into adulthood. Let me give you an example:
Boys in Iraq when they grow up they are constantly reminded that one day they are going to be men. For example, when my brother-in-law (who is from Egypt) goes to do a business deal he takes my 6 years old nephew with him because he wants his son to see that life is not all playing and that it requires seriousness and responsibility. And we are also told to keep our word—that is if we say something we stick by it. Because Iraq is a cultural society a man's worth is valued by how he values his own words. Let's say a man promises his neighbour to help him fix his car in the evening. If evening comes and the man doesn't show up then he cannot be trusted, if he cannot be trusted then he is not dependable, which mean his services will not be required, and if you are not needed in the society then you are not important. This idea here is almost non-existing. At university for example students are constantly being formed into groups of about 5 people and have to work as a group to get a project done. It is almost always that one group member or more either doesn't show up to a meeting, or is late, or has not done his or her part. Many have no feelings of responsibility or commitment. Yet, those same students are expected to graduate in a year or so and become leaders of families and our society!
The problem lies in that most people live here by preference rather than convictions. Their thoughts pattern usually goes like this: I feel like it therefore I will do it, or I don't feel like it therefore I won't do it. People live by preferences when they are selfish and self centred. But living by convictions and commitments requires selflessness and sacrifice. And as Christians it is essential that we keep our words and promises. Because if we desire to be like our Lord then we have to be trustworthy, faithful, selfless, and committed like Him. It is essential that we live by convictions.
Imagine marriage run by feelings alone? Who feels like taking the garbage out? Who feels like changing diapers? Who feels like waking up 3 times a night to a crying child? Who feels like paying the mortgage? Who feels in love the same with their spouse after 30 years?
Another problem people face here is that at such a young age they engage in sexual immorality, and associate love with it, and experience rejection. If a person has had multiple sex partners by the time they are 20 years old, what value does marriage, love, or commitment have to them anymore? That's why it is so important that Christians raise their children on Biblical principles and enforce those principles.
I am not saying that in Iraq people don't break their promises, and people in Canada are not trustworthy, all I am saying is that the percentage of people who are untrustworthy, take love easily, and don't value commitment is much higher here. And I am not saying that if you promise something you have to always keep it. If you promise in your anger to commit a sin then don't do it. Or if you promise doesn't fit God's will then don't do it. And I am also not saying you should become like a machine living without feelings but by commands alone. The goal here is not to be become a perfectionist or ignore your humanity; the goal here is to be trustworthy, dependable, and not disappoint God and people as long as it depends on you. The idea here is to be a adult (responsible) man or woman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Few months ago I read in the February 2009 InTouch magazine a story of a Christian man's divorce that really touched me. I cried when I read it because the emotions he expressed were so true of a rejected, fooled, deceived, mistreated, and disesteemed person. The story reminded me of a movie that was based on a true story of a man committing adultery with his secretary, and then divorcing his completely unsuspecting wife to marry his mistress. The sad part of the story is that he only felt guilty for a while, while she had to live with the feelings of being rejected, unloved, unimportant, deceived, and had to deal with disappointment, shame and labels (because of society), and having no support in raising their sons for many years. On top of that, when holidays came her sons went to spend time with their dad while she stayed home alone. It is amazing how the actions of one person can harm another so greatly. Sometimes we think that the person who does the wrongdoings reaps the consequences for his or her actions immediately, but often times this is not the case and that the victim suffers for much longer. At least that's sometimes true here on earth, but in heaven everything is fair and no time is longer than an eternity in hell.
Sometimes people say that it takes two people to ruin a marriage. I don't believe in that: I think it needs only one person to ruin a marriage (of course, it can also take two people). You only need one hand to be missing for you not to be able to clap. Few years ago at work a woman discovered her husband was committing adultery with a co-worker who was 20 years his junior. The wife was very crushed. Then a co-worker told me that her sons say that she doesn't even cook at home. I answered her, "That's non-sense, if he was that hungry he should cook himself, order food, or take them out for dinner. How is food connected to adultery?" It seems that we humans love to blame the victim for the crime, but this doesn't please God.
I also know a very godly Iraqi man who loved a girl with all of his heart for 3 years. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her as long as it made her happy and it wasn't a sin. Then one day she told him that she couldn't marry him because he was a construction worker, and even though he made good money he was worth nothing because he doesn't have a degree. He was shocked when he heard her say that to him, because he wanted to marry her! After all those years, money spent and efforts from his part, and all that love, that's what she thought of him? Few months later he heard that she got married to a doctor. Six months later she sent him an e-mail apologizing, asking his forgiveness saying that she still loves him. He wrote her back with the supervision of his pastor and addressing her as "sister" saying that what happened has happened, and he prays for her and her husband, wishes them the best, and that he doesn't want her to contact him anymore because she is a married woman now. Since then I wondered: Why make a mess of your life? Why not value someone who you know in your heart that this person genuinely loves you? And we all know how difficult it is to find someone who loves you unconditionally and is committed to you. Why marry someone for the wrong reasons and regret it later? I want to say this to the ladies reading this:
There is nothing more attractive in a woman than knowing she is wise, and have a strong character. (That's why so many men find girls who wear glasses attractive!) It is a beautiful thing in a woman to have an independent character. And by independent I don't mean rebellious or that she doesn't respect other people's thoughts, but I mean to be dependent on God's Word and to know who she is in Him and what His will is and to live a godly life—that she is not easily persuaded to do things. I am saying this because in the Middle Eastern culture and even among many Christians, women seem to be so easily influenced by whatever a man says. When I get married, if it is God's will, I want my wife to have her own character, her own thoughts and to ask, "Is what my husband saying correct? Is it supported Biblically?" And if it is not then I would love for her to correct me. Just as I am supposed to be the man of the house, she is supposed to be my helper, and how can she helps me when she just duplicates my thoughts, and doesn't question my decisions?! Interestingly, the most independent in her thinking godly woman I know is also the best wife I know. The Bible says in Proverbs 31:
"{10} A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
{11} Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value."
[How can a husband have full confidence in his wife if he knows she is easily influenced?]
"{13} She selects…. {14} She bringing…. {15} She gets up…she provides…. {16} She considers… she plants…. {17} She sets about her work…. {18} She sees that her trading is profitable…. {19} She holds…. {20} She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy…. {21} She has no fear…. {22} She makes…. {25} She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. {26} She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."
[This is a woman has an independent mind and a strong character, works hard, and make profitable deals, she is confident and makes wise decisions, and her husband has confidence in her and is respected—that's a godly woman.]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So for few months now I have decided to take a photo to illustrate the pain a man or a woman go through when the wife or the husband commit adultery. And yesterday at university with the help of few classmates I was able to take that photo. The photo is dedicated to William Ryder (whose story is posted below), and all wronged persons out there whose only crime is that they loved so purely that they didn't see evil coming.
I hope you like the photo and the writing :)
PS: The one thing I don't understand about adultery is how come it is not against the law! I mean, marriage is a contract and both parties agree on its terms and sign it, right? Then how come the breach of this contract is not against the law? I mean, if you do it in business you get sued and have to pay for it. So why is destroying a family, and the lives of the wife or husband, and the children is not punishable by law?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This (unexpected) Life
Surviving the pain of labels and “good intentions”
by William Ryder
I will always remember that night with crystal clarity. We had just moved to a new city eleven days earlier to enable Amy, my wife of three years, to begin a Master’s program. Having graduated from seminary ten weeks prior, I was working a retail job while I searched for a church ministry position. Weary from a ten-hour workday framed by a one-hour commute, I slowly climbed the steps to our new apartment.
Inside, I sank gleefully into my favorite chair and turned my attention to Amy, who was sitting at the edge of the couch beside me. She nervously cleared her throat and said, “We need to talk.” I was not prepared for what came next. In what seemed like a single breath she said, “Well, I have not been very happy lately. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out why, and I think I’ve finally realized the truth. I don’t love you. I don’t have the feelings for you that I think a wife should have for her husband. I think marrying you was a mistake, and I don’t want to be married anymore.”
Wow. There was simply no response in my mind to what she had said. I was numb. I stood up and paced the floor as I desperately strove to work through this information. I understand that in most divorces, both parties usually see it coming; however, there is occasionally that hapless idiot who’s caught completely off guard. That was me, catching butterflies in left field while my wife decided she no longer loved me.
Almost immediately, Amy moved out of our apartment to stay with a friend. She would speak to me only through e-mails and, soon after, her attorney. I stayed there alone for several weeks, pleading with her to change her mind. However, two months after the initial bombshell, Amy had divorce papers drawn up, and I realized that our marriage was truly over. Knowing her decision was final, and because I had no job or friends in the new city, I agreed to leave town.
I remember walking through the apartment, trying to separate “my” things from “her” things. It was impossible—like reaching inside of a baked cake, trying to pull out the individual ingredients. No longer was there a unity of belongings, but rather a collection of two people’s possessions thrown together. Looking over all our stuff, I was no longer able to see any gray; everything was either black or white, hers or mine, staying or going.
As I made the last inspection after packing all of my things into a U-Haul, my attention paused at a framed wedding picture on the kitchen table. For a moment, I stopped breathing. Picking it up, I looked into the eyes of that beautiful bride, and I trembled. Returning the photograph to the table, I became painfully aware of the now-defunct piece of gold on my left hand. I slowly pulled the wedding band off my finger, gently kissed it, and sat it on the table beside the portrait. Then I turned, walked outside, and locked the door behind me. At that moment, in every way, I was a man with no home.
Weeks later, I suffered the tremendous indignity of piecing together the abhorrent truth behind Amy’s departure. Her “rational, adult decision” to leave our marriage was a sham; she’d actually been embroiled in an affair with another man for almost a year—one third of our marriage. This was the “friend” with whom she was staying while I pled for her to return. With this insight, my last hopes were destroyed, and I signed the divorce papers . . . two days before Thanksgiving.
This is my story. Tragic? Absolutely. Pitiful? Without a doubt. The real question, though, is, Why should you care about all of this? Why did I have to invite you into the darkest part of my private nightmares? The answer, sadly, is that if you do not have such a painful story yourself, you can be certain that you know someone who does. Roughly half of all marriages in America end in divorce; for born-again Christians, the percentage is, surprisingly, higher. Despite all of these “newly single” people populating American churches, the church in general has no idea how to react, relate, or respond to the needs of this heartbroken crowd.
I believe the first obstacle that must be conquered is a matter of identity. Let me explain: In the past few years, I have become painfully aware of how, when, and where the word “divorce” is used. It often appears in a checklist under the heading “Marital Status,” which gives people four options: single, married, widowed, or divorced. I’ve seen this in the most unexpected places, from a church visitor information card to an application for health insurance.
The issue is that people have grown accustomed to categorizing others according to certain “pegs” in their social life. The problem with this, however, is that there is no such thing as a “divorced person.” Divorce is an event, not a condition. My divorce was something that happened to me, a tragedy in my past. However, that misfortune should not characterize my whole life from now on.
The church can go a long way toward ministering to the expansive population of “new singles” by simply striking the word “divorced” from its vocabulary. Using the term as an adjective simply identifies an individual by a horrible event in his life. In this, saying, “Will is a divorced person” is tantamount to saying, “Frank is a pancreatic cancer person.” No one would be insensitive enough to say the latter, so why should it be acceptable to commonly say the former?
The most shocking and hurtful appearance of the “divorce check-box” that I have seen was actually church-related. I had taken myself out of the ministry search for almost a year while I worked through my divorce. Then, as I began to test the waters, I wrote to local denominational associations, asking for help in finding possible positions in their areas. One group mailed back a Personal Inventory Checklist to be stapled to my résumé. The checklist contained a brief list of yes/no questions that inquired about any involvement in child abuse, spousal abuse, and other indiscretions. There, wedged neatly between “Obscene/Harassment Phone Calls” and “Do you use illegal drugs?” was the question, “Have you been divorced?” It was then I realized that, in many people’s opinions, my new peer group consisted of wife beaters and child molesters. I completed the form, but obviously never heard from any church in that area.
Another problem is the “civilian’s” inability to understand what divorce does to a person. Unfortunately, many well-meaning people attempt to help their hurting friends by uttering the five most potentially destructive words imaginable: “Get on with your life.” This encouragement is built on the premise that their friend’s life is still there, but he has just removed himself from it. This is a mistake. Even though he may still be breathing, your friend’s life, for all intents and purposes, was terminated by his divorce.
Let me demonstrate this point from my own experience. For eight long, continuous years I worked hard in school, held a full-time job, took on various church leadership roles, got married, and began making long-term career and family plans. However, my wife’s actions effectively ended that life. In a real sense, my divorce murdered the man and the minister that I was becoming. I will simply never be that man again.
The miracle is that God has raised a new life from the ashes. I now have a new career and ministry that I adore. I honestly cannot imagine being happier doing anything else. Does this mean that my current life will always be second-string to what “might have been”? I don’t think so; however, I do know that this life came about only through time, patience, and the determined work of God. Do not be quick to urge the newly single person to “get on with his life”; he may actually be stuck between the old life and the new. Only the Holy Spirit and a hearty amount of patience will truly enable him to get on with his new life.
When my ordeal first began in August of 2000, I met with a trusted mentor—a minister who had been through a similar situation. He said something to me that I’ll never forget: “William, nothing I say can make this less painful. But I do know that if you get through a major crisis like divorce with your faith intact, you will understand some things about God that a lot of people never realize.” Now, looking back, I see that he was right. I have never been more aware of the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit than I have these past few years. I have never before known the complete joy and release of casting everything at the foot of the cross and coming to God with a broken heart and empty hands. Mostly, though, I never expected to actually like my new life, but God was more gracious than I ever imagined.
If you are standing where I have been, or if you love someone who is going through the whirlwind of divorce, do no expect any trite words of comfort and solace here. However, if you are a hurting individual who is crying out to God for the strength to endure, be encouraged by His response through the apostle Peter: “[Cast] all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you . . . And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:7, 10). Even if the present seems insurmountable, you can trust that the future is wide open for your success, love, and happiness. How do I know? Because God said so, and because He has done it for me.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: InTouch Magazine, February 2009
(Toronto, ON; fall 2009.)
Currently the widely circulated images "Homage to P. Jaisini" are placed to be seen on the internet to the viewers who are NOT interested in fine art. In the tradition of Gleitzeit to reach out and plant a seed. Still this is hardly a systematic approach, since the Gleitzeit Art Mission refuse any specific goals except the artistic information and interaction about visual art.
The artworks that are not signed (if signed - invented names) point to a concept of praising the artist who had destroyed his artworks, the artist of great talent and skills. This selfless act to create the significant artworks without any material profit from it is really "out of place" from the present where we live in the most selfish times.
Do you ever feel lonely?
Could we make more of an effort to interact with each other? We may need to be selfless, going beyond one's wild beast
Sometimes life has moments hard to understand. Many times in those times, God sends angels to strengthen us and give us their selfless love with simple things, but these things can have a beautiful effect within us.
That's Xia Firethorn, an angel of Flickr.
Xia is the angel, with its beautiful drives to all comments on Flickr.
Xia Thanks for giving me encouragement, even when photos are not so cute! lol
When a soul is beautiful, sees beauty in everything around her.
Xia Thanks for remembering my birthday and giving me this beautiful gift. It was the finest detail that I received that day.
A veces la vida tiene momentos difíciles de comprender. Muchas veces en esos momentos, Dios nos manda ángeles para darnos fuerzas y de forma desinteresada nos dan su cariño con cosas simples, pero estas cosas pueden tener un efecto hermoso dentro de nosotros.
Eso es Xia Firethorn, un angel de Flickr.
Xia es el angel, que impulsa con sus hermosos comentarios a todos en Flickr.
Gracias Xia, por darme ánimos, aun cuando las fotos no están tan lindas! lol
Cuando un alma es bella, ve belleza en todo lo que la rodea.
Gracias Xia por recordar mi cumpleaños y darme este hermoso regalo. Fué el más hermoso detalle que recibí ese día.
I know this is not the kind of pictures i use to post here, but i really wanted to dedicate this one to my little niece, Martina. She´s just pure love, a selfless little girl that makes me tear up a bit when she looks at me and smiles
Darden Towe Park, Charlottesville.
For the second time this week I found myself looking up from some culvert and seeing a mother pushing her child, almost like the photography gods want me to capture this scene. Remember this scene. This selfless act of well-being for a mother and child. Happening up there, above me.
Nikon FE - Nikkor 50 1.2 - R60 filter - Ilford HP5+ @ 800 - Adox Rodinal 1+25 8min - dslr scan - Nikon D810 - Micro Nikkor 105 2.8 - Lightroom (convert/crop) - Photoshop (add mat)
A wet Eros reflecting the lurid neon colours of Piccadilly Circus.
But, did you know.... the statue isn't really of Eros, but Anteros, his brother.
Part of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain by Sir Alfred Gilbert.
... as the news continues to come out of the overwhelming loss of life and property from the fires that have been devastating many areas of Victoria. So many stories of sadness and loss, but at the same time, so many stories of heroic and selfless acts of bravery and courage.
My heart goes out to everyone affected.
Seen at #116 ... thank you...
~A Rose That Once Stood Alone~
A solitary rose grew in the darkest corner of the garden
Surrounded by many others
Yet remained alone
Time passed and trials came and went
One dealt a severe blow
And the rose began to wilt and wither
Forgotten...
Then... as if by a miracle...
There came a soft and gentle breeze
Followed by a ray of light
As all the other roses fell into darkness
The solitary rose began to shine
Shining with a special light...
And watered by a gentle cascade...
A cascade of love
A cascade of selfless affection
'I do... not now but forever...'
Said the rose to the sunlight
And there they remain
A rose in full bloom
With her sunshine smiling down on her...
You are my sunshine, my life, my very soul
And I your rose blooming in the light of your love.
~ jocelyn garcia
Happy Easter to everyone!
He has Risen!! Hallelujah!!!
Bucky entered my life on 30th April 2005. He is my little darling baby boy and I hope we will have many, many more healthy & happy years together! I got him together with an ex-boyfriend and initially I plan to just keep him for the first few days and then he'd live with my ex.
Well, needless to say after having him around for the few days, I knew I could never give him up!! He has enlightened me to the meaning of selflessness and how parents love their children unconditionally. I find myself cleaning up after him, cleaning his house, grooming him, preparing his diet, making sure I come back in time to give him his dinner, enough play time ,etc - without having any grudges or impatience or feel like I have to do it.
Before having Bucky, I could never have imagine bonding with a rabbit - a dog or cat yes, but a rabbit? It is definately one of the most underrated and subtle joys in the world - they are intelligent and have their own unique personality. I feel lucky and grateful to experience this special relationship.
Uploaded on November 11, 2020
Today, we express our gratitude to the selfless men and women who honorably served our nation. Thank you for your courage and commitment, and for protecting our freedoms.
-
Media doesn't get to decide who won the presidential election. Recount the votes to regain the trust of the people. Then, we'll be able to live with the consequence. Red or Blue...
-
But today we are honoring the veterans. Thank you for your service to the country, veterans.
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honouring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future.