Friday, October 22, 2010

Status Talisman. . .

Or Stratus Talisman?


ALOHA!


Beauty in all it's forms
heals me.










"Those disabled from work - the aged,
 and invalids -
 have a well-grounded claim
 to care from the state."

Otto von Bismarck, 1881,
 proposing a social insurance program.









"An onion can make people cry,
 but there has never been a vegetable invented
 to make them laugh." 

Will Rogers









"Clothes make the man.
 Naked people have little or no influence on society."

Mark Twain










"The pine stays green in winter...
 wisdom in hardship." 


Norman Douglas 




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We are designed to look for faces
and patterns in behavior.

We interpret the actions of others
without even realizing it.

What we "see"
seems as self evident
as sports teams do
when they are winning.

But leads can be lost;
Momentum is always shifting.

Don't remain moored
to past patterns, habits,
automatic responses.

Cleanse your windows of perception.
Invite a few "what ifs"
to the party.
Get 
tipsy
with the real possibilities
that a shift in attitude
can begin.

O Lord
grant me the wisdom
to discern between
whole, healthy habits,
and stultifying routines -

Help me to be more able
to swim in the cataract of abundance
that surrounds me.

Amen



Bonus Tip:

We assume that our friends
or partners
are making a decision,
or sending a message,
when they are simply on auto-pilot
(as we are).



Remembering that they
are as lost & searching
as yourself
Allows compassion
to blanket and quench
the hot coals of hurt
in cool,
sparkling,
joyous
purity.


      Warmly, cloudia

31 comments:

Joop Zand said...

Good pictures with nice colors Cloudia.

warm greeings from Holland.Joop

have a nice weekend

Anonymous said...

I loved the Will Rogers quote. LOL

Hilary said...

Much to ponder.. and wonderful photos with which to do it.

BALLET NEWS said...

Lovely, as ever. Happy weekend Cloudia !

Rosaria Williams said...

I do like Mark Twain today; but your own thoughts about routines and perceptions are deep and wise.

Commander Zaius said...

Great quotes, especially Twain's.

Kay said...

Fabulous photos, Cloudia. I especially like your rainbow over the boats photos.

Anonymous said...

Outstanding. A deep bow in respect for your being and ability to write.


daily athens

SandyCarlson said...

As a good friend said to me once, "We're all just people, love." I was reading too much into everything. I was not showing compassion. I had to relearn a few things to get on track with the folks who held my heart. Your post reminds me of that. Thank you, sweet lady.

bichonpawz said...

Cloudia! These sky pictures are amazing!!! Hope all's well...just back from traveling!! xoxo
Jeanne

Feisty Crone said...

I love the dark clouds. Aloha!

Jo said...

Cloudia, I love your messages today. It's almost as if they spoke directly to me.

Cloudia said...

Gosh Thanks!

Windsmoke. said...

G' Day From Australia, It takes just four minutes for us human beings to know whether we like another person so the shrinks tell us. An angry dark sky followed by a colourful rainbow, fantastic.

Margaret Gosden said...

The rainbow is amazing. Do you get many of those, I wonder. Thanks for visiting - perhaps Leona Helmsley has come back to haunt! I did not see all that from the ground!!!!

Akelamalu said...

"An onion can make people cry,
but there has never been a vegetable invented
to make them laugh."


Will Rogers


I've never thought of it before but How true!

Maalie said...

Lovely pictures :-)
I would love to have a play in that kayak in your header-picture!

Trotter said...

Aloha Cloudia! Fantastic shots... Those clouds were needing an expert to catch them... Great job!!

Sorry for the absence: out one week, busy on return and then caught by the flu... ;)
Blogtrotter Two is still in Algiers... Enjoy and have a great week!

25BAR said...

Unfortunately, naked people don't have much say in society, And that's the fundamental flaw of society today. LOL

Betty Manousos said...

Thanks for the daily inspiration dose.
Love it!

B xx

Freda said...

I'm upset just now with the way the UK is treating its disabled and vulnerable, so your pictures and quotes helped to console, soothe and offer hope. Thanks.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

your wisdom should take center stage in tour posts, in my humble opinion.

what if you are locked into an old assumption/routine of thinking you have to lure us in with 'famous' quotes? your words uplift and encourage and are so appreciated!

Sheila said...

I think Will Rogers never saw a potato patch...we've had ducks, faces and more. Every potato is not a perfect oval and sometimes the results are comical. Thanks for visiting my blog and your kind comments.

Myrna R. said...

What you write is so inspirational. Your words respond to my mood, and life circumstance. Thanks.

The photos are so nice to just look at for a few moments. A meditation in beauty.

Charles Gramlich said...

Great advice. I like this.

Teresa said...

I loved the pictures of the sky today and that one looking out through the tikis at the green. Your quotes were delicious, and I am really enjoying your beautiful fish art.

Cloudia said...

WoW! Thanks

SandyCarlson said...

Thanks, my friend. I needed that reminder to be compassionate.

Anonymous said...

Stunning photos. And I very much needed that message of your last paragraph. Thank you.

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

Very beautiful sharing!
Greeings from Asia!
Wong
.. and just followed your blog.

Snaggle Tooth said...

Wonderful Sky photos!

I think saying "Rutabega" makes you laugh, without even having to eat it! (Vegtable, Roy)