Pray Hard. Live Easy.

Sweet Blue Stillness , originally uploaded by Extra Medium . Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing; And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes. - eloquence from "The Prophet," by Kahlil Gibran

Dressing is a private ritual of our morning that speaks in our silence throughout our day. I find that fact disturbing on days when I don't have a lot to say or anything relevant to wear, in places where I know others are "listening." In linguistics we sit silently, waiting for the right words to surface. But in fashion siting in the nude in public waiting for the right outfit would make a very bold statement which is unlikely to articulate our message of the day. Stumbling upon an article by Anne Elizabeth Wynn, she says "Dressing each morning is a ritual greeting of the day. Style is what you want to make of that ritual." So I suppose we just work with what we have. Jean Cocteau noted that, "Style is a simple way of saying complicated things," to which I'd love to follow up, "subject to availability." I prefer a more lasting message, a deeper statement. A great speaker will always be more valuable to me than a great sneaker, no mat

photo by Red Leaf Studios Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. Cicero

SimplyBloom styled shoot , originally uploaded by vania_b (www.simplybloomphotography.com) . A heart that is completely surrounded by love cannot be harmed. ~ Cheri Huber

Naturally I will be a bit depressed and blue at times, and tired and uncomfortable, but there is that human principle which always finds that no matter how much is taken away, something is left to build again with. — Sylvia Plath

hunstman fellow , originally uploaded by Tweed Run . I think one of the highest compliments you can give a person is that when you are talking to him, you are not thinking about the fact that you are talking to him. That is, your thoughts and words all exist on a single, engaged level. You are being yourself because you aren’t bothering to think about who you should be. It is like when you talk in a dream. — David Levithan

1-30-10 , originally uploaded by beverly.13 .

photo by  etrusia always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question. e.e. cummings

, originally uploaded by nikolinelr . Happiness lies, first of all, in health. ~ George William Curtis

Black Lake, Pass of Dunloe , originally uploaded by kaysare . May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, The foresight to know where you are going, And the insight to know when you have gone too far... May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, And may trouble avoid you wherever you go... May the strength of God pilot us, may the wisdom of God instruct us, may the hand of God protect us, may the word of God direct us. Be always ours this day and for evermore. - Happy St. Patrick

Cheers, Mr Sun... , originally uploaded by white_shadow_photog .

Pine and Moon , originally uploaded by Tambako the Jaguar . We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery. ~ H.G. Wells

another from Dani Press

Photograph taken in North Kivu by Dan Johnson “I dont believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is vertical, so it’s humiliating. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other and learns from the other. I have a lot to learn from other people.” -Eduardo Galeano. Join Falling Whistles, campaign for peace in Congo

Photo by  Red Leaf Studios “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Proverbs 27:9

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein artwork by Courtenay Holden

photo by Dani Press

paul kenton

"At least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then." - Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

"Enjoy doing nothing, and you can enjoy doing anything. Enjoy having nothing, and you can enjoy whatever you have. Let go of it all, and you truly have it all. Let go of the need, and you experience the fulfillment. Be at peace with silence, and you'll hear clearly the song of your own purpose. Allow yourself to be confused, and you'll find yourself with new understanding." Ralph Marston