Tempting Fate?

 

 

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

"Tempting Fate" a.k.a. "Against the Wall"

 

 @Copyrighted Photograph 2012.  All Rights Reserved: Isabelle Black Smith.

Climbing amongst these rocks ... unexpectedly, unprepared.  I had seen something splashing in the water while I was driving by and simply had to stop to see what it was.  I was wearing a 3 inch slip-on wedge shoe, at the time.  I hadn't wanted to slip my sandles off because the rocks had lots of sharp edges and I was afraid I'd cut up my feet.  Waves were pounding into the rock-lined shore as I raced along the rocks at full-speed trying to keep up with the sea turtles and seal I had seen frolicking in the ocean waters.  I probably should have fallen --being the clutz I can be-- but I didn't. Probably should have been swept off the rocks by a stray wave too, but somehow I wasn't.  Angels watching over me? Looking at this photograph painting now, I am sure that you've noticed the horizon isn't level?  Thought about fixing it with a one degree rotation, cropping and painting in the gapped edges of sky left at the top --know this because I am doing just such for another version-- but for the purposes of this post ... the skewed sky slanting toward the shore adds weight to the watery waves crashing into the shore, I think.  And perhaps the slanted sky helps to evoke the "madness" of the tempest stirred when one brave soul dares to tempt fate, thereby adding creedence to the title?


... And given my penchant for being mysterious and hiding, I've hidden my name in here somewhere.  Care to find it?





9/16/2012  Reading back over this ... this photo and its accompanying tale seem a fitting metaphor for my life.  Maybe it's time to slip my sandles off and *@&!* the feet?  Maybe getting swept away wouldn't be so bad after all ... Lord knows I've endured my fair share of falling.





Song:  "Strangers", Cover By Wye Oak (The Kinks)    ... AV Club Undercover Project
(check this video out:  the drummer in here is playing both the drums and the keyboard at the same time.  Talk about talent?!)

Chasing Butterflies, Ladybugs & Sleep ...

I have just discovered a new 'natural' sleep aid.  It is called "Deep Sleep" and it is made from extract of California Poppy.  I was skeptical at first, because most natural sleep aids have little effect on me.  They make me drowsy and sometimes take the edge off, but my natural instinct is to fight sleep ... so they usually don't help me to actually sleep.  The latter aside, I am willing to try new things because I don't like taking medicines of any sort --especially sleeping pills-- long term. 

Image Source & Poppy Info

So I gave this "Deep Sleep", natural sleep aid  a try.  It takes awhile to kick in, but when it does it knocks you out.  It kept me out for a good 6 hours, which is a good night of sleep for me.  It took me awhile to shake off the grogginess afterwards too, but maybe my body just needs to get used to this new input?  I need to do some more research on this form of sleep aid.  I mean don't they make hard core drugs from poppies?  Opium, heroin?  So I have to wonder if taking this sleep aid will have detrimental side effects in the long run?  But in the meantime, I may see some nights with more than 3 (or zero) hours of sleep --and zero seems to be my norm of late-- in my immediate future.  I guess that's something, right??????

Photo of my own feet shortly?

Image Source

I love poppies ... always have.  Used to love running barefoot through fields of these, in Northern California, chasing after butterflies and lady bugs =) ... So perhaps it is fitting that poppies are now enabling me to find peace in the form of restful, regenerative sleep.

Here's a song that seems to go rather well with chasing butterflies, sleep or whatever you may be after.  This song has such an upbeat whimsical, almost child-like innocence to it, from my perspective ... Have a fabulous weekend, ya'll!

~M



Song: "Wax & Wire", By Loch Lomond

I found a piece of home ...

This image came up as a search tag for my blog?  Such a beautiful painting, is it not?  Wonderful illuminating vision by the artist, Elizabeth Osborne.  She surely transports me right into the middle of this field of glorious poppies.  I love poppies.  They are so wild and free.  One of my favorite flowers.  I have many wonderful memories of running through fields of these beauties ... barefoot of course ... chasing after ladybugs and butterflies.  This was during my days in northern California at about 9-11 years of age.

Image Source

I saw this painting and instantly felt such an overwhelming sense of peace.  This scene was a piece of home for me, a piece of me ... my own personal religion.  Think, this Spring I will have to drive down to California, kick off my shoes and go running through a field of poppies once again.  Been awhile since I went chasing after butterflies.  This will definitely be a photo capture for inclusion in my "finding my religion" photo series.

I did finally sleep and last night I dreamt of Syria.  I was a young mother, living there with small children ... My dream was so very real:  It was as if I was seeing the nightmare currently unfolding in the real world, in Syria, through the eyes of another.  In my dream it was the French who stepped up to the plate and finally got the ball rolling with respect to actually helping these people by sending in ground troops with NATO backing. We shall see if my 'vision' comes to pass?  In the meantime, I am still diligently and wholeheartedly praying for the women, children and men of Syria.  May God Bless them, each and everyone, and keep them safe until the rest of the world finds the courage to finally take decisive and meaningful action.

These Feet ...

A poem that evolved from yesterday's ponderings.   This is a work in progress, as am I ...

Image Source

"These Feet"

1    Walk, skip, run ...

2    And when I'm lucky, dance with these feet  the Creator,

3    In His infinite wisdom unto me so gifted.

4    I will walk through this journey, my so-called life,

5    Joyful arms out-lifted on a glorious adventure unscripted. 

6    Free-will  our inheritance enlisted,

7    These feet carry a warrior with a gentle heart,

8    Willfully serving His higher purpose.

9     His voice ever near and endlessly heeded,

10   I am an empty vessel waiting  to be filled ...

11   A burning spirit, sealed in fire, watching, waiting,

12   Listening, ready to be used as I am needed.

13   Renouncing Fear , these feet journey ever forward

14   Knowing full well moments there shall call

15   Where these feet shall scarcely find the will to crawl.

16   To my knees then will I swiftly fall, but even then

17   Fear will NOT rule:  my will remains immune to worldly strife.

18   Unyielding Faith in the Creator breathes me Life.

19   My spirit calls unto Him to fill up the

20   Empty wanting that in this darkness is me ...

21   In my Valley of Darkness safe from harm

22   The Creator will me keep.  With His Infinite Love

23   And Merciful Grace, He renews a weary me.

24   Therefore, I shall not with worldly tears weep. 

25   Fortifying my strength, opening eyes, mind, heart and soul:

26   He fills me up and makes me once again whole.

27   Thus renewed, these free-willed feet

28   Choose to resume His Divine Bidding.

29   Joyful steps these feet trace in the sands of a so-called life,

30   Mindfully infused with Heaven's Eternal Pace:

31   The Cosmic Beat set with Supreme Perfection

32   Unto Nature's Rhythmic Feet  ...

33   With Nature, I strive to be One.

34   So move these feet, ever forward in motion,

35   A glorious notion in aid to simple hands;

36   A paired will awaits:  there to do as He insights.

@Copyrighted Poem, 2012.  All Rights Reserved:  Isabelle Black Smith.

“It is the marriage of the soul with Nature that makes the intellect fruitful, and gives birth to imagination.” ~Henry David Thoreau

The Shoes Make the Man?

I seem to be beating this cold.  It doesn't stand a chance.  Doomed to fail ... It picked the wrong host. ; )

Not many images and words flowing from me these days, but I did finally sleep some.  Now, I am feeling restless and need to go for a run.  So that must be a sign that I'm on the mend.

Image Source

Thinking about shoes today and how I'm not a big fan of shoes.  I love being barefoot ... well, when its practical and sometimes even when its not.  Anyhow, I am thinking about feet ... How they carry us where we want to go.  They enable us to 'pursue our dreams' in a manner of speaking.   Then my thoughts skip to the saying "The shoes make the man."  Do people really a judge a man by his shoes?  How shallow ... to my way of thinking anyhow.  Then the image of Jesus washing Peter's feet (I posted a painting of this story image from the Bible a few days back, in my post labeled "Jury Duty") comes to mind.  The latter Bible story really struck a chord with me as a small child and does even now to this day.

I often have dreams where feet are a part of the dream.  What does that mean?  Just a few days back, I wrote a post about reincarnation and a dream I have had of late that revolves around a pair of stolen shoes. I have also had a recurring nightmare for many years where I am running barefoot through the night and my feet are being cut and badly bruised along the way ... then in the middle of the dream my feet are washed just before the real horror of the nightmare unfolds.

I know 'feet' seem an odd thing to ponder, but at times my mind has a will of its own.  Although, I am quite often surprised at some of the profound places my strange pondering ends up leading me.  Where will this pondering of feet ... shoes ... go?  I haven't a clue.  I'm off to go for a run now; I'll let you know if I reach any profound conclusions along the way.



Peace & Love,
~M





Early morning ... It is nearly my magic hour of 3:00 a.m.  I seldom can sleep before this time unless I take sleeping pills which I don't like to do.  Well after my run, my fingers found a movie centering around the dance of Tango.  Very apropos ... Feet dance when the spirit is so moved.  Our feet carry us through life and if we are lucky ... fortunate ... enough we get to dance along the way, right?  It also occured to me while watching this movie, that dance is perhaps something that can bridge cultural and regional lines or differences maybe?  Dance is a language unto itself and a universal language at that?  Throughout the ages, and around the globe, are there not countless instances of man engaged in  dance?  We all share perhaps the inate ability to be moved to motion ... to dance ... when the music moves us.

I have to smile.  The universe moves in mysterious ways does it not?  Tango anyone?

Jury Duty ...

My call to the New Year was ushered in by a summons to jury duty ... which got me to thinking about the word "righteousness."   Righteousness (the act of being righteous ... the act of being righteous is perhaps what bothers me and not so much the notion that something could be righteous?) is a word that I have never really liked or well understood, and sitting here today I am thinking that 'righteousness' is a BIG part of what's wrong with the world today ... what's wrong with America today ... and why so many people in the world today (especially our youth) are offended by religion in general ... why there seems to be a push back against religion in the name of  "separation  of church and state", in the form of so-called "secularism", this past decade especially.

I think often times religious people, people of faith, have a tendency to be perceived as self-righteous and that immediately puts many of those they encounter, in daily life, on the offensive ... even before a general dialogue begins to unfold.  I know many religious texts speak of a 'Righteous' God, but to my way of thinking, Our Creator displays anything but righteousness ... even though He IS by definition righteous. My reading of the Bible shows me numerous instances of God as a loving, forgiving and merciful God.  The very fact that God was willing to humble himself by taking on flesh in order to endure the human experience as Jesus, His Son, speaks to Our Creator's wisdom in His willingness to embrace humility ...

"Jesus Washing Peter's Feet at the Last Supper", By Ford Madox Brown

(Image Courtesy of ArtMagick.com)

I don't know:  I don't have all of the answers sitting here before me at this very moment ... This is just where my thoughts happen to be wondering this day.  I'll have to see where my pondering leads?  Feel free to leave me your thoughts here, in a comment, if you would like.  I welcome additional insights and other points of view.

I do think that all to often one of the most basic flaws of the 'human condition' is our tendency to jump to conclusions and to judge others from a perspective that is anything but Peace & Love so prominently evident in the words and actions of Jesus Christ throughout his life.

Do You Believe in Reincarnation?

Have you ever had a dream that seemed so very real that it seemed as if you had physically been transported to another time and space?  A dream where the world is alive with color ... vibrant colors ... and there is texture and smell to go with sights and sounds?  I don't often have dreams like this, but I have had one such recurring dream lately -- over the course of the past few months. Dreams such as these make me think that they come from experiences in one of my past lives and I do wholeheartedly believe in reincarnation.

These are two paintings that come pretty close to elements within my multi-dimensional dream.  My dream centers around a stolen pair of shoes.  Is that odd?  ...  I recall that I could also feel a gentle breeze blowing across my face as I ran playfully amongst the trees, with the patches of the sun's warming rays breaking through the treetops from time to time.   So I wonder, have you ever had a dream like the above, with textures and smells that accompany an array of vivid colored sights and sounds?  ... "The stuff that dreams are made of " ...

Do you believe in reincarnation?  I would venture most people never ever really take the time to think on the subject and as such have no opinion (or instinct) one way or another.   Let's face it, re-incarnation is not mainstream or really a topic for 'normal' discussion.  Most often, I believe that because reincarnation is based upon a set of personal beliefs and experiences it is often difficult to translate into meaningful explanations for individuals outside of the immediate experience ... dream or memories of recollection.  Besides, most people walk through their lives half asleep.  The notion of pondering reincarnation probably never occurs to most and when it does they are all to eager to dismiss it because it is a concept that is so foreign and frightening to them (i.e., pondering reincarnation requires addressing death and one's own "mortality") ... because as yet, there is no tangible 'proof' that reincarnation is possible and does occur with regular frequency.  To my way of thinking, however, working within the narrow confines of our 'tangible', concrete daily reality is so very limiting when you consider the vastness of the ever expanding universe itself ... isn't it?

I always say:  "Change your perspective:  change your life."  Right now, I am thinking ... "Change your perspective:  enlighten your life."   We have centuries of history dedicated to the pursuit of worship of a supreme divinity, a God ... A Creator. We take His ... or Her ... existence completely on faith, do we not? As such, would it really be such a stretch to then also entertain the notion of reincarnation?  If you accept an improvable belief in God, I wonder how we would assume that He only gives us ONE chance to get it right?  We are, for the most part, a stubborn and narrow-minded lot, we humans.  Therefore, I should think that it would take at least a few iterations before we would begin to dissociate from a self-based focus of our lives, our world and the universe at large.  Once the focus shifts away from self then (and only then?) one can subsequently begin to tread upon the path of enlightenment on a journey back home to our Creator.

Well, these are my thoughts on reincarnation, inspired by a recurring dream.  I do sincerely appreciate other people's perspectives, however, and I accept that some of us are further along their journey home than others.   So take this discussion ... pondering ... for what you will.  Perhaps, I have given you something to think about?  Perhaps the unfolding of this discussion within you will be a step along your own personal path toward further enlightenment?  Whatever the case may be:  Peace and Much LOVE to those who pass this way.


[Paintings above are courtesy of ArtMagick.com:  1) "At Fosset, Under the Fir Trees", By Fernand Khnopff;  2) "April Love", By Arthur Hughes.]




12/19/2011 Early A.M. ... In rereading this very post coupled with thoughts on the true meaning of Christmas, the 'Christ' in Christmas, non-Christian religions and atheists ... and having had many interesting discussions with quite a few atheists:  I am left wondering if perhaps the subject of reincarnation might be a bridge to an understanding between all of the latter?  It is a rather intriguing notion to me ... I'll have to see where my pondering of this leads?

"Solefully" Challenged

Q: What shoes would you wear with this dress? Clueless? Me too! (I am supposed to wear this dress to my sister's wedding this upcoming February 2007.)

[<=No: this is not me!]

I think someone -- like Oprah -- should do a show on "shoes for women." Most women have millions upon millions of shoes: one pair for each outfit. It seems to be some inherited gene that most women have -- like the "shopping gene". These women, who have this "shoe gene", seem to know just which shoes go perfectly with which outfit. Up until now, I have pitied these poor fools who spend so much of their disposable income on just shoes (kind of like "Carie," from "Sex and the City")?!

Well, I am a woman and I guess that I just didn't get the "shoe gene"? I take a functional approach to shoes: I have a brown pair of shoes, a black pair of shoes, some boots, tennis shoes, and a dressy pair of black shoes.  I love being barefoot most of the time anyway, so shoes have never been a real priority for me.  This past summer, I am proud to say, I expanded my horizons and bought sandals and a thong type wedge shoe -- which was stretching it for me -- for a vacation to a beach area resort.

Despite my practical side -- which my husband loves, as I don't spend a small fortune on clothes (didn't get the "shopping gene" either) and shoes every season -- I will admit that there have been many times where I've been all dressed up and something just doesn't feel quite finished. I would love to have the perfect pair of shoes to complete my outfit, but I am too practical and quite frankly clueless.

And what's up with heels (even strappy ones?) and jeans? I just don't get that. I look ridiculous trying to wear heels with jeans. Maybe you have to have a certain personality type to pull this off? And I'm just too practical/down to earth to make it happen? Once again: clueless!

There are tons of shows on fashion as it relates to clothing, and Oprah has even done whole shows dedicated to bras and jeans, but rarely does anyone ever address what to put on your feet. Help?!!!!

Fortunately, in the meantime, I have a fashionable sister who loves to shop and she goes with me often to help me buy clothes, accessories, and sometimes even shoes. I even get her designer hand-me-downs in the shoe department. So I don't go around dressed like a slob or anything. I have a nice business and casual wardrobe. I know who "Maggie London", "DKNY", and "Jones of New York" are. Love Anne Taylor too. So my 5'8", 110+ frame is nicely dressed most of the time. Just need a little bit of help in the foot department. Maybe I'll send this plea for help onto Oprah for a show idea?

1/25/2010  I've come a long way since this original post!  This is where I'm at today ... according to Facebook quiz 'What Shoe Are You?'

Dolch & Gabbana

And they're not far off either ... weird?!  I almost bought a pair of shoes just like this the other day ... just for FUN ... ya never know when these might come in handy ; ).  Though ... don't think I could fork over that kind of money for just one pair of shoes?  Have to think for awhile on that one ...