poetry

Even in the struggle, you are loved.

You are being loved not in spite of the hardship, but through it.

The thing you see as wrenching, intolerable, life’s attack on you,

is an expression of love.

There is the part of us that fears and protects and defends and expects,

and has a story of the way it’s supposed to turn out.

That part clenches in fear, feels abandoned and cursed.

There is another part, resting at the floor of the well within, that

understands:

this is how I am being graced, called, refined, by fire.

The secret is, it’s all love.

It’s all doorways to truth.

It’s all opportunity to merge with what is.

Most of us don’t step through the doorframe.

We stay on the known side.

We fight the door, we fight the frame, we scream and hang on.

On the other side, you are one with the earth, like the mountain.

You hum with life, like the moss.

On the other side, you are more beautiful:

wholeness in your bones, wisdom in your gaze,

the sage-self and the surrendered heart alive.

- Tara Mohr from The Real Life

If you haven't yet discovered the breathtakingly beautiful gift book of poetry, The Real Life from Tara Mohr then I emplore you to drop everything and download it immediatly. There is magic in on every page, in every image, with every word. Visit Tara's wonderful blog for the download.

What poems, quotes, words have stopped you in your tracks lately and what images do they conjure up or inspire you to capture?

lighting the way

 "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared."  - Buddha

As 2011 fast approaches I find myself reflecting on this past year.  Taking a mental inventory of what i am ready to leave behind and what i want to carry forward into the new year. Do you find yourself doing the same? A new year always feels full of hope to me.  The endless possibilities of the unknown. 

2010 proved a tough year for so many, yet through our photography we shared, we hoped, we loved. We cried, we grieved, we celebrated, we got small, and bore witness. We honored the everyday, were brave, had faith, captured connections and found new friends.  In doing so we came together in our oneness. 

Today lets celebrate hopefulness together.  I lit this candle for all of us, to celebrate the sisterhood and all we openly shared here in 2010.  What beauty awaits us all in 2011?  Share an image of hope and possibility in the comments here today.  Let's make our way into the new year full of light and love. 

thankful

  

 Thankful - adjective: feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative  

There are 7 us, friends since high school, some of us friends since grade school.  Some of us have kept in touch throughout the years while some of us haven't seen each other since we were in school.  Last summer we reconnected at our high school reunion and like we had never been apart, we picked up right where we had left off.  We'll stay in touch this time, we promised.  It seemed important that we keep that promise, and we have.

Last weekend, after much planning and schedule arranging, we managed to get a much needed girl's weekend away together.  Finally we had a chance to be together for more than just a couple of hours to really get to know each other again and cement the bond of friendship.  Between us we've experienced marriage, divorce, breast cancer, loss and love found.  Souls were bared, a few tears were shed but the laughter was endless.  Our hearts broke wide open, our love spilling out to embrace each of us.

I think our reconnection has occured all these years later for a reason.  The universe has brought us together again to love and nurture each other.  To quote the beautiful and wise Jen Lemen, one of the most powerful things that can happen to you is being seen for who you really are and loved deeply at the same time. I feel safe and loved and accepted by these women and for that, I am deeply thankful.

On this, the week of Thanksgiving, share with what it is to be thankful, either with a photo or your words and know that we here at Shutter Sisters are thankful for you.

Published

I anxiously tapped my fingers. Would this be the day? Would my watched pot boil? Would my very own issue of Artful Blogging finally be in the mail?

You see, not only would I be published in the magazine, but there was a deeper part of my soul reaching print this chilly fall season. The I Am Enough Collaborative darn near changed my life.

About 9 months ago, in the heart of my own ‘artist’s winter’ I picked up my camera. I was in a dark place artistically. I was burnt out, I was feeding myself lie after lie and pretty much had self-convinced this weary heart that I would never be, enough. The images that came from that day you can now see on page 104 of Artful Blogging’s fall/winter edition.

Those photos would have never seen print if the care of a dear friend hadn’t felt something when I shared them with her. Later Tracey would ask if I minded sharing a bit of myself with her amazing collaboration, I am Enough. With timid hands, I began to type and in no time had written my own powerful declaration. I am indeed enough! What an amazing place I had gotten to. From rain to sun. From darkness to light.

So late summer when Tracey contacted me about interest in including my images in the upcoming publication - I nearly fell off my chair. Tears began to form, as I found myself overwhelmed with joy and pride. I was able to be a part of something bigger and better than what I could have imagined. I was able to share my sorrow and my joy with others and now the news was spreading. Humbled and honored I said my best “yes!” without sounding every bit as eager as I was.

I kept in mind that sometime this fall I would get my own copy of the magazine. After a week or so of an empty mailbox, I began to busy myself with other things. Wouldn’t you know that darn pot boiled on a day I least expected it. The kids had been grouchy and yogurt was drying to my youngster's carseat. The day felt all wrong and my attitude didn’t help a bit.

Then with my boys still in the car I let out a squeal. It was here, it was here! Secured in plastic with a paper that read: “Congratulations on being published in Artful Blogging...” Published. Published. Published. The words weren’t any less exciting after the 14th phone call I made exclaiming such.

To this day the beautiful issue sits by my computer. The absolute honor of being a part of such an amazing experience, amongst so many other artists I admire and adore...words aren’t enough.

I can’t wait to see the vast places this collaboration goes, and the hearts it will reach. I know I am forever changed.

Photo and words courtesy of Honorary Sister/Guest Blogger Angie Warren, founder of The Creative Mama.

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Note from Tracey: If you would like to share your own story with the I am Enough Collaborative, consider this your official invitation. Or if you want to follow along and soak up the goodness on Facebook or Twitter or join us at Flickr, you can do that as well. It's your call. I'm just glad to have you! And today, you are invited to share yourself and your enoughness here in the comments.

THIS moment

As we head into the busy holiday season it is ever more essential to remember where you are, right in this moment. It is easy to get swept away in our to-dos and our giving to others. Remember, YOU are a gift and your life is one too if you only stop to notice it. Give yourself with this sacred and creative time to dive deep and discover that to live the life of your dreams, you need not look any further than the life right at your fingertips.

In my own life these days, there has been a big shift happening. It all recently came to a boil when a crisis emerged in my marriage right before my 12th anniversary just a few weeks ago, and significant events started to unfold… or maybe it started when I committed to my dream about creating the wishstudio and life began aligning as I showed up to take hold of my dreams… or maybe it began when I became a mother, expanding my life exponentially after a long fallow season. These are some things I will share with you.

What really matters though, is what I can tell you now from where I stand in this very moment through all the twist and turns of my journey, that none of it really matters (gasp!) yet it is all greatly significant. With open eyes, a wide open heart and immeasurable support and love from the kindred community I've found right here, I've come to see my life through an entirely new lens – one that is steeped in compassion, love and a deep sense of acceptance and gratitude.

This, has truly freed me. It means I can let go of regret because all of it was part of seeing me into this moment. I can let go of expectations and see the abundance of my life as it is. I can embrace the possibilities, because this clarity and love is what really makes magic happen in our lives!  I can show you.

I will share with you the tales and gems of my experiences as well as offer you encouragement to find the joy that exists in your own life through creative practices and compassionate acceptance. Together we will take some measured and meaningful steps, and hand in hand along the way I know you will discover how we truly have the ability to love our lives (the one here at our fingertips!) as we ultimately learn to better love ourselves.

I am honored to give away a place in my 5-week e-course THIS moment: all you have is all you need (November 15th – December 16th 2010)! Please leave a comment on this post sharing one thing you see in this very moment that is extraordinary in your life!  If you would like to go ahead and register, early bird registration is available now through November 5th. I would love for you to join what I know is going to be an amazing journey!

Image, words, and giveaway courtesy of the lovely and talented Mindy Tsonas, creator of WishStudio.

And congratulations to Felicia for winning a place in Mindy's THIS moment e-course!