A Story of Receiving Love

Image inspired by the work of Brian Peterson

A long overdue trip to my post office box yesterday delivered all kinds of sweet surprises. I was overjoyed and grateful for the bounty that was waiting for me inside such a meager metal box. Notes of kindness and gifts of friendship. Sweet melodies and generous offerings. And The Blossoming of the World.

I poured over the stack of papers, devouring each word, holding each token, feeling the intentions of each sender. Smiling. Nodding. Heart full of gladness.

But, it wasn’t until late that night when I crawled into bed and opened this book that I was overtaken. Every page, written for me. Each word I needed to hear. Every image soulful, simple, stirring.  I took in just a small fraction of this offering, poignantly and poetically written by Brian H. Peterson intentionally, as not to take in too much at once. I wanted to savor every page and let the words swirl around me as I drifted to sleep. And I will do the same tonight. And the next…

This book will become a classic for me. I already know this to be true. Something I will cherish and depend on like an old friend. That’s already how this book feels to me.

This excerpt, from the very first page of Brian Peterson’s The Blossoming of the World, is all I need to share with you to leave you knowing exactly what I mean—

"Suddenly I was no longer looking at the mountains, the sky. I was looking at Love, embodied in the stuff of the world. Love was flowing out from every atom of creation. Love was everywhere, in everything. In me. But not contained, not limited to me, not limited in any way, just flowing, singing, vibrating, dancing, everywhere, in everything."

Share today your story of Love.

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And remember that with your comment comes the chance to win a very special September gift; a $100 gift certificate courtesy of Paper Coterie in honor of the Everyday Storytellers and our One Word Project this month; story.

Growing Old

he's engaged in normal conversation,
like every visit they share.
they've come regularly since days of bare feet and braids,
since days of excited footsteps pattering on tile.
now they sit,
texting on their phones as he talks to the tops of their heads.
they nod and say the right things,
always leaving him with an emptiness-
he sees his age in their eyes.
they go through the ritual of playing their latest piano pieces,
his most cherished part of their visits...
for as soon as he hears the nocturne on the out-of-tune keys,

he's a dashing young man clad in a starched uniform,
with gleaming war medals clinking as he walks.
the room is filled with respectful eyes
watching him sip a cocktail while conducting business in murmured words.

then, the front doors open,
and she steps in.
heads turn, and he puts down his drink to take in her presence.
her eyes sparkle as she locks a gaze with him.
she crosses the room,
places her warm hand over his,
and smiles.

with her beside him,
his youth could never be taken away...

the nocturne ends.
the children resume their mechanical conversations
until his granddaughter, their mother, picks them up.
as soon as she arrives,
they softly kiss his cheek and rush out the door.
she walks across the room, 
sits next to him,
places her warm hand over his,
and smiles.
she has her grandmother's eyes,
he thinks as they sparkle back at him.
and for now,

he feels young again

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Image and poem by 17-year-old Suzanna Hodges, niece of Shutter Sister Stephanie Roberts. Suzanna made this image of her great grandfather using Tiltshiftfocus, PhotoShop Express, and Instagram apps on her iTouch. Do images ignite your imagination in the form of visual poetry?

We are giving away one $100 Paper Coterie gift card EVERY SINGLE DAY of September! Share a comment each day before midnight EST for your chance to win that day's random drawing. Be sure to leave links to your story shots.

Words & Image.... Image & Words

Often I read a beautiful quote, and imagine an image in my mind.

Other times I see an image and then go looking for words to accompany it. 

I hung these lovely little sweetheart roses in the back of the closet several months ago. I had totally forgotten them. I went looking for something today, and there they were, waiting patiently. 

The timing was perfect. I had just read this beautiful quote.....

“Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness, know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again.”

The words spoke to me, taking me back to a time of deep sadness and broken hearts. These words allowed me to pause, and give thanks that we made it through. We survived!

The subject and words came together in perfect harmony. As if they both found me!

Don't you love when that happens?

Today, what words have moved you to take a photo, or what photo has moved you to find just the right words? Or perhaps, like me, they found you! Please share with us today.

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p.s. Today's image was processed using Totally Rad's new plugin, RadLab! I can't even begin to explain how incredible it is!! It's beyond anything I could have imagined! I will be back soon to share a review of it's AWESOMENESS. But in the meantime, run, don't walk, over to the Totally Rad site and check it out!

Looking up

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky." Jimi Hendrix

Perfect Blue. Fiery Red. Filled with stars. Dark. Bright. Cloudy.

I believe the sky is a portal into our divinity.

It reflects our moods, it shows the uncertain nature of our existance...

It holds us all together under the same dome. All the same.

All granted the same beauty, the same immenseness...

Vast. Far beyond.

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Today, take a break from your daily hustle and from the pressure to stay grounded.

Do yourself a favor. Stop everything and just look up and marvel.

Then of course, shoot some pictures and share them with us, please.