This is not my picture, but I wanted to share it with you.
This is a piece by San Francisco-area landscape artist Andreas Amador.His work is brilliant, amazing, beautiful, and completely temporary. On his website, he talks about the impermanence of his work, saying that:
The only constant in this existence is impermanence. In the end our lives are about the experiences we’ve had, not the things we have held on to. And in the face of certain erasure, in the face of our own personal, inevitable demise, the act of rallying forces on behalf of creation and beauty is a declaration of one’s existence in the face of a seemingly indifferent ocean of reality. I really like that metaphor–it encourages and propels me.
In the face of certain erasure, we are compelled to create something beautiful with our lives. Love or art, we long to leave a mark, no matter how temporary it might be, and we can find joy in that, peace even.
Many of us go through our days awake, but following patterns we’ve developed over the years. We are going through the motions, doing things at home, online, at work without much forethought.
Contrast this with the idea of an Intentional Life: everything you do is done with consciousness, fulfilling one of your core values (compassion, for example). Everything is done with a conscious intent.
2. This quote: At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. ~Albert Schweitzer
3. This quote: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John F. Kennedy
4. Anaïs Nin on Life, Hand-Lettered by Artist Lisa Congdon on Brain Pickings. When I was in my 20s, I read all of Anaïs Nin’s diaries. She was brilliant and strange, and I loved every word. These illustrated quotes are fabulous. 5. 40 Ways to Feel More Alive on Tiny Buddha.
9. Community, A Structure of Belonging from Patti Digh on 37 Days. “It is such a sign of hope in a world of pain that we take care of each other, still.” There is still time to give to the John F. Ptak Relief Fund. It always feels good to help someone who needs it, but when they are so grateful and full of love, it feels even better.
10. The next round of Telling True Stories starts on September 10th. I loved Laurie Wagner’s 5-week Writing ECourse, (see my open love letter to her and the class), loved, loved, loved Laurie’s wild, open-hearted, brave teaching, and if you are a writer looking to be inspired, to get wild, I think you will too.
11. Aimee Mann’s New Video. Aimee Mann’s music is brilliant, but a close second to that talent is her sense of humor–both of which are clear in this new video.
This is a piece by San Francisco-area landscape artist Andreas Amador. His work is brilliant, amazing, beautiful, and completely temporary. On his website, he talks about the impermanence of his work, saying that:
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 