beauty.

Photography by Ciona Rouse, Edited & Mosaic Design by Lanecia Rouse

“Beauty is not caused. It is.”
Emily Dickenson

Close friends contribute to our personal growth. They also contribute to our personal pleasure, making the music sound sweeter, the wine taste richer, the laughter ring louder because they are there.
Judith Viorst

“… there can be no true friendship unless those who cling to each other are welded together by You in that love which is spread throughout our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.”
St. Augustine, Confessions

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

“Beauty… is the shadow of God on the universe.”
~Gabriela Mistral, Desolacíon

May we all feel the sacred wonder and coolness of God’s shadow in friendship.

be.

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~Fanny Brice

Every Now & Then

Every now and then he comes to mind, my cousin Bernard.

I knew as soon as the list of prayer concerns of our community was placed in my hands this morning, today would be an “every now and then” day.

I googled his name, Bernard Rouse (29 years old), to see what I would find, and I stumbled upon the Philadelphia Homicide Victims of 2004 listing. He was #11 of 330 reported homicides in Philadelphia in 2004. 330 lives… gone in one year, in one city.

For months following his life being taken by the gun I would aimlessly ask “why”. I knew no one could give me a satisfactory answer but I could not keep myself from asking. I was angry and deeply pained, as I tried to wrap my mind around his death.

How could someone think Bernard’s life was a fair trade for a car?

Why?

6 years later, I do not ask “why” anymore. I still haven’t come across any answers that satisfy, I just do not ask or say much of anything about it.

Every now and then, however, he does come to mind and when he does, I simply repeat his name over and over again as if I were clicking my heels three times. Every now and then I sense the anger and deep pain as though it was January 12, 2004. Every now and then I remember there have been six #11s in Philadelphia since Bernard and God only knows how many more around the world.

It all reminds me to keep pushing and fighting for another way. Maybe, just maybe there will come a day when people will realize that a life is not a fair trade for a car, a wallet of cash, satisfying our anger, or soothing our pain.

My prayers are with Willie and the family of D. Darrington tonight.

“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul” Plato

Hallelujah is a Hebrew word which means “Glory to the Lord.” The song explains that many kinds of Hallelujahs do exist. I say : “All the perfect and broken Hallelujahs have an equal value .” It’s, as I say, a desire to affirm my faith in life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm, with emotion….
It’s a rather joyous song. I like very much the last verse. I remember singin’ it to Bob Dylan after his last concert in Paris. The morning after, I was having coffee with him and we traded lyrics. Dylan especially liked this last verse, “And even though it all went wrong, I stand before the Lord of song with nothing on my lips but Hallelujah.”
LC – 1985.

self portrait

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
Abraham Lincoln

invite

The Cupcake Collection: “We live in the richest country in the world and five years after Katrina, New Orleans still has not recovered. Imagine how much harder it will be for Haiti. We not only can but must do something. Join us 10am -2pm January 23, when our bakery is customarily closed, as we raise funds for disaster relief in Haiti. Our goal-$25,000. Help us show the world why they call Tennessee the Volunteer State.”

1213 6th Ave North Nashville TN 37208 615-244-2900

Sometimes You Wanna Go…(Click on the words and it will take you to the album)

I am a fan of coffee shops.

I have had the privilege of traveling to many cities in the USA and the world, and wherever I go I look for the local coffee shop.

There is much you can learn about a city, it’s people and flavor at the coffee shop- especially if it is locally owned. May favorites are Fido (Nashville, TN), The Living Room (San Diego), Cafe Pap (Kampala, Uganda), Starbucks in the Leeds city centre near Borders and almost any coffee shop in NYC or Dublin (I really heart NYC & Dublin).

I have pages and pages in my journals describing coffee shop experiences along the journey. It is very rare that I leave a coffee shop without connecting with at least one person, hearing a story and being reminded of how uniquely beautiful creation is.

Conversations… I really love coffee shop conversations. The freedom, grace, laughter, tears, intimacy, education, beauty, creativity, inspiration, belonging, and delight they often bring to my life. Each one a bit different. Each one something keeps me coming back.

I also like the feeling of being all alone in a crowded room when I need it, I tend to need it more often than not.

I like the fact, at Fido, all are welcome for the most part. Even those who cannot afford the cup or have on the next best Nashville trend, and believe me I have been that person a time or two and shared a meal with a few, are welcome.

When there is art filling the space, even better. Fido always has art filling the space.

love.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my little album of one place I consider to be “my spot” and the new discoveries & old jewels I walk into over the next year.

Bread and Water

http://www.water4christmas.org/

(Picture from the Belmont UMC Youth “Arts in the Village” 2009 project)

A 6-year old child… he gets it.

I love it!

Jesus often reminded us that we cannot be fed by bead alone and our thirst cannot be quenched by water alone, but he did not discount the importance of tangible bread and/or water.

Another way is possible…

for a moment

Around 11 am this morning the snow began to really fall in Hillsboro Village. In no time little voices giggled from the playground outside of my office window, as the children of the preschool came out to enjoy the first snow of 2010.

Delightful.

After about 15-minutes or so, I looked out and saw my friend’s son- a little boy who can bring a smile to my face by simply saying my name – on the playground taking it all in. I grabbed my camera, mobile phone, called my friend and headed downstairs with hopes of sharing in the magical moment with him & his peers. Once I had permission from his mother and the preschool, I made my way out to the playground and followed him. I am sure I annoyed his little free independent spirit, but he humored me for a few minutes.

Sweetheart.

It was so fun. I got to meet his classmates, have a few snowballs thrown at me, take a few photographs of the little boy who always brings a smile to my heart and enjoy the magic of the moment.

As I played with the children & teachers, watched the children absolutely taken by it all, and felt the wet flakes upon my uncovered head, it was hard to believe the snow could do anything but offer life.

Exciting Times!

New blog posting on my Sunshine Papier Photography blog. Check it out!

http://sunshinepapierphotography.wordpress.com/