The Greatest Act of Love Ain't No Act At All.

I'm missing my babies in India today. There are days when I miss them so greatly, it aches. I hope the aching is them feeling me there with them. That sounds completely silly, but India works in this way. It flows and works from all the noises, smells, sights and acts of love. It's a very symbolic and "everything has meaning" type of place. So for today, I blame the aching of my heart on the fact that the kids feel my love today.

One story sticks out in my head today so significantly, I can hardly work. While on my most current tour in India, we took all 200+ kids at the orphanage to the Bay of Bengal. Some of the kids hadn't been more than 2 miles outside of the orphanage walls, so this was such a treat for them.

As soon as the bus was in park, hundreds of kids ran straight towards the ocean, cloths and all. It was the happiest moment of my life; to see the complete and utter pureness of this joy come to life right before my eyes.

That day, we also celebrated one little girls 4th birthday. This was her first time to have her own cake and blow out candles. It was the day that stole my heart and the reason why I feel like I left my heart there...with all the kids.

 

If you think this day didn't get any more amazing and heartfelt, you're wrong.

On the way home, I witnessed the greatest act of love I have ever known. I sat next to two little girls on the long bus ride home and watched as they both struggled to find comfort long enough to nap during the bumpy ride. They finally took one sleepy look at each other and hugged, laying their heads on each others shoulders and fell asleep.

It amazes me that these beautiful babies are so robbed of loved, yet they never fail to teach me more about love than I know is possible.


And just for the record, it's never a bad sign when nuns hula hoop better than you. They've got the big guy on their side.

Namaste.

Right to Write

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” -Ernest Hemingway

Mr. Hemingway died on this day. This quote could not be more true, although typewriters are becoming few and far between these days. Everyone must make more time to do things that ignite their soul and bleed with intensity. 

For me, it's photography & writing. Two things in which I love yet abandon so badly.

My wish for the world today is that everyone would just let their passions positively bleed. I have had two friends in the past year take their own lives. Both of these amazing people were artists that I greatly admired. One was a woman who's paintings were beautiful & inspring to so many people in our community. The other gentleman happened to be my photography teacher turned friend through my college career. Ernest Hemingway committed suicide as well . . . too many artists have let go, leaving behind a legacy of art but much to soon before thier time.

The world is confusing, with sensory overload happening at every turn. No matter how confusing, tragic & depressing there is always a healthier outlet than letting go.

 Reading. Writing. Talking. Painting. Biking. Hugging. Kissing.

This post took a whole different path then what I first intended, but I let my thoughts bleed and this is where they ended up.

Suicide is something I have yet to fully understand, but the only thing I know for sure is it's not the answer. For more information, visit the suicide prevention lifeline.