Contrast is Beauty

     I hate death. I hate pain. I hate loss - and yet in the horrible ache of it all, there is beauty there amongst the ashes, like a single, delicate, wine colored rose on a grave, for in death, there's new life, in pain there is healing and in the loss there is gain. Even if it's not easy to see the beauty through the stinging blur of tears - in order to feel true, deep joy we need the pain as a comparison, and to appreciate gain, we must experience loss. to rejoice in new life we need to first experience the stinging loss of death - if there was only joy and laughter we would see only half the picture, to be complete in it's beauty, we need the mountains and the valleys, the darkness and the light, the tears and the laughter - contrast is what makes it beautiful.

--Anna Marie-- 

August 24, 2012

I'm learning... slowly but surely...

     I know I haven't posted any photography in ages... I'd lent my SD card out so I haven't had it and I've just been too busy since I got it back but I wanna try and get some pictures to post sometime before this week is over!! But until then I'll post another ramble....:)


     I'm learning that life and love are a journey, not a destination - It's not about tomorrow, it's about living today, it's about taking time to get outside of me and my world to bless someones life. It's not the big things that are important, it's the little things that warm my heart and make me smile.
     Love is absolutely terrifying, but if I never take the chance, I'll never know what could have been, I'll never know how I could have touched that person's life or how they could have touched mine.
     Life is about people, loving, relationships, the small stuff, a baby's laugh, a child's hug. No matter how busy I am, or what I'm in the middle of, it's not going to hurt me to stop and devote ten seconds to a younger sibling who needs my help. I'm learning that it's not being rich that is important, it's people, there will always be more money, but we'll never again get the chance to remake these memories if we miss them now. I'm learning to listen. Stop what I'm doing, I can reply to that text or finish that chapter or write that list alter, but right now, she needs to talk and listening is more important.
     Happiness is a choice and my moods and my decisions affect others, there's time for laughter and a time for tears. Crying is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign that you still feel. Tears are as much a blessing as laughter. I'm learning you have to face the pain head on and deal with it, feel it, grieve it, and let yourself heal. Bi-passing it only  hurts worse longer.
     I'm learning to appreciate even the people who seem over the top, who are not 'cool' or 'normal'. Their open mind and unbiased love for everyone inspires and humbles me. Their ready acceptance for people and their quickness to believe the best. People aren't always what they are on the outside, you gotta get to know the heart before you can make a fair judgement.
     I'm not perfect, no on is perfect...and there's no point in trying for perfection, just try your best, don't set your standards too unreasonably high, give yourself room for failure, but never cut yourself enough slack to get lazy. People change, never give up on anyone, including yourself! <3

The Location of Heaven and Hell

     Have you ever really thought about where Heaven is or where Hell is? I mean, we all know Heaven is up and Hell down right?!
     Growing up, I've always thought of Heaven as above the sky, but where above the sky? In outer space? Just above the blue? I always imagined the sky as being a layer and Heaven on top of that, but how logical is that?!
     And Hell? Below the earth...in the fiery core? Or is that too in outer space?
     Or are they not even in our world? At the end of an eternity we could never find the end of, is there another world below us and above us like we're the frosting in between?
     Are they non existent places that exist but not in our world?
     Obviously the only way to get to either is by death, and then only our spirit goes.
     Is it hard for you to fathom this?
     How would you explain where Heaven and Hell are?