Photo Challenges

Time

It is the time between night and day, between sunny and rainy, between two cameras and change of batteries (the date was never set and it set itself at 2005), and taken using Kodak Easyshare camera! The rest were taken using my Nikon point and shoot.

Poem/Poetry

The Firespike plant about to display her flowers. This one will bloom with white clusters. Its variegated leaves (comes in green, white, yellow, violet, and combination of them), its shaped and joyful appearance all sing and rhyme in harmony. Much like poetry.

Outside

Now, the plants are feeling the full impact of our hot summer (they wilt and turn yellow in 36 degrees heat) and by dusk they recover somewhat when I water them and they finally feel the breeze.

Zoom!

My taho (tofu) drink with sago pearls and honey instead of the caramel syrup. I buy this from the taho vendor who passes by our house every morning and afternoon for the last ten years!

Isolation

Look! Somebody was born and wiggling its way out of deep slumber!

Mr Fly!

And MrFly hovers in and out of Heaven amidst my dog Sweepy's growling and whining.

And I took this shot one weekend while looking up at the tree houses installed high up the tree by my young students (assisted by their Dad) and felt giddy and warm knowing the excitement and happiness and wonderful lessons learned by eager minds and hands that day. And I can imagine the laughter of the children and now, this I am sure, the merry singing of happy birds finding a home in all these houses.

The holy week has started with Passion Sunday, the re-enactment of Jesus entry astride a donkey, a filly instead of the horse. This was a symbolic act of humility and call for spiritual renewal and the people who were hungry for healing, for hope, for a leader and a savior, welcomed Jesus with open arms and waved palm leaves (the palmeras which is re-enacted before the mass hence it is called Palm Sunday), an act that will be replaced with frustration and anger and call for crucifixion.

In real time we go through our own crucifixion when we chose to take a stand and the challenge to lead, to take up the cudgel for a worthy cause, to contribute our time and resources (the many gifts we were born with) and take the plunge and the responsibility that go with it. We get the accolades, the wonderful support, and later, the suspicion, the anger, the envy, the dissatisfaction and many frustrations and painful process of taking an active stand for the community.

How do we handle our own crucifixion? How do we handle defeat and failure in leadership? Have we, can we, face the mob and angry multitudes with an open heart and declare our faith, our unending love, and accept the painful path like Jesus? Can we look with love at the people who hated us? Can we forgive? Can we continue our journey of healing and leading inspite of the many trials and frustrations along the way?

The holy week is a powerful phase that Catholics go through every week. Surprisingly, it parallels the rebirth and re-awakening period that echoes along other religious groups that seek renewal and quiet contemplation of our many trials and challenges. That time is now. The full moon energy is quietly pulling us out and laying us bare and naked (our weaknesses expose!) and making us understand that we are always whole, always in good faith, always capable of using our many gifts and capable of facing opposition and declaring our joy and love even atop our humble donkey.

We are not always astride on top of our proud horse in our quest for change. We ride lovingly in a filly and we ride with purpose and unrelenting joy to serve. Somebody paved the loving and painful way for us. It is now our turn to take that journey . . .

Have a passion week and be whole again!