list #5: 20 things i believe
Today I leave for New York City for a few days, to attend the BlogHer conference. When I first made plans to go, I planned on it being a very easy-going, relaxing, only-doing-the-bare-minimum-and-spending-the-rest-of-the-time-chilling type of occasion.
You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men, right? Yeah. It apparently applies to women photobloggers as well.
So it looks like my life is going to be going at about Mach 3 for the next few days, and I likely won't have the time to update the blog (I will, of course, take tons of pictures, and update you on everything next week when I return). I thought, however, that in the meantime, I'd leave you with a photograph of a seriously Dr. Seussian flower above; and below, a list of 20 things I believe:
1. I believe that most people in the world are generally good, and that those who aren't are hurting or damaged or have been badly mistreated at some point in their lives. But I believe they can heal. I believe we all can.
2. I believe that everyone -- everyone -- is wildly, uncommonly beautiful. I believe that while it's usually extremely easy to see this in the people we love, it's often very difficult to see it in ourselves. But the beauty's there, man. It's definitely there.
3. I believe we all have a superpower -- come on, how can we not? It's just a matter of naming it, claiming it and using it for good instead of evil.
4. I believe the sensation of a good, expensive dark chocolate melting on your tongue is one of the most sublime experiences there is.
5. I believe that all the major religions of the world each have at least part of the story right.
6. I believe simple kindnesses toward complete strangers are revolutionary acts.
7. I don't believe you have to do something that scares you every day. But I do believe that doing something that scares you semi-regularly is good for you.
8. I believe that if everyone in the world took 15 minutes every day to sit in silence and listen to their breath, there would be world peace.
9. I believe every coffeehouse worth its salt should have at least one exposed brick wall.
10. I believe everyone should spend an extended amount of time outside of their home country, in a place where they are a visible member of the minority class at least once in their lifetime.
11. I believe there are few sounds more awesome than friends collapsed in helpless laughter -- especially if one of them snorts.
12. I believe anything's possible.
13. I believe, if allowed to go unchecked, reality television might be the death of civilization.
14. I believe that in addition to (or in lieu of) meditation, everyone should dance with abandon for at least 5 minutes every day. (In fact, someone should open a dance meditation centre -- you'd pay $15 to enter a beautiful, light-filled studio with wooden floors, take off your shoes and dance with abandon for an hour, three times a week. No instructor, just someone to turn on the MP3 player. Wouldn't that be fantastic?)
15. I believe no person is better than the next. And I believe we're all extraordinary.
16. I believe it's actually okay to jump on the bed. But I don't believe you should run with scissors. You could put your eye out.
17. I (secretly) believe that the guy who freaks the freak out about the double rainbow in that viral internet video actually might possibly be onto something, maybe.
18. I believe a good drum or bass beat stirs something primal within us. I believe the one of you who takes my dance meditation centre idea and runs with it should keep this in mind.
19. I believe you're stronger, smarter, kinder and more beautiful than you think.
20. I believe love always wins.
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In case I don't see you again until next week, have a great week everyone. While I'm gone, feel free to:
a) Join The Beauty of Different Flickr pool, an upload a self-portrait or 5 (I love seeing you);
b) Browse through and/or bookmark The Beauty Of Different Blog -- I've taken to uploading beautiful different things which inspire me over there, and I think you'll love them;
c) Pick out some photos to send me for the Photobomb;
d) Keep an eye out for the iPhone photos I may publish over the next few days;
e) (in the off-chance you happen to be in New York City on Saturday, come say hi); and/or
f) Tell me what you believe, below. Because it's important to say these things out loud every now and again.
Image: Photographed at my kitchen table with my Nikon D300 and 60mm micro lens.