- florida scott-maxwell

Rest and laughter are the most spiritual and subversive acts of all.

Laugh, rest, slow down.

words by anne lamott

my sweet willie & all-time favorite male artist on earth

“nelson ripped through 16 songs in his first 30 minutes on stage and never really slowed down. while other artists engage the crowd with stories, nelson and his band just play. and play. and play.”

you can read the article here

Freedom and love go together. Love is not a reaction.

If I love you because you love me, that is mere trade, a thing to be bought in the market; it is not love. To love is not to ask anything in return, not even to feel that you are giving something – and it is only such love that can know freedom.

words by krishnamurti

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

— Mother Teresa

words by henry david thoreau

(words: jimmy eat world/photo via weheartit)

this quote by rumi recognizes the capability each human being possesses that allows liberation from the self-composed prison in which so many people reside. circumstance often plays a role in the lives of individuals that are born into a culture of prejudice, violence and fear. on the other hand, there are numerous people who choose to be imprisoned even when they have the choice to be free.

why do we put limits on ourselves? why does the thought of total freedom scare us? why do we seek approval from those around us? why do we stay in unhealthy relationships just to avoid loneliness? why do we become a slave to another human being when the prison door is so wide open?

by breaking the rules and releasing the expectations that have been placed upon us by family and society, we can rise above our so-called limitations and take on a task that allows us to confront our fears. with courage and determination, we learn to fly and remove the ties that bind.

each one of us has been given this gift of opportunity for flight. what we do with it is our choice. we can see clearly our potential or we can turn a blind eye and do as we are told. the journey is not always easy and sometimes feels very lonely. we may have to fall down multiple times without a hand to help us up in order to walk the path we are meant to walk. we may have to abandon those we love most for a period of time so that we can distinguish our own voice from the one we have been listening to for years and years. hopelessness often walks into the room and consumes us with her presence, but with patience, perseverance, and loyalty to self, we can shine light on our beauty and find our inner strength.

finding a purpose in life sometimes requires that we unlearn the things we have been taught and figure out for ourselves what works and what does not work. each person is a unique, living creature with individual needs and desires. as similar as we are to one another, honoring our personal truth is the key to peace. denying our differences, as seen time and time again, leads to destructive behavior that keeps us confused and miserable.

so why do we stay inside the prison walls when flying above them is always an option? discovering why we do the things we do brings us closer to understanding ourselves. it usually boils down to fear of the unknown, fear of failure. we learn at an early age that approval from others is important and fitting into a mold will win us the love and affection of others, while being true to ourselves is not rewarded. unconditional love for self must replace instant gratification so we can take risks and break free of our patterns. falling is inevitable during leaps of faith. to get back up on our feet and begin walking again makes us stronger, and the adventure that much more interesting.

“your way begins on the other side. become the sky. take an axe to the prison wall. escape. walk out like someone suddenly born into color. do it now.”

someone recently asked me where i go when i want to get away from it all. the first thing that came to mind was a quiet place out in nature surrounded by lush, green trees and fresh air, without a soul in sight. these mental images of my sweet escape have not changed much since i was a little girl. the wide-open spaces represent freedom and room to breathe. the trees encourage continual growth and necessary patience. the silence contains answers to questions i have not yet asked. the solitude gives me strength that can only be found within.

since leaving town for a few days is not always possible, i have learned through the years that finding this “happy place” on a daily basis is essential to my well-being. running away when things become challenging is not exactly the path to peace, nor will it bring me true comfort. what i want does not dwell in far away places. it is found in the company i keep when i am alone. a serene external environment does, however, help keep my internal environment free of pollution, so i surround myself only with those things and people of pure beauty.

even though i have a nest i call home that allows me to rest my bones in peace, it is nice to know that there is always a magical place awaiting my arrival, where time disappears and illusion is stripped of all its glory. i just planned my next get-away for a quiet retreat in the mountains, which is where my soul always encounters the tranquility it desires.

(photos via we heart it)

quote by rilke

the enabler

this painting found its way to me this weekend. an intimate look at a psychological story that is better told through pictures than words.

art by casey o’connell

words by rumi