with this movie. Here's the latest from Sofia Coppola. I fall in love with her cinematography and her soundtracks every time :)
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Friday, July 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Miami Vice
Once again...I'm hooked! Every night @ 11 I tune into the Centric channel (or every morning @ 5am) for a nostalgic trip back to the 80s with repeats of Miami Vice. That's right, Tubbs, Crockett, Gina and Switek are back to their old tricks again. Oh how I've missed the florescent and the pastel mixed suits, all of the smoking, and the great music. And I never knew so many famous actors and actresses guest starred on the show- Jimmy Smits, Bruce Willis, Liam Neeson, Pam Grier, Kyra Sedgwick, Stanley Tucci, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent D'Onofrio just to name a few. Check out the entire list here.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Guest Blogger: LOVE, part 2.
weheartit.com
Journey towards the authentic: One of the most frightening components of love that we must overcome is that authentic love is surrendered power. It's giving another person, or in some cases a community of people, the power to reject us or accept us. We expose ourselves by letting them into our thoughts and fears and hopes and dreams. The best opportunity to build meaningful relationships is being real about our imperfections and admitting we have issues just like everyone else.
Journey towards character: Becoming a person of character is the framework for being a person for love. Becoming marked by selflessness, humility, integrity, faith, courage, gratitude, generosity, and the like, changes us inwardly to raise our potential to embody love.
Journey of our spirit: I realize everyone has different beliefs about the Divine. My belief is that by yielding ourselves to Divine love, the natural result is valuing ourselves. When we live in intimacy with God, we are able to fully love ourselves and become passionate about loving others. When we are disconnected from our Source, we find ourselves increasingly empty of love. Essentially, the outpouring of love we give is a response to the quality of love we have received.
Journey towards togetherness: Community is a great vessel for personal growth and health. A healthy community of people embraces us as we are, with no manipulative agendas, unrealistic expectations, or pretenses. It's an environment where people can find acceptance, love, and forgiveness as well as push us forward by providing encouragement and support.
Is this an unattainable standard to strive toward? Probably. However I'm willing to bank on it being quite a heroic and rewarding adventure. Imagine for just a moment, what would happen in your relationship circles if you walked fully the way of love.
Robert Frost so beautifully said, "Love is an insatiable desire to be insatiably desired." I'd like to close with a few probing questions for your personal meditation and reflection.
Do you feel, taste, and experience intimacy with others? What if you asked a friend, who knows you well, that same question? Do they see you the same way you see yourself? Pause and consider this for a moment because there is often a gap between our picture of what we would like to be and how we really are.
Are your eyes open to see opportunities to love? Are your ears open to hear where love is needed? Are your hands and feet open to tangibly show love to another? Is your mouth open to speak lovingly? Is your heart open to growing in love towards others, and not just the people that are easy to love, but the difficult and unlovely?
~ Damian Ludwig
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Guest Blogger: LOVE, part 1.
“I'm truly sorry, I’m only human!” Only human? Basically, we use this statement to point to the obvious reality that we are flawed and imperfect beings. But, is that what it means to be human? Is being only human a bad thing?
What if being only human is a good thing? The problem isn't actually our humanity, but all of the things that get in the way of being fully human. Perhaps what we mean is, I have this habit of making choices that inhibit me from being fully human. This temptation to trade our full humanity for something else, is something we all experience on some level.
So what is it that makes you and I fully human? What is our defining essence? I believe at the core of who we are as humans is our intrinsic longing for relational intimacy. And not just romantic intimacy, that's only one aspect of love. I'm referring to an expanded image of intimacy; our need to love and be loved, to feel as though we are truly known, fully valued, and completely accepted by others.
Love woos us, captivates us, compels us, moves us, and occasionally even torments us. It's possibly the most life-giving and most dangerous arena of our lives. No matter how unique and different we are from each other, center to our being is a craving for genuine intimacy. To feel deeply connected. Although, we may not want to admit that because our western culture values individualism, independence, and autonomy. To need connectedness with others almost sounds weak, doesn't it?
Isn't it interesting that the worst form of punishment we inflict on a criminal is solitary confinement? Removing an individual from interaction with others is torturous. It points to the need for the soul to deeply connect with other people.
Our western mindset preaches look out for number one, and it's your right to do whatever you feel like. All in the name of independence and freedom. However, a few years back I heard an entirely new way of thinking about freedom that's reshaped my perspective. It's the belief that genuine freedom isn't license to do whatever I want, it's the ability to live most lovingly — to live most human. It is when I'm free to love without limit that freedom has no boundaries. I am truly free when I live generously and am not bounded by greed. I'm free to be gracious and merciful, not feel the need to judge and prove I'm better than another. I'm free to take risks and live courageously, not become tempted by apathy or motivated by fear of failure.
Recently, i was hurt by someone i care deeply for. I felt rejected because the love i offered wasn't mutual. What was i supposed to do? At the time, I felt the safest place to be was to withdraw and disconnect from others. The rejection, the unmet expectations, the feeling of being betrayed by love, moved me to become embittered to love. Ironically, love was the ointment i needed to heal. My remedy of choice, however, was to hide in isolation. "I'm not going to be vulnerable and feel the pain anymore!" And sadly, i feel as though that choice caused my core to wither. The more disconnected i chose to become from meaningful relationships, the more indifferent I became to the welfare of others. I had extended the invitation for bitterness, envy, arrogance, and self-centeredness to take residence in my heart.
These spaces are void of love and are toxic. Because we feel at our gut level as though something is missing, we look for substitutes as an attempt to feed our longing; superficial acquaintances, cheap meaningless sex, empty religion, and uncontrollable addictions. Yet, our cravings are only temporarily satiated and ultimately we're typically left feeling more lonely and disconnected.
We become.... well, inhumane.
I firmly believe that we become fully human by embodying a life of love, not simply feeling love with our emotions. I'm talking about being and becoming love. When our whole person embodies love our thoughts are instinctively loving, our values become other-focused rather than self-focused, our actions are naturally edifying, and we shift from begin self-serving to showing others they are valued. Love is not passive, but active. The person who travels the way of love, doesn't approach relationships wondering "what can this person do for me," they ask "how can I be a gift to this person." They don't view people as products to consume, they see relationships as opportunities to invest.
What if being only human is a good thing? The problem isn't actually our humanity, but all of the things that get in the way of being fully human. Perhaps what we mean is, I have this habit of making choices that inhibit me from being fully human. This temptation to trade our full humanity for something else, is something we all experience on some level.
So what is it that makes you and I fully human? What is our defining essence? I believe at the core of who we are as humans is our intrinsic longing for relational intimacy. And not just romantic intimacy, that's only one aspect of love. I'm referring to an expanded image of intimacy; our need to love and be loved, to feel as though we are truly known, fully valued, and completely accepted by others.
Love woos us, captivates us, compels us, moves us, and occasionally even torments us. It's possibly the most life-giving and most dangerous arena of our lives. No matter how unique and different we are from each other, center to our being is a craving for genuine intimacy. To feel deeply connected. Although, we may not want to admit that because our western culture values individualism, independence, and autonomy. To need connectedness with others almost sounds weak, doesn't it?
Isn't it interesting that the worst form of punishment we inflict on a criminal is solitary confinement? Removing an individual from interaction with others is torturous. It points to the need for the soul to deeply connect with other people.
Our western mindset preaches look out for number one, and it's your right to do whatever you feel like. All in the name of independence and freedom. However, a few years back I heard an entirely new way of thinking about freedom that's reshaped my perspective. It's the belief that genuine freedom isn't license to do whatever I want, it's the ability to live most lovingly — to live most human. It is when I'm free to love without limit that freedom has no boundaries. I am truly free when I live generously and am not bounded by greed. I'm free to be gracious and merciful, not feel the need to judge and prove I'm better than another. I'm free to take risks and live courageously, not become tempted by apathy or motivated by fear of failure.
Recently, i was hurt by someone i care deeply for. I felt rejected because the love i offered wasn't mutual. What was i supposed to do? At the time, I felt the safest place to be was to withdraw and disconnect from others. The rejection, the unmet expectations, the feeling of being betrayed by love, moved me to become embittered to love. Ironically, love was the ointment i needed to heal. My remedy of choice, however, was to hide in isolation. "I'm not going to be vulnerable and feel the pain anymore!" And sadly, i feel as though that choice caused my core to wither. The more disconnected i chose to become from meaningful relationships, the more indifferent I became to the welfare of others. I had extended the invitation for bitterness, envy, arrogance, and self-centeredness to take residence in my heart.
These spaces are void of love and are toxic. Because we feel at our gut level as though something is missing, we look for substitutes as an attempt to feed our longing; superficial acquaintances, cheap meaningless sex, empty religion, and uncontrollable addictions. Yet, our cravings are only temporarily satiated and ultimately we're typically left feeling more lonely and disconnected.
We become.... well, inhumane.
I firmly believe that we become fully human by embodying a life of love, not simply feeling love with our emotions. I'm talking about being and becoming love. When our whole person embodies love our thoughts are instinctively loving, our values become other-focused rather than self-focused, our actions are naturally edifying, and we shift from begin self-serving to showing others they are valued. Love is not passive, but active. The person who travels the way of love, doesn't approach relationships wondering "what can this person do for me," they ask "how can I be a gift to this person." They don't view people as products to consume, they see relationships as opportunities to invest.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Operation Santa Claus
Every year my husband and I take part in Operation Santa Claus. Dear Santa letters are dropped off at NYC's main post office building and put in bins for do-gooder New Yorkers to rifle through to help those in need. I like to think of it as if I am their personal Santa for the year. Traditionally we stop by the office and read as many as we can and then choose two, one from me and one from him. Some of letters are written by grandmas or moms in need of a scarf or a doll for their kids and some are from children asking for a new TV and xbox! We, obviously, pick the one's that are in need of winter essentials or a toy that's in our budget.
I know this program is available across the country and it's not to late to take part in it. Click here to see a list of post offices near you. Ho, Ho, Ho.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Grey's
Grey's Anatomy has been one of my long-standing loves. I think the story lines are always unexpected and half way through I shed a week's full of tears. Not because it's always sad, but because it's that good. Emotion provoking television. Now, my husband might disagree, but I have to say this season has been no exception. Although we lost George :( I think the rest of the cast has been given strong scripts and some great love interests. Here is a look back on some of my fave, tear-jerking moments in years past.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Happy Birthday Hannah
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday dear Hannnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaah.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOOOO YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!
We love you! Have a wonderful 7th birthday!!
Love Aunt Melanie & Uncle Jason
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday dear Hannnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaah.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOOOOO YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!
We love you! Have a wonderful 7th birthday!!
Love Aunt Melanie & Uncle Jason
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Happy Birthday To The Hughes Triplets!
Have a wonderful 1st birthday boys! We will be thinking of you!!
xoxo Aunt Mimi & Uncle Jason
xoxo Aunt Mimi & Uncle Jason
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Happy Birthday to Jason!
To my love,
Sleeping beauty on his birthday. Today we are going to charter a boat to another part of the island and go kayaking. Then off to a nice birthday dinner (if we can find one on the island!) and out to the beach for the evening.
Happy birthday to the most wonderful, kind, happy, generous, kind-hearted, loving and good-looking man I know!! Cheers to a memorable one!
Sleeping beauty on his birthday. Today we are going to charter a boat to another part of the island and go kayaking. Then off to a nice birthday dinner (if we can find one on the island!) and out to the beach for the evening.
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