The sum of all parts makes for an engaging whole. Buster, my grand-pup, tries to ignore me as I walk around him with my camera. I’m touching him but, worse than that, I’m in his face and I’m interrupting his nap. Like most other dogs, he prefers not to establish “eye contact” with my camera lens. And occasionally, he cocks his head at the weird sounds I make to get his attention. Holding his paw in one hand and trying to focus my camera with my other hand, I say to him, “This is what happens when your mommy and daddy leave you with me. You get to be Grandma’s model!”
#1 – Face Your Fears
If something holds you back from attaining what you want, you need to read Stop Being Afraid by Jeff Goins. At the end of the article, a reader left this noteworthy comment: “Whenever I see the word fear, I think of an acronym for it: False Evidence Appearing Real.” I thought about this acronym and about the number of times I’ve allowed F.E.A.R. to brainwash me. I bet I’m not the only person on this planet whose been swayed by false evidence conjured up in his head. To be our whole and authentic selves, we need to let go of whatever fears stand in our way.
#2 – Frame It
Imagine a whole wall of blank picture frames to fill. I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind for most of us is, “Say what? Draw ON the wall?” Sure, the frames could be filled with original artwork, but consider all of the other possibilities. These frames can surround anything you want: photos, magazine covers, headlines, recipes, quotes, or any combination of things that represent you and your life. I’m going to put up this wallpaper by Graham & Brown somewhere in my home!
#3 – The Whole Pie
Joyce Maynard, the author of Labor Day, a book about an escaped convict who hides in the home of a single woman and her teenage son, explains in a recent interview the significance of the pie-making scene in her book. After the interview, she shares her pie-making skills in a video (see link below). Although the video presents step-by-step instructions on how to make a pie, it’s not your average Martha Stewart-type production or pie. Ms. Maynard’s relaxed approach and her wabi-sabi philosophy of pie-making take the fear out of making flaky crusts and tasty pies.
Joyce Maynard Teaches the Labor Day Stars How to Bake a Pie.
#4 – A Whole Lot of Driftwood
As you stroll down a beach, you spy something on the sand. It’s an interesting piece of driftwood. You pick it up and decide to take it home as a souvenir. That’s what most of us do with when we find a piece of driftwood. British sculptor James Doran-Webb takes collecting driftwood to a whole new level. Using driftwood found along the coastal shores and riverbeds of the Philippine archipelago, he creates realistic life-sized sculptures of animals. Click on the links below to view more of his incredible work.
Amusing Planet
James Doran Webb
#5 – Part of the Whole
Each person comes into this world with a specific destiny–he has something to fulfill, some message has to be delivered, some work has to be completed. You are not here accidentally–you are here meaningfully. There is a purpose behind you. The whole intends to do something through you.
Osho
Now Go and Spread Joy!
