How to catch precious pets

As part of our assignment on precious pets, today,  I spent the better of the day at Downtown East Side where homeless people live. Even though they are homeless, some of them would prefer the company of their pets. One … Continue reading →

Let me frame it this way

Even if you are not a coffee drinker, a toast to all participants of Lens-Artist, especially to Tina, Amy, Patti, and Leya for keeping our imaginations active in so many ways. Thank y’all! And I wish for everyone to share … Continue reading →

Correction to the fake news

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Common Ground

For those who have sight, our ability to see is our common thread, yet we have a different perspective, different points of view, different angle. The gift of sight and mind are incredible. It is my dream to be able … Continue reading →

Off The Wall

When traveling with a group, we are shown beautiful sceneries, taken to historical places, impressive architectures and told stories to tell. That is all good. For me, I want to add flavor to my journey, take the good together with … Continue reading →

Old Town Road

We are cashing it in here in Old Town Road, Sicamous, BC, Canada. Thanks to this song. It’s a street sign that was stolen twice since this song became a Number #1 billboard hit. No problem, says the Mayor of … Continue reading →

I’m on a break.

Sometimes, when it’s coffee break time, I just sit in my cubicle for 15 minutes and do personal stuff which is not really a good thing. Coworkers will come to me and start talking business. And I would say: “I’m … Continue reading →

Remains of the Days

Thinking of sea, a form of a heavenly body, it comes in waves.  Here in Vancouver, we love to just sit on the beach and watch the sunset. When the tide is low, we could walk and walk for miles … Continue reading →

Ear worm

Oh baby baby baby Heaven is a place on Earth I can’t seem to stop humming this song!

Heaven is a place on Earth

As I walk on a mild summer day, my mind wanders, when my surrounding is a bit dreamy, an atmosphere of heaven is a place on earth. The sail summer camp season is on full steam ahead. There are many … Continue reading →

“The Things I Do For Love”

“The Things I Do For Love”; who said that? I would in a good way but this quote came from Game of Throne (GoT) loaded with dark humor which I will not touch upon the details. With me, I went … Continue reading →

Weather Report: Blue Skies

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In reality, Vancouver is mostly cloudy with intermittent rain at night or morning during this week. It’s remarkable that the temperature is warm and I could soak the tepid rain. No need for umbrella. Temperature July 11, 2018 Now: 21Celsius … Continue reading →

Choiceless

I choose you. All of you for gracing me to see the world through your lens., for opening my mind,  for expanding my heart and soul. Needless to say, choiceless. Thank you! For fun, the tag lines for the past … Continue reading →

I can only imagine

What does serenity look like? I can only imagine. Can we tell the sex of the baby during pregnancy without checking the ultrasound? Do I use blue or pink when I knit a baby blanket? “Lord, grant me the Serenity … Continue reading →

Houston, we have a problem

  Knotty problems or is it the way it is! Let me count the ways … Otis is using the raspberry container as his litter box. Computer is in the clinic. Trying my best to post using iPad and iPhone … Continue reading →

Leafing Out

If you are a tree hugger, you just have to wait for these trees to grow older, bigger, and taller to withstand your bear hug. These are the trees that I have in my own backyard. A mature maple tree … Continue reading →

My Fav … not necessarily in this order

A good joke. I could use a great laugh, especially on my mugs all given to me. Notice that Starbuck’s mermaid has a belly button. This mug has been discontinued it’s not politically correct. What a joke. When I am … Continue reading →

Where the wild things are

The Vancouver Stanley Park Zoo housed many animals such as black bear, polar bear, monkeys, goats, seals, whales, raccoons, wolves, emus, bison, kangaroos, penguins, beavers and much more.  Most of these animals were moved when the zoo was officially closed … Continue reading →

In One’s Element

It is such a fantastic campsite that they look forward to spending the week together every year. It’s a tradition that we started when the children were younger. This area is surrounded by mountains, lakes and trees. All five elements: … Continue reading →

Handle with care

In poetry what is not said and yet gleams through the beauty of the symbol, works more powerfully on the heart than that which is expressed in words. Symbolism makes the very style, the very artistic substance of poetry inspired, … Continue reading →

Off The Wall

Where can I find a blessing seeing the wall of Bethlehem that is now covered with street art that speaks volume?

In Perfect Harmony

The sea, land, sky, and air are in constant perfect harmony. A glorious day walking along the Spanish Banks of Vancouver. It feels that winter is over then but not yet. A group of us walking together as one called … Continue reading →

One Singular Sensation

Yesterday, my brother and I attended Art Vancouver 2019 with a theme of uniting nations from all over the world through art. There was an explosion of colors using different media such as oil, watercolor, alcohol ink and others that … Continue reading →

Couldn’t Resist

Creativity comes in many forms. Happy Easter. image by Julia Quinn

Stations of Life ~ As I See It

Viewer discretion is advised.  Graphic Contents.

Lent commemorates the passion and death of Jesus Christ.  In a Catholic world, meditating the Way of the Cross, the last moments on the life of Jesus Christ, is part of the tradition.  The Way of the Cross has fourteen stations.  The Passion, Mel Gibson’s movie made millions of dollars.  It’s very graphic.

Catholic means universal. One doesn’t have to be a Catholic to understand these Stations of the Cross.   These stations include all religions and belief system on Earth.  How would you as a person or organization or leader build a better world, a caring place, and a safe environment. 

In a more global view, the fourteen stations could be depicted as follows: 

The First Station: Jesus Is Condemned To Death
~ Kevin Carter

   The Second Station:  Jesus Carries His Cross
~ Homelessness 

 The Third Station:  Jesus Falls the First Time
~ The Fall of Saigon

  The Fourth Station:  Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother
~ World Press

 The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
~ Doctors Without Boarders

  The Sixth Station:  Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
~ Haiti Earthquake Response

 The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls A Second Time
~ World Trade Centre 9/11

 The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Holy Women
~ Desmond Tutu

 The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time
~ Global Warming

 The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
~ Israel Occupation

  The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
~ Child prostitution

  The Twelfth Station:  Jesus Dies on the Cross
~ Abortion

  The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross
~ Japan earthquake

  The Fourteenth Station:  Jesus is Laid in the Sepulcher
~ Lest We Forget 

 

The world is in your hands, the future depends on you.  The choice is yours. 

Kýrie, eléison

 

Related article:

• Stations of the Cross

A feast for your eyes!

You can look but you cannot touch. You can touch but you cannot bite. There are some people that are just so delicious to look at.  Look, that’s just about it and feast with your eyes. Here, little Jimmy was … Continue reading →

Dare to be something different

I’ve kept these shots for the longest time and just don’t know when to share it. Now I dared myself to show and tell about my cousin, Jesse, taken when we were younger. The photos reminded me of Arnold Schwarzenegger … Continue reading →

Forget Me Not

30 days has September, April, June and November … April showers bring May flowers … Meanwhile, claimed there would be a Royal Mint collection of coin designs based on emojis … April fools joke. Honestly, today, April 1, 2019, the weather here in … Continue reading →

A light exists in spring

A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period – When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad On Solitary Fields That Science cannot overtake But Human Nature feels. It waits upon the Lawn, … Continue reading →

No man is an island.

Around the neighborhood, The Habitat Island, an island was created as part of the development at Southeast False Creek, site of the 2010 Winter Games Athletes Village. It’s an urban sanctuary not just for people but as well as birds, insects, … Continue reading →

To Whom It May Concern

My nephew sent me a copy of a letter from a ten-year-old girl who is interested in architecture. It has been her dream to become an architect since she was eight-years-old. What is life like to become an architect of … Continue reading →

On Friendship

Pleasant speech multiplies friends, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies. Let those who are friendly with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand. When you gain friends, gain them through testing, and do not trust … Continue reading →

Search Me

“I want my work to disappear into the landscape and then take a viewer by surprise. After he gets over the shock of being fooled, it becomes an emotional discovery. Then he owns the sculpture. People often revisit their favorites. … Continue reading →

“You are so cute”

Radka sent a photo of her children to Remy’s FB of her children talking to her daughter. She spoke her first full sentence in English, her third language, “You are so cute.” For all we know, Remy is linguistic since … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week …

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Friday, we meet again.  Actually, we only had four working days this week. Monday was a statutory holiday as we celebrated Family Day. This is a bonus for the month of February after all the frenzy of stat days on … Continue reading →

Leave your shoes at the door

  Have you ever entered a house that you are allowed to wear your shoes inside the home? Footwear is dirty and rightly so, the homeowner prefers that we leave our shoes at the door.  Therefore, we respect their wishes … Continue reading →

“I asked my reflection, How did you get there?”

“The Gift-Wrap & The Jewel” by Wanda B. Goines

I looked in the mirror and what did I see,
but a little old lady peering back at me
With bags and sags and wrinkles and wispy white hair,
and I asked my reflection,
How did you get there?”

You once were straight and vigorous and now you’re stooped and weak,
when I tried so hard to keep you from becoming an antique.

My reflection’s eyes twinkled as she solemnly replied,
you’re looking at the gift wrap and not the jewel inside
A living gem and precious, of unimagined worth
Unique and true, the real you, the only you on earth.

The years that spoil your gift-wrap with other things more cruel,
should purify and strengthen, and polish up that jewel.

So focus your attention on the inside, not the out
On being kinder, wiser, more content and more devout
Then, when your gift-wrap’s stripped away your jewel will be set free,
to radiate God’s glory throughout eternity.

 

Original news you may read here.

Scratching the surface

Painting the surface of the building is one way of repurposing a blank space. The wall becomes a wall of art bigger than life itself that makes me chime for “who’s afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad … Continue reading →

The nature of Emerald Isle

“It’s the one place on earth heaven had kissed with melody, mirth, and meadow and mist.  ~ Irish Proverb.” Never have I seen so many shades of green in this rolling hills of Dingle Peninsula. According to the song Johnny … Continue reading →

Pilgrim Progress

Here I am, another Sunday, another sacred space of faith and spiritual journey, more memories and reflections. There are times I don’t want to understand the course of our actions that affect other people similar to a “butterfly effect.” Still, … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

SO when the kids finished their higher learning, feeling all grown up, want to be independent, get a job and have an actual relationship outside their home. Two got married, two playing house with their partners, one living close to campus … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week

The polar vortex came to Vancouver like a freight train in full speed ahead. As Vancouverites, we are blessed with mild winter. When a 10 cm snow is in the forecast, people panic. The caretaker of the manor shakes his … Continue reading →

A letter to Mom: Do you love me?

Victoria Easter 1991

no matter how old she is,
no matter how far she is,
no matter where life takes her,
she always loves her Mom.

To The Rescue

The effect what my cat companions to me, words cannot describe it. There is scientific evidence that petting animals reduce blood pressure. As for me, it provides a medicinal nature that drugs cannot. I know I would not do without … Continue reading →

Burrow of a crawler

It never fails to amaze me how Lucy loves to burrow and crawl under the blanket. The minute I start changing bedding, she’s the first one to go under the blanket. What else can I do but smile and join … Continue reading →

As light goes in, shadow falls

“Newgrange is best known for the illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun. Above the entrance to the passage, there is an opening called a roof-box. Its purpose is to allow sunlight to penetrate the chamber … Continue reading →

Black Mother

Someone told me to read the lives of the saints to help me in times of the dark night of the soul.  Not just the saints but as well as people who had the courage to come back.  These are … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

A mother and a baby camel were lying around, and suddenly the baby camel asked, “mother, may I ask you some questions? The mother said, “Sure! Why son, is there something bothering you? Baby said, “Why do camels have humps?” … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week

In or out, out or in. That’s what cats do best and sometimes they can’t even decide. They love boxes, too! This cat knows where he belongs, in an outbox. Meet Remy. Before I tell you about Remy, two cat … Continue reading →

Of Ads and Sods

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Have you heard of Sod’s Law? It’s also known as Murphy’s Law that if anything would go wrong, it will. It could be humorous, facetious and inconvenient. If it does happen, it isn’t funny. To me! It started with a … Continue reading →

How to Age Gracefully

Advice from an older person to a younger one. My favorites: No matter what anyone says, stay weird. Go easy on the makeup. You’re not as ugly as you think. Always be kind to your family. You’ll need each other … Continue reading →

Pig Personality Test

Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya. Congratulations, Congratulations and Happiness to you. It’s Chinese Lunar New Year. It’s the Year of the Pig. For those people born in this Chinese zodiac calendar, may you be happy and prosperous! As for … Continue reading →

Be Known

I Know of Beauty That no one has ever Known The question is:  “what would you do if you could do anything?” I would like you to see what invisible means.

Photographs and memories

Ireland is a country of Gaelic people and mystical land. I could not understand their thick accent unless I ask them to speak slowly. I don’t know which one has the best accent: Irish or Scottish? There is a Gaelic … Continue reading →

The man in the sycamore tree.

“If you want to identify me,” he says to the British officers who are questioning him, “ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I think … Continue reading →

‘Tis the season for Red

Mark your calendar, February 5 is Chinese New Year. Red lanterns will be floating all over the place, red packet of envelopes, red dress, red dragons, anything, and everything red. 2019 is the year of the Pig. I did find some … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week

Warm weather and sunny skies permeate the Vancouver City while some parts of Canada is living the extreme weather condition. My sister went to visit Toronto, and she is stranded due to poor weather condition. In the meantime, I wake … Continue reading →

Teachings

  From animals … to family portrait … to Meanwhile in Vancouver … to In Other Words … to It’s been a long week … to Lens Artist … to Sunday Snippet … to Mental Health, I managed to maintain … Continue reading →

In Search of Mental Wealth

Keep Your Mind in Shape. Today, more than ever, people are aware of the importance of physical fitness to good health, but it’s important to remember that a healthy mind and body go together. Make mental exercises part of your … Continue reading →

As Painter Paints the Language of Sphere, Color, Line and Form

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To see what a painter paints, one has to look at the unexpected form that jumps out of the canvas and not to look into his mind. Art is not escape, but a way of finding order in chaos, a … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk. A friendly reminder you’re allowed to talk about your mental health.

I am talking about mental health to support Bell Let’s Talk Mental Health Awareness Month. It is no secret that I live with mental illness diagnosed with major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder and generalized anxiety. For years, I have … Continue reading →

Your Best Self

To commemorate the occasion of Jean Vanier turning 90, he released a YouTube video laying out his “ten rules for life to become more human” by sharing his thoughts on life and on growing older. He speaks about success, vulnerability, listening, fear … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

The children’s attention is all fixed to the sky on this field trip anticipating for the airshow. There is so much story to this picture that brings nostalgia to my soul. “Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and … Continue reading →

It’s been a long week

Life is supposed to be just ducky, but weather-wise, we know we are in trouble when ducks start wearing raincoats to protect themselves from the wet winter season.  But for the sighting of Mandarin duck at Deer Lake maybe they … Continue reading →

When I Look at the Moon

Every time I look at the moon, it reminds me of a conversation with a Thai lady that I lived with in Chiang Rai. We were sitting in the dark, looking at the full moon and she asked: “Can you … Continue reading →

Can You Be My Partner?

  He’d never had a partner in all his time alive. But Lucy came into his life. Can I be your partner every night? “I… I’m not a very good partner,” he lied. “I want a partner – someone I … Continue reading →

Meanwhile in Vancouver

Some people left their heart in San Francisco as the song goes; in Vancouver, the city is the heart. To see the beauty, from a distance, a lazy chair is available to sit, relax and admire the beauty of Science … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk and Join the Conversation

Canadians from around the country sharing their stories about mental illness that is sponsored by Bell Let’s Talk January 30 National Awareness Campaign. Well known Canadian I know of that suffers from mental illness is Howie Mandel, Clara Hughes and … Continue reading →

What is your story?

Instead of asking my friends “how are you?”, I ask them “tell me a story.” This way, it eliminates a simple response of “fine” and starts hopefully a better conversation. This is Jean Vanier, a Canadian, founder of L’Arche, home … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

It was a time for the community to gather together as a family during the Vancouver Mural Festival.  A half block of the building surface is free for all to “write graffiti” The writings on the wall indicate good thoughts … Continue reading →

It has been a long week

Four, five, six, seven, eight … hit it Weather-wise, we have no complaints Dry, sunny, no snow, high temperature Climate change is here to stay Should I be dancing to bring on the snow?

The Great Circle

History reveals that life was a big circle, curves and spirals when we visited Newgrange, Co Meath, Ireland. The place of the prehistoric site built during the Neolithic age 3200 BC.  According to archeology, the mounds are older than the … Continue reading →

Batters Up!

I hate to burst your bubble. Today is the last day of Christmas. It’s time to put all those decorations away, The manger of tiny figurines of the three wise men, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus All go in the box. … Continue reading →

The House of Belonging

This is the bright home
in which I live,
this is where
I ask
my friends
to come,

this is where I want
to love all the things
it has taken me so long
to learn to love.

This is the temple
of my adult aloneness
and I belong
to that aloneness
as I belong to my life.

There is no house
like the house of belonging.

The House of Belonging- David Whyte ©1996

Family Portrait

Just chillaxing with my children.

Life is grand.

Mexicans Will NOT Pay For The Wall

Meanwhile in Vancouver ….

Spare a change

the steady streams of people passing by

the gentle touch of hands stroking the furry creature

lightness in whispers for a homeless cat

what grace it is in ignoring every attention

Spare a change?

What Buddha Never Taught Me

The year 2019 sounds so futuristic remembering a 1996 visit of Thailand. I feel nostalgic tonight. Photography then was archaic when we have to use a real camera, a film and the negatives processed. I could never tell whether the photos … Continue reading →

Invisible Madness

Last year, most of my focus was about life living with mental illness. This year, 2019, let’s make it the year of Mental Wealth working together and supporting each other. The one thing that I made it today thus far is … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

I

wish

there is

a

hedgehog heaven

A Filtered Year

Photography is life through a filter. They say what you see is what you get. Is that true? The central exercise and experience of using photography are to capture the images more for my benefit, mental wealth, interest, an extension of … Continue reading →

Eyes Inspire

How do I describe Dali? One word. Intriguing. A bronze sculpture of Dali sitting on his famous lobster phone and melting clock. The melting clock means it is losing its power in the passing of time of the dream world. … Continue reading →

Reflection on one candle at a time

I keep my eyes and thoughts focus on one candle at a time reflecting the subtle meaning of each as it’s was being lit for the past four weeks. To make meaning out of them, I needed to know what … Continue reading →

Changing Perspective

Recently, we were battered by a storm of heavy rain and strong wind. Thank goodness, it wasn’t as bad as we had last year.  Electricity and telephone lines remain intact including the tall grasses still standing. Life maybe stormy, this … Continue reading →

Time is running out …

  Time is running out when we only have five days more before Christmas HURRY up should you have not crossed off all the things to do before the event Time is running out with an unclaimed million-dollar lottery ticket … Continue reading →

The Perfect Cone

Mayon Volcano is an active volcano of the Philippines with its perfect cone. This photo was taken by my nephew, Cyril. The last time it erupted was on January 14, 2018. With the help of new technology, they can predict … Continue reading →

Frosty the snowman does not live here.

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter For some parts of the world, rain is seasonal. There was a time we are blanketed with snow. Now in Vancouver, rain is part of life. Frosty the snowman does not live here.   Challenges: … Continue reading →

Times: Person of the Year Journalists killed or jailed

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When a journalist becomes the story, it’s not good news. That’s what happened to Daphne Caruana Galizia, the best investigative journalist in Malta, killed by a car bomb. Her name is not mentioned in Times: Person of the year. I … Continue reading →

Quarter Past Six

To remember the exact time my cousin Jessie was born, he made sure it’s permanently fixed on his skin. I thought that is very original. There was a man who had a tattoo of his birthdate, a hyphen and blank … Continue reading →

Wreath and Five Candles

This past Sunday was the first day of advent, the first day of the liturgical year in Christian tradition for the new year. Our church is decorated with Christmas wreath with five candles representing one candle per week that we … Continue reading →

All We Ever Wanted

As adults, all we ever wanted to see for the younger generation is to be happy. We try. Hard. We provide them with plenty of love, faith, hope, affection, play, safety nets, education, good manners, teach them how to say … Continue reading →

Weather Forecast: Wave of Wind

Rain or shine, its ice cream time. There is no letting up on today’s weather forecast that is causing concern for us with a bit stormy for the commuter’s taste especially when we are the recipient of a splash of … Continue reading →

Depression is a choice

QFTD: (Quote for the day) Depression is a choice. QFTD: (Question for the day) Is this true?

What do you see? Spellbinding masterpiece door that led me to Caravaggio.

A glimpse of blue sky, a wisp of clouds, birds, cathedral and concrete buildings is what I see in painting along the hallway wall of Malta’s airport.  Looking at the mural makes me want to run outside and feel that … Continue reading →

Family Portrait

  What is a family? Typically, a standard family consists of mom, dad and child. Some would number their family as 1.5 or 2.5 which I do not understand where the point 5 comes from. Others would prefer to have … Continue reading →

Where the light leads me.

To shed some light on a photo, I can’t help but tell a story. The air is crisp, the sun is out and the day is breezy that pushes the clouds away.  Light is brighter in the dark as I … Continue reading →

After the War: Remember The Living

To see these boys together as responsible young men celebrating a baptism is worth remembering to tell a story down the road for Greg’s firstborn son initiation into Christianity. They grew up together, some studied at the same school, prayed … Continue reading →

The Fall of Autumn

When Autumn arrives, I have to remember to revere the glory of what was before: in spring, the earth is waking up to life; in summer, the world is basking on the light and warmth of the sun. Spring and … Continue reading →

Garabandal

  Please note that this is a scary story of my pilgrimage to Garabandal. One has to be social when on a pilgrimage. I saw a woman sitting in the garden from the bedroom window where I was staying for … Continue reading →

Unbearable Lightness of Good Witches

We are out for good reasons. My friend wants to make memories. My sister is out on a day pass. I am up to no good and want to give these two a fright. My birthday is coming. This is … Continue reading →