Song Lyric Sunday: Imagine

Helen’s prompt for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday is “Healing.” The song that came to my mind when I read the prompt was John Lennon’s Imagine. Its tune and lyrics have touched me from the first time I heard it. I believe that only healing would lead us to the world that he so powerfully describes. May his dream become a reality some day.

Imagine was written and sung by John Lennon in 1971.

Lyrics

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today… Aha-ah…

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world… You…

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

John Lennon – vocals, piano
Klaus Voormann – bass
Alan White – drums
The Flux Fiddlers – strings

Weekly Photo Challenge: Atop

Several years ago, my brother sent me copies of some of my father’s photos. I decided to look through those for examples of “Atop.” I found some good ones!

Atop the stairs on my grandparents’ houseboat

Weekly Photo Challenge: Atop

Song Lyric Sunday: The First Time I Saw Your Face

The Song Lyric Sunday prompt for this week is “Time.” As I searched for a song about time, my eyes fell on Roberta Flack’s, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face. I LOVE Roberta Flack and hearing the song brought back so many memories from the 70’s.

The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face was written by Ewan MacColl in 1957. It was first sung by Peggy Seeger and then by a series of folk singers. Roberta Flack’s version became an international hit in 1972. (Wikipedia)

Lyrics

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the endless skies my love
To the dark and the endless skies

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hand
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command my love
That was there at my command my love

And the first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last ’till the end of time my love
And it would last ’till the end of time

The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face

Weekly Photo Challenge: A Good Match

Every time I thought about “A Good Match,” my mind went back to a 2013 photo. I felt a sense of fascination when I first saw this tromboncino squash…. and I am still fascinated by it. To me it is the epitome of a good match.

squash

Tromboncino squash are considered summer squash and are used in the same way as zucchini.

What I find most interesting about this form of squash, though, is that if you allow it to continue to grow, it will turn into a winter squash. In that process, it changes color and the skin becomes hard. The inside becomes sweet and reminds me of acorn squash. I really love eating it at that point.

I also love how big the squash grows. This one was five feet long!

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(I took the photo above by taking a picture of myself in a mirror. My arms weren’t long enough to take it facing me. Besides, in 2013, I probably didn’t even know what a selfie was!)

Daily Prompt: Glitter

I took these photos at a Navaratri celebration in 2014. The awe I felt as the altar lights were turned on is still etched in my memory. For me, the experience started with glittering flames in a dark room.

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navaratri

Daily Prompt: Glitter

Song Lyric Sunday: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

Helen’s direction for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday:

Our theme for Song Lyric Sunday is to celebrate the sun. You can interpret it any way you’d like through music, meaning you can even post a song that only has the word “sun” in it, or really any other way you can fathom.

Helen mentioned that she felt gloomy this week. I can relate to that. For Song Lyric Sunday, I decided to take the one word option and pick a familiar song that would help me in this moment. I’m going to visualize Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and watching my fear, anger and sadness, and the fear, anger and sadness of so many others, roll away with the tide.

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay was written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper. It was recorded in 1968, three days before Otis Redding died in a plane crash.

Lyrics

Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun
I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah

I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time

I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the ‘Frisco bay
‘Cause I’ve had nothing to live for
And look like nothin’s gonna come my way

So I’m just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time

Look like nothing’s gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can’t do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes

Sittin’ here resting my bones
And this loneliness won’t leave me alone
It’s two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home

Now, I’m just gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oooo-wee, sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time

(whistle)

Seattle: A Sanctuary City

Seattle is a sanctuary city and proud of it. On this day that our new President signed an executive order blocking federal funds to sanctuary cities, I feel compelled to share the signs that I saw in my neighborhood when I came home from India last week. They speak for themselves.

Daily Prompt: Ten (and in this case several more)

cropped-senior-salon Shared on Senior Salon

Weekly Photo Challenge: Names

When I saw that the Weekly Photo Challenge for this week was “Names”, I knew exactly what my contribution would be.

I laugh whenever I think of the name of this bakery in Vallikavu, India– and I thoroughly enjoy eating their ice cream sundaes. I, of course, had to buy one when I went to town to take this photo today. The sundae was called Chocolate Fantasy. Yummmm!

To see all of the posts in this Amritapuri series, click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s Not This Time of Year Without…..

One of the reasons I go to Amritapuri at this time of year is because I love to be involved in the Christmas musical that is performed on Christmas Eve. During the first three weeks in December, the final touches are made to the script; actors are chosen and learn their lines; musicians and singers learn their songs; costumes, back drops and props are made; sound and lighting are planned for, etc. The list could go on and on. Simultaneously, there are rehearsals occurring all over the ashram.

Here are some photos, taken by various photographers, from last year’s Christmas play. I think they will give you a sense of why I love being part of the process so much. (Click on the gallery to enlarge the photos.)

Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s Not This Time of Year Without….

Song Lyric Sunday: Grateful

Helen’s direction for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday is to share a song about gratitude. I was looking for a chance to share another one of Nimo’s Empty Hands Music videos so I’m very grateful she chose that theme.

The song I will share is Grateful: A Love Song to the World by Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod.

Lyrics

Verse 1:

You’re my life,
You’re my breath,
You’re a smile
You my guest

You’re the earth
You’re the sun
You’re the grass
You are love

You’re my hands
You’re a bug
You’re my eyes
You’re a hug

You’re the light
In the dark
You’re the spark
You are fun

You’re my mom
You are water
You’re the stars
You’re my daughter

You’re my friend
Till the end
You’re my dreams
You’re my father

You’re the ants on the ground
The miracles that surround
I’m feelin’ it all around
The hemisphere and the clouds

You’re my pain you’re my sorrow
You’re my hope for tomorrow
You’re the strength when I’m hollow
You’re the path that I follow

You’re the blessings that exist
The small things that are bliss
The gift to realize that
Everything is a gift

Chorus:
All that I am
All that I see
All that I’ve been and all that I’ll ever be
Is a blessing
It’s so amazing
And I’m grateful for it all, for it all

Verse 2:

You’re the blessings
Every time I try to count,
You’re the lessons
That l learn
Every time I turn around,
You’re the water when I’m burned
Every time I think I’ve found
Everything I’m looking for,
You’re the sign sayin’
Stop to take a bow

And keep moving forward
And start looking towards your heart,
it’ll open all the doors
And only then you’ll start
To hear the world sing in chorus
With your mind and heart
Aligned in purpose
Everything will feel gorgeous

Chorus:
All that I am
All that I see
All that I’ve been and all that I’ll ever be
Is a blessing
It’s so amazing
And I’m grateful for it all, for it all

Breakdown 1:
Everyday I sit and pray
Cuz what I have is
More than I deserve
Or could ever imagine
How do I give back
To all of this magic
And spread the love
So everybody can have it

Doesn’t matter if I’m rich or poor
If I gotta family or if I’m all alone
Bad things happen I can just complain and moan
But there’s a million things that I can be grateful for

Breakdown 2:
So I lift up my hands now
And I open my heart
And my gratitude goes out
To everything near and far

Final Chorus:
Everything I am
And everything I see
Everything I hope
And everything I dream
Everything I feel
And everything I be
I Look deep down
And feel all the blessings
I’m grateful for it all
It’s amazing

All that I am
All that I see
All that I’ve been and all that I’ll ever be
Is a blessing
Its so amazing
And I’m grateful for it all, for it all

Outro:

You’re the blessings that exist
The small things that are bliss
The gift to realize that
Everything is a gift

Be sure to watch the fun outtakes at the end of the video. You will also be able to download the free Empty Hands Music album should you want to do that.