Everything has beauty just not everyone sees it

I´ve never lived in the city, I never could walk past a street begger without smiling. And it´s not a malicious smile. Maybe the city has hardened you. You no longer care for one another. I can´t grasp this concept. I´m a by-prodcut of a small town. I care without pretense.             
I wish I had more to give you. I would give you what little I have if I could spare it. I want to empty my pockets into your outreached hand. However, I, like you, my pockets remain empty.                                                  
I give you a warm smile not only becuase that´s all I can give you but becuase I care. I care if you are here reaching out, begging and if you weren´t the next day. Everyone walks past you without a single peso or penny dropped into your hand, they didn´t even meet your eyes. As if you need to possess something to be human. Without money you fleed to a street corner, becuase it was the only thing you could do. You didn´t chose to be here, I doubt you want to be. However since you are here with your outreached hand you are no longer seen as human. The same as a stray dog that people became accustomed to seeing, accustomed to walking past without a single pull on their heart strings.                      
One day I´ll sit down next to you and ask for your story. It would mean the world to me to simply understand. Even if I have nothing to give you, there is something I can do. I can show interest in you, interest no one has bothered to show. I will smile at you, an all hearted, caring, thoughtful smile because I´m not from the city. I care without pretense. I only wish I had more to give you.



Souvenirs of God

Souvenirs of God. This theory or idea or passing thought was one put forth by my friend.
That each sunrise and sunset is a souvenir of God. Then we debated God. It didn't necessarily have to be God, but some spirit, something more, some energy. Each beautiful beginning and ending of the day was a gift, a remembrance, a relic, a reminder of something more, something greater than solely us.
I have doubts. I think everyone at some point has doubts or questions which cannot be answered. We ask them to provoke thought. I believe the answer must come from us. There is no one answer that we all must find but each of us must find our own.
Religion is belief in a supreme being or beings, a belief in God or gods. It is practiced through faith, obedience, prayer, and worship. There are thousands of religions which each offerr a different answer, a different god, a different ending.
I apprectiate the idea that each sunrise and sunset is a souvenir or gift or reminder becuase it's birth is under no religion. I'd like to believe in something fully. I appreciate the idea of belief, the idea of a mass of people believing the same set of ideas, the gathering to worship or pray together. The gathering to worship is no more beautiful than the gathering to watch the sunrise together, the beginning of a new day. I find beauty in the church but no answers to my doubts.
However, I will never stop looking.

The Streets of Calpan

Your first question might be where is Calpan? Well it is a rural town in Mexico. Most of the people depend on the land and growing crops, more specifically corn. The majoirty of streets are not paved. The houses are typical Mexican style and to be blunt run-down. However, they provide the shelter their owners seek. 

I lived in Calpan, Mexico only for 5 days. I slept on the floor, went without showering, ate the local food and worked in the field. In my spare time which I spent with my friends I looked at my feet. 

While looking at feet, I looked at the ground. It became normal to see garbage scattered throughout the town. The roads were filled with broken glass and fragments of tiles.

This is the collection of things I found. Tiles from recent construction, half a marble, broken glass and a piece of a coke bottle.

I believe that these fragments of what use to be describe my time in Calpan more than the pictures, or memories, or writings. These fragments capture Calpan for me. I must point out that no one understoodd why I was collecting these tiles and glass off the ground. Even after explaining first in Spanish and then in English no one understood. However, this I have found is okay. It is okay becuase I understand why. These fragments of tiles and broken glass mean soemthing to me. I can't say exactly what. You may never understand and I may never understand fully. Ni importa. 

Get Out of the Box

 Get out of the Box is more than a drawing or an idea. It is more a way of doing things. The action of "Getting out of the Box" is equivalent to being you. Doing what you want to do because you want to, despite the opinions of others. We must define ourselves. I don't think anyone ever knows who they are, however no one should want to be someone else. We are made original for a reason. We are not products of some factory production line. We are solely ourselves created from chance, with love, or by mistake. However we are the by-products of invention, creation, imagination, and inspiration. We are here and we have the choice, the opportunity, and the freedom to choose who we are and who we will be. We can adapt, we can change, and we can be anything we dream. The possibilities are endless. All there is left to do is decide. Then change and change your mind again.