Monday, January 19, 2009

Norman Rockwell

1 - 20 - 2009

One can not reflect

in streaming water.

Only those who know

internal peace

can give it to others.


Lao Tzu


from Mailbox USA, by Rachel Epstein

Every man must decide

whether he will walk

in the light of creative altruism

or in the darkness

of destructive selfishness.


Martin Luther King




25 comments:

Ruth said...

Ring it loud and clear.

Joanne said...

It's amazing how much power we do have in considering and making our choices.

Tess Kincaid said...

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." MLK

Merle Sneed said...

Hate never changed anything but the hater.

tony said...

YES! It's time to be creative in the darkness!

tut-tut said...

Hapa is new to me. Today is a whole new beginning.

need4trth said...

Altruism, is something that doesn't come easy to humans. We are by our very nature, SELFISH. How many of us actually spend the majority of our waking moments thinking about what we can do for others? If we're honest with ourselves and everyone else we'd probably all resound, "at least 75% our thoughts are about or around self, not others." MLK was a man very intune with an entity which empowered his spirit with the ability to be altruistic. Not to preach but Altruism as well as benevolence are not normal human characteristics. It takes getting in touch with the Creator.

Happy MLK DAY

Kurt said...

From Wikipedia:

Senator Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina) led opposition to the bill and questioned whether King was important enough to receive such an honor...
Ronald Reagan was also opposed to the holiday. He threatened to veto the King Day bill but recanted only after Congress passed it with an overwhelming veto-proof majority

R.L. Bourges said...

Hapa is a discovery for me too.

Great quote

(In this instance, as Marshall McLuhan might have said, the mailbox IS the message) :-)

Colette Amelia said...

Great quote from a Great Man!

Coffee Messiah said...

ruth: Let's hope, eh? !

joanne: Initially, that's how it certainly is, although sometimes we do get blindsided, which throws everything all out of whack.

willow: Wisdom in his simply being himself. Nice quote too ; )

merle: Ahh, it just makes them meaner and nastier is all.

tony: The darkness permeates the World, sad isn't it ; (

t & t: Glad you took a listen. Tomorrow at noon, the terrible sadness of the last 8 yrs can slowly be washed away. He should be nowhere near the event, gw that is ; (

n4t: Thanks for your input and it's all good, once we get past the petty BS ; (

Cheers back at ya!

kurt: Sadly, extremism and racism might only subside once the older crowd who grew up learning hate of color or anything different, disappear.
What's strange, is people pay to see people of color sing, dance, play ball, act, etc, etc, but won't treat them equally.
What an odd picture that makes ; (

rlb: You're quick and Thanks for taking a listen. We like Hapa alot!

colette: If only more like him would come forward.

Megan said...

Cheers!

CocoDivaDog said...

Hi,
I've been lurking for a while. Let me introduce myself.
I'm Auntie.
I see you are in the library/museum field.
Do you specialise in archiving?
My favorite museum in the world in the Ufizzi (sp.?) in Florence.
What about you?
PS
Cool blog.

Anonymous said...

Love is just hate in opposite. Different things, same emotion.

Coffee Messiah said...

megan: and 2 U ; )

auntie: Thanks for de-lurking ; )
Although we traveled a lot as a kid, and seen many a museum, I can't really say there's a favorite as I still haven't been to any Eurpean museums, except in Berlin, and that one blew my mind then.
I'm now scanning and processing old books for libraries, museums and such. It's fascinating to be able to see books we'll never know about, hidden away.

anon: Thanks.

Happy said...

It all seems so simple...do unto others. I love your Blog!! Thanks!

Ragav said...

much deep thoughts..
http://ragav-world.blogspot.com/

Tess Kincaid said...

Love the Rockwell painting. In this case a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Coffee Messiah said...

happy: Thanks for stopping by!
Yes, you don't need to belong to any group or follow any creed etc, etc, you just are. Why can't it be done?

ragav: Thanks for stopping by!

willow: Why is this lost on so many, I continue to ask myself.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

such a loving tribute. and one of norm's best works!

may all choose to walk in the light of creative altruism....

Coffee Messiah said...

kimy: Let's hope this starts to rub off more, than the hate spewed the last 8 yrs.

Lisa Nanette Allender said...

Awesome post, awesome blog.
I found you through uh, "Washing Without Getting Wet", I think it's called. Found him through Betmo's Blog. Visit sometime. And thank you for your bright insights!
Peace,
Lisa
www.lisananetteallender.blogspot.com
www.practicewhatyoupeace.blogspot.com

Coffee Messiah said...

lisa-a: Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!

Avid Reader said...

we're here to help each other, not arm ourselves against each other. but we often forget and get all crazy about the bad people out there.

Anonymous said...

Your comment to Kurt-- in my town I often see groups of young men dining together, walking together, skateboarding together, working on computers together at a restaurant table, and it's always a mixed group of Asian, Black White. And weirdly, you don't see that with the 60 + year old men, they hang out with people who look just like they do, they fish and golf together, maybe work on projects together, but they are all the same looking. Even cops who hang out in a mixed group, and go out, once they retire, no longer socialize with some of their former co-workers.
It's great that young people can just form attachments without that barrier. I was asked by an older gent why my close friend is Puerto Rican--what could we have in common he wondered--he never thought it was odd back when he assumed that she was Italian. the day he found out she was born in PR he started asking me why we were pals.