How can we change the world for the better?
One person, one action, one act of kindness at a time.
Consistently, sincerely, intentionally.

A New Zealand artist shares his story.
In the sharing of our stories we enrich and empower the lives of others.
Thank you.

What are the constraints we impose upon ourselves?
What are the constraints our society or culture or religiosity impose?
Which constraints are we free to dismantle?
Which constraints require a paradigm shift in our perspective?
Do we construct arbitrary constraints around others?
What happens when we outgrow these constraints?

There are some people who shape our lives;
broaden our perspective;
encourage us to engage with the important issues in life;
and show us how we can interact with these creatively.
Thomas Merton is such a person for me.

A very dear friend bought this doll, Jasmitha.
She said it embodied for her the quote above,
"If you stumble, make it part of the dance."
I find this a profound statement:
a graced opportunity to receive blessings instead of curses;
to transform the negative into the positive;
to reflect an attitude of gratitude;
to reveal divine LOVE.

A musical interlude ...

What is it to be 'original'?
Can we ignore the collective experience of the human race throughout time?
How does this collective experience influence our creativity?
Do we build on the ideas of others?
How do we prove 'originality'?
Why do we covet original thought, or guard it so protectively?
How does original thought contribute to the betterment of the human race?
What about synchronicity, when ideas seem to appear at about the same time?

I love to hear the stories of artists, their processes, their evolutions, and their work.
It confirms for me the rich diversity within the arts, and amongst artists.
It also reminds me that we are each created and called to be a unique individual with our voice.
We need to use this voice to stimulate and invigorate the lives of others.
We must also use this prophetic voice to enable and empower those who encounter our work.
The calling of the artist is not a throw-away or trivial one. It is a pivotal one in our society.