Barbara Spurll's Blog, page 21

Mom

Gladys Mary Spurll, 1920-2012Know that you are loved, Mom, and rest in peace.

You're not your body...

You're not your body, you have one.  It's your job to nourish it, rest it, exercise it and fluff it up and make it feel good.  You're not your mind, you have one.  It's your job to quiet it down and keep it in good company.You're not your feelings, you have feelings.  It's your job to become aware of what is this I'm feeling or how am I going to express it in a way that won't wound myself or anyone else.So that from here on in, we can anchor our sense of self in consciousness, in our awareness and in our spirit, and from that place take responsibility, which is our ability to respond to the fact that we are immeshed in the physical.  
-Petrea King

Do it anyway.

This wonderful quotation was said to have been carried with Mother Theresa for years and even on the day of her death. There is a fabled dispute whether Mother Theresa or Kent Keith wrote it. But the truth is universal and so is this...

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered: Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank people will try to cheat you: Be honest anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight: Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous of you: Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten by tomorrow: Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: Give your best anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Dancin'

Funky Blue Tutu

Motion


Centre


Attitude

All images copyright Barbara Spurll

Warmth

Warmth, Original Watercolour, 12 x 20 inches (30.5 x 51 cm.)
Detail
Image copyright Barbara Spurll
http://www.etsy.com/listing/102095253/warmth-original-watercolour-12-x-20

In White

In White

Detail

copyright Barbara Spurll

Mood

Mood, original watercolour, 5 3/4 x 9 inches
copyright Barbara Spurll

Take a look at my new dance paintings on Etsy!

Release
In Blue


Arabesque
http://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraSpurllImages copyright Barbara Spurll, 2012

We won, eh?

Great turn out at last night's Double Vision 2012 event! Beer and wine flowed freely as guests and
participants mingled. Eminent photographer, Michael Cooper ( www.coopershoots.com ) and I were randomly paired together for this year's event. Searching for common ground at our first meeting we thought of a McKenzie brothers theme. We both laughed...that's it...humor would be our theme, humor and Canadiana. I didn't feel like switching genders so we brought in SCTV's Edith Prickley to be my alter ego. The portraits evolved into magazine covers. Always wanting to take things to the next level, Michael located an actual magazine rack to display our entries on.

The exhibit at Toronto Image Works (photos by Michael Cooper)
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to join in the fun!

The paradox of our time.

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts,
yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little,
watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We’ve added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street
to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever,
but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character,
steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose
either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe,
because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure
you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it.
A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share
the precious thoughts in your mind.
George Carlin