Tag Archives: hope

Waking (up) on Earth

June 6, 2016 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

These heartfelt words of Rick struck a few chords with me for a few reasons; one being that my dear Mother, in some of her last advice to me, said things very similar, which admittedly confused me a little.

It’s a long read but well worth it, and Rick is happy that I share it.

Most of us, I think, will not appreciate fully what Rick is saying until later in life (and maybe not even then).

I was going to post later but the busyness of the morning for some and the downhill fast-slide to Monday rush will likely mean that any chance of savouring this post is ruined. Hopefully you can read it before your “Monday” gets going.

“Stage IV cancer with metastasis seems to bring on a sense of urgency with me; to get closer to God, family and friends. Unlike others the path forward is probably shorter. Thoughts of years of life drift away into uncertainly. Though it could be sad I think it awakens things in us to love deeper; to experience the simple things all around us. To taste all things of life our sensory before has ignored. The child in us reawakens. Not only for the sobering truths that pound you every day but the simple joys that abound.

A smile of a grand baby is so much more. It’s a promise to the future that they have. A cup of coffee and a favourite food become so much more because you know the clock is ticking. You are sentenced to a sense of awareness that few others feel. Your full senses for life kick in. You wake up look around and are truly thankful for what you have and are.

So for those of you who might feel sorry for me please don’t. I am more aware of the fragility of life. I am aware of the keen receptiveness of the body and spirit. My body may be trying to shut down but my mind and spirit seeks a higher calling. Whatever the outcome I will be OK. I have made my peace with my creator. If he wants me to speak I will express myself here until I can no more. No one can silence the memory of my words. They are embedded in the listener.

My only motivation in writing is to urge you all to a better life; to breathe deeper. See things with eyes wide open using new windows to the soul. Taste for the sweet and the sour. Love deeply. Give up your hate and animosity. It is a cancer of the mind and soul. Most of all enjoy the company of family and friends while you can. Relish the time you have. We take little with us when we go; hopefully leaving a memory of ourselves that can be cherished.

IF my words have moved you to tears so be it. That was my intention. Let your soul awaken. Please don’t let it go back to sleep. Now while you’re awake; look around. Appreciate the life you have while you have it. Good morning; Happy Tuesday.

Composed from my heart this day as It flowed from me. I only write from the heart” ~ Rick Jackson

I searched for an appropriate image and found one I had taken on 21 January 2015 in Newcastle, South Africa. It was named “Waking In Heaven” at the time.

It’s been reworked and is now called “Waking On Earth”.

Photography

Lucky Returns

Image February 23, 2016 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

Photography, Travel

A Thought for this New Year

January 1, 2016 Andrew Harvard 4 Comments

“Great kings and emperors are reduced to dust. Scientists and philosophers disappear. Athletes and sportsmen come and go. Memory and intelligence fade away. Youth and beauty, fame and possessions, power and pelf disappear. Mountains crumble. O man, this world is illusory. Seek God and enjoy eternal bliss” ~ Sri Swami Sivananda

F16, ISO 50, exposure time (unable to retrieve) but on AV, 17-40mm L @ 21mm Canon 6D

Bits & Pieces, Photography, Travel

Happy New Life (not happy new year)

December 31, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

I really try hard not to send rubbish out and especially at a time when some of you really believe or strongly hope that upon the changing of a year things will change for the better for you. No shallow well-wishes or videos with nursery rhymes this time around.

The love of my life found this and I am now sharing it with you. It’s written by an author I enjoy and I have added one of my photos from 2015 that hit home for me; it’s called “Live a Life You’ll Remember” after a song.

Read and consume the information below; contemplate it.

“One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through.

Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters – whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished.

Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents’ house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden?

You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened.

You can tell yourself you won’t take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that.

But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister.

Everyone is finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill.

Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away.

That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home.

Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts – and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place.

Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them.

Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose.

Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood.

Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else.

Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the “ideal moment.”

Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back.

Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person – nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need.

This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.

Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life.

Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust.

Stop being who you were, and change into who you are” ~ Paulo Coelho (must read: The Alchemist)

If this inspired you just a little then read further and listen below why the song inspired me:

“Hey, once upon a younger year

When all our shadows disappeared

The animals inside came out to play

Hey, went face to face with all our fears

Learned our lessons through the tears

Made memories we knew would never fade

One day my father—he told me,

“Son, don’t let it slip away.”

He took me in his arms, I heard him say,

“When you get older

Your wild heart will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you’re afraid.”

He said, “One day you’ll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember.”

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

When thunder clouds start pouring down

Light a fire they can’t put out

Carve your name into those shining stars

He said, “Go venture far beyond these shores.

Don’t forsake this life of yours.

I’ll guide you home no matter where you are.”

One day my father—he told me,

“Son, don’t let it slip away.”

When I was just a kid I heard him say,

“When you get older

Your wild heart will live for younger days

Think of me if ever you’re afraid.”

He said, “One day you’ll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember.”

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

These are the nights that never die

My father told me

Hey, hey”

Link to song: click here

Photography, Travel

South Bank PSJ (Port St John’s)

November 19, 2015 Andrew Harvard 3 Comments

Port St Johns river mouth – Umzimvubu River

Baby Canon South Africa 550D, Sigma South Africa 10-20mm, F10, 1/100 sec, ISO 100

5 Star Durban Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns Rotary Club of Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns Port St John Port Saint John’S, Eastern Cape, South Africa Amapondo Backpackers Amapondo IBackpackers Outspan Inn

Photography, Travel

Lighthouse Corner

November 11, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

“There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope” ~ Bernard Williams

Port St Johns river mouth

Baby Canon South Africa 550D, Sigma South Africa 10-20, F10, 1/100 sec, ISO 100

Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Rotary Club of Port St Johns Port St John Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns Amapondo Backpackers Amapondo IBackpackers 5 Star Durban

Photography, Travel

The Mighty Umzimvubu

November 7, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart” ~ Helen Keller

I’ve honestly never found anything appealing about the river mouth at Port St Johns. Perhaps on two previous occasions I’ve stopped there before sunrise and thought “no way am I shooting here”.

Understandably, I felt just a little disappointed when top photographer John Costello of John Costello Photography, who I had just met face-to-face, said we would shoot the river mouth the next morning. I did not want to be rude or seem unappreciative so I said “that would be great”. In the back of my head I was thinking that a shoot was about to be wasted. But it was an opportunity to shoot with a really good photographer.

I should have had more faith, lots more faith in John who surprisingly showed me many wonders and specialities of the mouth in a stretch of maybe 400m. He pointed out things that I, as a busy city boy, couldn’t see (feel).

Strangely enough, I met another photographer the night before who gave me a lecture on “feelings” and “emotions” in photographs. There are no coincidences in life so I made a mental note to strive more on “feeling” before just pulling the trigger.

John told me the colour in the sky on the morning of the shoot was not the best and, yes, I did battle with the RAW photo files when I got home. The photo below has been edited to get a little closer to my infamous orange (yellow) that I so like (but not some others). Lol.. John also told me that it’s very important to take / process photos that you as the photographer / artist like, and not try keep the “experts” happy. John still snorted “what experts!!”. PS – John if I’ve misquoted you please correct in the comments below 🙂

Baby Canon South Africa 550D with Sigma South Africa 10-20mm – F10, 6 sec (sky 0.8 sec), ISO 100. Final touches with Raya Pro Panel (https://snapflycook.wordpress.com/…/raya-pro-panel-a-new-p…/) by Jimmy Mcintyre

5 Star Durban Amapondo IBackpackers Amapondo Backpackers Outspan Inn Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Rotary Club of Port St Johns Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns Port St John Fishing Port St. Johns SA-People – for South Africans in South Africa and expats The Transkei Wild Coast Wild Coast

Photography, Travel

Various in Durban

November 5, 2015 Andrew Harvard 4 Comments

“Those who have even a little control over their thoughts and speech will have a calm, serene, charming face and sweet voice. Their eyes will be lustrous. Our thoughts, emotions and words create vibrations in every cell of the body and leave an impression there. So raise the right thought and lead a happy life” ~ Sri Swami Sivananda

It’s a cloudy and windy day in Durban. It might even be cold but I’m not venturing out right now to see for myself. Instead, I’m going to processsome photos and learn at least one new Photoshop skill. Before I get into that, I needed to have a little cleanup of the litter on my desktop.. photos I’ve worked on but not posted (one or two might have appeared before but I’ve lost track). All photos were taken in and around Durban.

5 Star Durban I Love Durban Durban2022 Durban The warmest place to be KuDta On Wilsons Wharf Madevu Executive Charters Madevu Luxury Yacht The Spirit of elan I Like Durban Wilson’s Wharf Zack’z Wilsons Wharf Julio’s On The Bay Wilsons Wharf La Vue Floating Restaurant, Wilsons Wharf, Victoria Embankment, Durban, SA Moyo’s Ushaka

Photography, Travel

Serenity

November 3, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough” ~ Meister Eckhart

I first called this photo “Peace” but after looking yet again saw “Serenity”. The young lady is seated completely still and trusting upon her partner’s heels. He is lying with his back on the sand with both legs extended upwards at 90 degrees. No falling, no fear, no panic.. trust.

The waves crash moderately behind her while the sun slowly rises.. serenity.

In the words of Thich Nhat Hanh: “Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity”

Canon South Africa 6D, F9, 1/160 sec, ISO 250, speedlite (2)

Yoga Awakening Africa Yoga Journal Yoga Inspiration Yoga International My Yoga Online Yoga

Photography, Travel

Mzimvubu Mouth

October 28, 2015 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

“If you can love “the grind”, the end result is pretty much a foregone conclusion. Most people get it backwards. They only love the end result and hate “the grind” and the end result of that is also pretty much a foregone conclusion. Some of the greatest questions to ask: How can you enjoy the process? How can you make it fun? How can you look forward to doing it?” ~ Brian Kim

…And that’s why my camera comes with me on long work trips 😉

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting John Costello of Outspan Inn. He invited me for a sunrise shoot at the Port St Johns river mouth this morning. I of course had to plan my shoot very carefully at Amapondo Backpackers 😉 with a tasty chicken burger & chips plus a cold Hansa. PS: I warned John that I like orange photos 🙂