From an abstract point of view there’s no difference between one car or another. Despite their unique characteristics, in the end they’re both just a car. The same can be said about cities, cultures and countries. Take for instance life in Paris and life in New York City: it’s the same, but different.
Now this is not a website about food, recipes and cooking, yet this film is just too beautiful to let pass by. It’s a part of a series of short films, aimed at inspiring people to source food sustainably from nature. In this case nettles play the leading role. The filmmakers say: “Nettles are often viewed as just a prickly weed, but in fact they are a great source of protein, and hold high amounts of vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium and zinc. They help to detoxify the body and keep your hair and skin healthy. To make a nutritious nettle soup – Pick, Cook, Pour, Blend, Enjoy!” Bon appétit!
Having an eye for detail lets you discover the beauty in even the simplest everyday things. Watch this film and you’ll see what I mean: every shot is a story on its own. In daily life we’re constantly surrounded by these stories. But being so caught up in our own story, we hardly notice them. Until we take the time to simply observe. Then the beauty reveals itself. I hope this film inspires you to observe more. A sunbeam, a bird, a book an a shelf, an old man in the street, a sleeping cat, an insect, a clock ticking, rain falling from the sky. Whatever it is: in all it’s normality, it’s actually unique.
Where many of us are in the midst of the rat race chasing happiness, this film captures life at a beautiful slow pace. Do yourself a favor and ease down while watching life in all subtlety.
With over 8 million people, the great city of Bangalore, India is indeed a great city. However, as portrayed in this film – through the use of a film technique called ‘Tilt-Shift’ – it looks more like a tiny toy city. The filmmakers call it: “A tribute to our city and its people. This is the story of our ‘little Bangalore’.” Observe the people, the traffic, the details and be amazed. It’s a big city made small.
This is an inspirational reminder to recognize and appreciate the adventures in every day life. This is what the filmmakers say about it: “Every day in every city around the world, people are pursuing their own adventures, big or small. We traveled to Los Angeles to talk to locals and find out how their everyday adventures are able to transform an afternoon, a week or a life. The film documents how the spirit of LA can influence a moment of kindness, courage, madness or collectiveness, and ultimately, why they mean so much to those who walk it’s streets”. Now I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, but I certainly can relate to the adventures the people talk about. I hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to recognize and appreciate (your) everyday adventures. Wherever you live.
People are vulnerable as individuals and as a species. And fighting vulnerability is useless. No matter how hard you try. Simply because you can’t control everything and so your life can turn upside down at any moment of any day. You may be the King of the World, the Smartest Woman in the Universe or the Sexiest Man Alive; it won’t help. You can however hide from it. And most of us do. Behind a fancy job title, nice car or house. Interesting friends, a busy agenda, designer clothes or healthy hipster life style, but sooner or later vulnerability will find you. So what can you do? Well, it’s simple.
Simply face it and embrace it. Because when you embrace it, you no longer need to fight it. You no longer need to run or hide from it, by keeping up appearances and putting energy in this hopeless attempt to avoid the discomfort of feeling it. You can now be as you are, vulnerable, instead of pretending not to be. The way I see it: vulnerability is indestructible. So by letting it in and become a part of you, in a way that makes you indestructible. Daring to be vulnerable gives you power to be.
From time to time it’s good to ask yourself: “Am I alive?” Because it’s not uncommon to just be busy doing what you’re always doing. To be caught up in a routine. And that routine may very well result in hours, days, weeks, months or even years of living, without actually being alive. Because there’s more to living, than just breathing. Imagine someone in a coma and it becomes clear… I recently attended a re-birthing workshop and I experienced the difference between A) normal breathing: a mostly shallow, kind of mechanic and unconscious way of getting the bare minimum of oxygen ‘shots’ and B) breathing with full awareness, in a rich flow, organic and fully open to receive life’s energy in all it’s splendor. It let me experience the meaning of the phrase: “Just because you breathe, doesn’t mean you’re alive”. And so I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to wonder: am I really alive or mostly just busy breathing?
I guess you’re familiar with this sensation: one moment you feel great, and the next… well not so great. I sometimes feel like I’m nothing and sometimes I feel as though I’m everything. It’s a really fine line, much like it is with being crazy or brilliant. John Lennon had a nice way of putting it. He said: “Part of me suspects I’m a loser. The other part of me thinks I’m God Almighty”. I wrote a post about that one too. Anyway. A couple of days ago, I stumbled upon the “I, a universe of atoms…” quote by the American physicist Richard P. Feynman (1918 – 1988). And it’s stuck in my head ever since. Because to me his words are both mind blowing and heart warming. The thought of “I” being a tiny, stand alone atom – and an infinite, whole universe at the same time, blows my ego off it’s socks. Because “I” isn’t (only) the ‘earthly me’. “I” is a single atom and an entire universe, completing one another. Think about that when you’re looking at yourself in the mirror. So yes, it’s a quote I gratefully meditate on. It’s so simple and yet so deeply profound. It makes me feel humble and larger than life at the same time – it’s liberating. Look at us humans. Look at you, look at me. We are both nothing and everything. Again. That’s just… wow.
Imagine you’re looking for something, but you can’t find it. Annoying. Yes. Very. But then, maybe you’re not supposed to find it. Or maybe you’re just looking in the wrong place. Or maybe… you already found it, but you don’t realize it yet. Whatever the reason is, you might want to stop searching. Why? Well think about it: as long as you’re busy searching – you’re not… finding!
Dear friends, it’s been more than a year since my last post! Honestly, I needed the break but a lot of good things have happened to me in the meantime. Apart from a great time at Eyeworks Netherlands, where I worked as a Senior Creative with some great people at the Program Development Team, it were exciting times for me personally as well. Too much to tell you in one post. But I will share more in the coming months, because it’s been truly transformational.
I’m planning on a brand new start of focusNjoy at the end of April. And this time, I intend to actually make some money haha – because running an ad-free blog is great, but from a financial point of view it wasn’t a success and one of the reasons for me to get back to television. Later in 2014 I intend to finally start with my workshops in Amsterdam. I’m super excited about that but let’s see how things develop. Anway – I’m back and I’m feeling fresh. Hoping to hear from you – always feel free to send me an email and say hi!
Love, Stijn.
