A Moment's Reflection by Bodhi Smith

Dec 18, 2020

"a moment's reflection" a brand new impression and blog from me...
 
"i'm the pier, seeing myself mirrored in the low tide. i'm a solitary recluse on the beach watching a sunset over the pacific, all alone with just the moment's reflection...yet, something so beautiful comes out of the loneliness and takes my breath away" ― bodhinku, the moment's reflection 
 
"there is a moment in every sunset when light floats, there is the possibility of magic. creation holds its breath" ― douglas adams, life the universe and everything
 
"i want one moment in time when i'm more than i thought i could be. when all of my dreams are a heartbeat away, and the answers are all up to me. give me one moment in time when i'm racing with destiny. then in that one moment of time, i will feel eternity" ― whitney houston, one moment in time 
 
"life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" ― vicki corona, tahitian choreographies  
 
"there are no ordinary moments" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior     
 
"at this moment in time, my only problem is that i'm still me, but my biggest blessing is that i'm still me" ― bodhinku, i'm still me 
  
"the present moment dies every moment to become the past, it's reborn every moment into the future. all experience is now. now never ends" ― deepak chopra, buddha
    
"the secret waits for eyes unclouded by longing" ― lao tzu, tao te ching 
    
"a moment's reflection that nobody thought could be done, so nobody had tried before. standing with one foot in the abyss and the other with a foothold in his dreams, he stood on the edge of a cliff. he took one look behind and with one last deep breath, he leapt with reckless certainty and decisive confidence. blurring through the sky, for a moment he looked like he would fade into darkness, but in the very last moment when everyone else had given up on him, from his back spread wings. with a leap of faith, he learned to fly" ― forrest curran, purple buddha project  
 
"each and every moment is temporary. cherish the moments that take your breath away, live them to the fullest, for they will not last. and do not shutter away the difficult moments, reflect and learn from them, get through them. they are not forever, they too will pass... good or bad, every moment is precious, because they let us know we are living...always be sure to make each moment count" ― bodhinku, each moment 
   
"there are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. but they are there for a reason. only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there" ― paulo coelho, the fifth Mmuntain  
 
"sometimes it's the same moments that take your breath away that breathe purpose and love back into your life" ― steve maraboli, reflections on life and the human experience     
 
"some moments are nice...some are nicer...some are even worth writing about" ― charles bukowski  
 
"each day means a new twenty-four hours. each day means everything's possible again. you live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time" ― marie lu, legend 
 
this song has the absolute best lyrics...it radiates a positive hope of feeling a perfect moment, discoverable through self-assurance by living your life, in only the way you know how. if you are true to yourself, you will find it one day. it's so optimistic, with a reflective message that embracing self-love and hope is the only path to find your way there...it's simply the perfect accompaniment to connect music with the meaning of my impression and blog today: 
"one moment in time" by whitney houston ...(just click on any of the words in the blue links to listen to the musical selection)....

"each day i live i want to be a day to give the best of me. i'm only one, but not alone. my finest day is yet unknown. i broke my heart, fought every gain to taste the sweet. i face the pain, i rise and fall. yet through it all, this much remains: i want one moment in time when i'm more than i thought i could be. when all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me. give me one moment in time when i'm racing with destiny. then in that one moment of time, (i will feel) i will feel eternity...i've lived to be the very best. i want it all, no time for less. i've laid the plans, now lay the chance here in my hands...give me one moment in time, when i'm more than i thought i could be. when all of my dreams are a heartbeat away, and the answers are all up to me. give me one moment in time, when i'm racing with destiny. then in that one moment of time, (i will feel) i will feel eternity...you're a winner for a lifetime if you seize that one moment in time. make it shine. give me one moment in time when i'm more than i thought i could be. when all of my dreams are a heartbeat away, and the answers are all up to me. give me one moment in time when i'm racing with destiny. then in that one moment of time, (i will be, i will be) i will be free...(i will be) i will be free" ― whitney houston, one moment in time
  
"once upon a time, i met a boy, and thought we could have so much fun. he held his hands in his pockets, and we made up stories, and for the first time in a while, i didn’t want to leave even though i was shivering cold. when he touched my cheek, i blushed, and no one makes me blush except for my crush in ninth grade. i was thinking we could play. i was hoping we could be magic...when he kissed me, it felt like warm mercury slipping into my veins, and i wanted to kiss him for an hour on the sidewalk as though there was nothing else. with him, i tried to be my better self. but i was new at it, and we humans don’t do anything perfectly. we fumbled along this weird little path. we missed each other often along the trail. i thought, why can’t we just be kids in love, and laughed with a string of sadness...people are simple. people are complicated. we do our best. in him, i felt a familiar darkness and a brilliant light. he was the sound of the ocean at night crashing on the shore, of sunrise in the distance, miles of open road, and hands i craved all over me painting me with music. he felt like a roller coaster in the dark, the one at disneyland with stars flying past, with flips and turns, abrupt stops and starts....he taught me of hope and expectation, and to firmly root myself in me. he taught me that you, or your love, can be misunderstood, that not everyone will see you but it’s okay to keep your heart open. it’s okay to leave. that loving someone isn’t weakness, even if they don’t love you the same. he taught me that people can care enough to hurt you just enough to keep you away. and that too is a weird little gift. i grew so much in so many ways. i know who i am, and i love me. sometimes the things that never were, pull at us, because they feel incomplete, but maybe they are imperfectly perfect as they are, exactly the way they were always meant to be. we can be ourselves. we are alive. we are this moment" ― c. ara campbell 
   
"all eternity is in the moment" ― mary oliver   
 
"breathe. let go. and remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure...doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment" ― oprah winfrey
 
"synchronize each breath with the present moment and become intertwined with happiness. breathing in, we are grateful for the opportunities that are given to us; breathing out, we let go of the depression and anxiety that hold us back" ― forrest curran, purple buddha project
 
"reach out while still holding on
simultaneously embracing life and letting go
be wild and still innocent
become drunk without drinking
stay strong, even in weakness...
bind strength to all your fears,
and become courageously scared
reflect the dark in your abyss
and become insanely calm...
maintain faith in your disbelief
be completely incomplete
and significant in insignificance...  
its okay to be, just let it be 
be clearly confused, 
be an eternal moment
inside the outside" ― bodhinku, oxymoron     
 
"your own positive future begins in this moment. all you have is right now. every goal is possible from here...there is a time to live and a time to die, but never is there time to reject the moment" ― lao tzu, tao te ching  
 
"i meditate every morning. i breathe in, i breathe out...a wise person once reminded me that life is not measured by the breaths that you take, but by the moments that take your breath away...a moment in time can mean a lifetime" ― bodhinku, a moment in time       
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MEANING
"reflection in the mirror, embracing reality yet fantasy. reflecting wholeness of a reunion with oneself. alone together. still, time stands still. calmness, tranquility, no noises, a freedom from craziness of today's world...he and his reflection both knew, they are holding a precious vision entwined in each other. smiling with their eyes reflecting back the infinity of the moment. a once in a lifetime kind of moment, written forever in the heart. the reflection of each other, their cherished gift, inseparable. they know, they are alive in that reflection...they are love" ― bodhinku, reflection of a moment
    
the moment in time pictured here happens only twice a year at this spot, and seldom with such a beautiful reflection under clear blue skies. the reflection of the sun in the wet sand caught my eye, and took my breath away at the same time. it is a happy reflection. a happy moment in time. my life is filled with these moments where i get to see such beautiful wonders in nature. i get to truly experience these wonderful moments in time, and my life is good, really good. when i reflect back on things, i see myself as lucky, and fortunate for all that i have, and all get to do and all get to see...
 
but sometimes, in my reflections that all just falls short of what it could be, i am always longing and hoping for the fairytale to touch my life and take it to another level of happiness...but just another year goes by, yet again...
 
it's december now, and the end of the year is a time to reflect and look back, as well as look forward. so many people enjoy this time of year with that special someone, their families, their children. it s a time of loving, and caring, and embracing in moments of reflections sharing good times and bad times together (like the issues with covid19 this year), and supporting each other through thick and thin no matter what...giving and receiving thanks for all the simple things and precious moments lived with each other, while hoping to have more moments together in the upcoming year.
 
however, this time of year is also so tough on many people, its a time seen socially as family time, and everyone with families think everyone else should be happy like they are. they find it find it hard to understand how anyone could possibly be unhappy during such a festive time of the year. but many people do not have families, or a special someone, or children. many people have lost their loved ones and this time of year becomes even more difficult when they find themselves left out and alone. you see, some of us are not as fortunate, and are pretty much all alone during the holidays. 
 
for me, being all alone is by choice. but it still does not make it any easier this time of year knowing i can justify to myself that i'm all alone because of my decisions...bottom line right now, i'm all alone on my path with only my doggie to share precious moments with me. free to do whatever we please...and another year goes by...
 
and again this year, i'm taking off on another adventure to wherever the wind blows and the weather guides me and besos on another photo journey these next two week, just him and me while i'm on winter break from teaching phtography...no holidays to celebrate, no gifts, no lover to keep me warm, no children, no real family, just a sprinkling of good friends who are off with their significant others and families celebrating (as they should be this time of year)...
 
each morning i meditate before i start my day...i breathe in, and i breathe out. breathe in, breathe out. breathe in, breathe out...a wise person once reminded me that life is not measured by the breaths that you take, but by the moments that take your breath away...a moment in time can mean a lifetime.
 
looking into the mirror, you need to be happy with what reflects back. happy with your glow, no matter how bright or dim. happy for all those lines from smiles and frowns, happy with the sparkle in your eyes along with the tears they shed, happy with all the reflections of your life, for better or worse...happy for that special moment in time that makes you feel alive. hoping that with your next breath, the moment will take your breath away... 
 
if someone were to ask me how i am right now, i will say: at this moment in time, my only problem is that i'm still me, but my biggest blessing is that i'm still me... 
 
i am personified by this pier, we are so much alike...seeing myself mirrored in the low tide, i'm a solitary recluse on the beach watching a sunset over the pacific, all alone with just the moment's reflection...yet, something so beautiful comes out of the loneliness and takes my breath away...
 
when i see my reflection, what makes me happy is the hope of romance i see in my own eyes...wanting to be able to feel with a lover in my life all the words to the romantic quotes and songs i have included in this blog today. i want to see their love in their eyes...
 
i'm happy with myself, but i want to be happier by being able to share myself with someone who wants to share themselves with me...and although that one moment in time was so beautiful and perfect, i am greedy, i want more moments, and more moments shared...but until then, i will hope, and dream, and sigh, and be happy with my chosen path of solitude, being alone, off on an adventure into the mountains, or the forest, or along a deserted beach in the fog...
 
this is one of my all-time favorite tunes, i have quite nicely karaoked this song many many times in bars in my past. it's one of those love songs that profoundly resonates with me, one i wish i dearly could also sing to someone one-on-one with my heart fully open, so close as i thought i was maybe...it has such soul, and the lyrics and nothing short of beautiful: 
"hanging by a moment" by lifehouse ...(just click on any of words in the blue links to listen to the musical selection)....

"desperate for changing, starving for truth. i'm closer to where i started, chasing after you. i'm falling even more in love with you, letting go of all i've held on to. i'm standing here until you make me move. i'm hanging by a moment here with you...forgetting all i'm lacking, completely incomplete. i'll take your invitation, if you take all of me. now, i'm falling even more in love with you. letting go of all I've held on to. i'm standing here until you make me move. i'm hanging by a moment here with you. i'm living for the only thing i know. i'm running and not quite sure where to go. and i don't know what i'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you...there's nothing else to lose; there's nothing else to find; there's nothing in the world that can change my mind; there is nothing else, there is nothing else, there is nothing else...desperate for changing, starving for truth. i'm closer to where i started, chasing after you. i'm falling even more in love with you, letting go of all i've held on to. i'm standing here until you make me move. i'm hanging by a moment here with you. i'm living for the only thing i know. i'm running and not quite sure where to go. and i don't know what i'm diving into, just hanging by a moment here with you. just hanging by a moment, hanging by a moment, hanging by a moment, hanging by a moment here with you" ― lifehouse, hanging by a moment  
   
"when i am with her, i want to feel each moment we have together as if it's simultaneously our last and our first" ― bodhinku, last and first
 
"do not just live in the moment, live in all the moments" ― bodhinku, all the moments 
 
"it is better to have loved and lost in a moment, than never to have the moment at all" ― bodhinku, the moment  
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MORE BODHIKU QUOTES
and now here are a few more quotes from bodhinku from past blogs to help add to the deeper meaning of this blog today...
 
"so what if you do not hear from a lover for a couple days, or even a week? let them be, they are living their life, or they are leaving you. either way, you are powerless to try to change their will. however, you do have the power to let them go and live your own life, live each moment like it is your last. that is your responsibility to yourself" ― bodhinku, so what?
 
"i know what i want. i badly want the entire fairy tale, like julia roberts in pretty woman desiring to be "cinderf*ckinrella"...no more will i settle for mediocrity, or sacrifice my feelings for broken promises, or compromise for anything less than the extraordinary...i want the complete package: a total happily-ever-after...and in her eyes, i can see hope that maybe i might finally have found a chance to have it all"" ― bodhinku, the entire fairytale
 
"i opened my eyes for the first time when i looked into her eyes...at that very moment, i was instantly awakened, truly alive to everything i was missing in my life" ― bodhinku, at that very moment
 
"all you are, is all i need
to know each of these butterflies
by name in our hunger is to feed
reflecting mirrors of each other's eyes  
where every moment paints true
there are no ifs ands or why's
when we're mixing brown and blue
into infinity filling with happy sighs
temperatures rising in erotica desires  
hot passion building between our thighs  
burning, exploding, drenching these fires  
soaked moans and sweet pleasure cries
echo through space and time on the breeze
one more moment, promise me please" ― bodhinku, reflecting a moment 
 
"i have a dream, it is you" ― bodhinku, i have a dream   
 
"yesterday is nothing but today's memory... and tomorrow is nothing but today's dream...so live today like nothing else matters" ― bodhinku, live today    
 
"i need a focus on all the beauty surrounding me, i need zen, rather than any sort of focus on all the other crazy ugliness that is surrounding me, as the state of affairs where i live in the state of california is permeating into my peaceful state of mind...i need zen, it is like a beautiful prayer to my inner peace...i need to meditate more now than ever...breathe, relax, let go...refocus, re-center" ― bodhinku, i need zen
 
"even though he
knew not how to swim, he
jumped into the deep end,
hoping she would follow, and
save him from drowning in mediocrity,
because one day of something wonderful,
is better than a forever of nothing special" ― bodhinku, a better one day  
 
"have courage to embrace life, make every moment count no matter what, especially at times when everything seems to be falling down around you, reach out and hold on simultaneously, to your rock with all your strength, wrap a smile around a giggle, persevere through, and you feel more alive than ever, trust me...” ― bodhinku, strength and courage
 
"being alive is not just simply living, it is being awake here and now, making every moment count with peace, love, and hope" ― bodhinku, making every moment count
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STORY BEHIND THIS IMPRESSION
"looking into the mirror, you need to be happy with what reflects back...happy for that special moment in time that makes you feel alive. hoping that with your next breath, the moment will take your breath away" ― bodhinku, a moment's reflection 
 
pictured here is the manhattan beach pier in los angeles county, california on november 17th, 2020 during an ultra-low tide level...the sunset perfectly aligns with the opening at the end of the pier twice a year as the sun travels on its yearly trek to equal sides from the winter solstice (the sun's farthest travels to the south in the northern hemisphere)...and with the low tide, more reflective wet sands are exposed on the beach, and coupled with the setting sun, this creates a glowing light show in a wonderful mirrored wonderland underneath the pier...
 
often there are clouds or even a heavy marine layer this time of year. for as the land mass cools down with the shorter days, moisture in the form of clouds react to the nearby cool pacific offshore waters. so frequently you cannot even see the sun on these days, and the light show has to wait until the next time...
 
but when the sun makes an appearance, the showing is nothing short of spectacular...
 
and when i see something so special, it's instead the picture that captures me, and i unknowingly hold my breath while i capture the moment through my lens. these moments in time literally take my breath away...in this moment's reflection, the mirrored impression of the sun in the wet sand caught my eye, and took my breath away at the same time...
 
i know i am lucky to witness these things and types of events, but honestly i do not get to see as much as i do without some sort of pre-planning...while this image really is "a moment's reflection", it is not entirely lucky to have taken this picture at the moment i did... i knew this scene would happen given the right conditions, especially during a very low tide. so being in that moment to capture it with my camera is half my planning/knowledge, and half being lucky with mother nature's rewards...and reflecting back on this moment in time, i am really happy to be able to share this picture with so many who would never get to witness such a scene. and in doing so, you can reflect that i actually existed at this time, that i was here at this place, and that i was truly alive in this moment's reflection...
 
on a sad side note...up until this year, it was not on anybody's radar as an event they must go see...for the past few years, i have kept it hush-hush, hoping the masses of instagram picture seekers did not discover it and flock to overcrowd the scene...but alas, like cockroaches to crumbs, they found it this year and flooded the underside of the pier with cell phone camera flashes, tripods, foot prints, chattering loud voices, noise litter, and commotion...
 
"i gotta let it all go, let it be, focus instead on moments in nature, and internalize my spiritual connection of the beauty around me, which will refresh me again, enlightening me with the real meaning of my own nature...let these moments soothe me, calm me, and recenter me in peace" ― bodhinku, moments in nature  
 
"you brought me back to this moment, where i needed to be, and what i needed to feel" ― bodhinku, this moment
 
"and reflecting back on this moment in time, i am really happy to be able to share this picture with so many who would never get to witness such a scene. and in doing so, you can reflect that i actually existed at this time, that i was here at this place, and that i was truly alive in this moment's beautiful reflection..." ― bodhinku, a moment's reflection   
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MORE QUOTES FOR EXTRA MEANING
and here is another beautiful tune...reggae has been my favorite genre of music for well over 30 years now, and this song for me is a classic...it was written in the early 1960's but never caught my attention until i heard it as a reggae cover in the 1988 movie "cocktail" with tom cruise and elizabeth shue: 
"this magic moment" by the drifters (a cover by leroy gibbons) ...i sound old, but they just do not make songs like this anymore...(just click on any of words in the blue links to listen to the song)...  
 
"this magic moment, so different and so new was like any other until i kissed you. and then it happened, it took me by surprise. i knew that you felt it too by the look in your eyes. sweeter than wine, softer than the summer night. everything i want i have whenever i hold you tight. this magic moment while you lips are close to mine will last forever, forever til the end of time... sweeter than wine, softer than the summer night. everything i want i have whenever i hold you tight. this magic moment while you lips are close to mine will last forever, forever til the end of time...oh, magic moment..." ― leroy gibbons, this magic moment (the drifters cover)  
   
"the past is already gone, the future is not yet here. there's only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha
   
"i do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but i do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act. do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. the way is not in the sky. the way is in the heart" ― gautama siddhartha buddha, sayings of buddha
 
"when you see a good person, think of becoming like them. when you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points" ―  confucius, the doctrine of the mean  
 
"the secret waits for eyes unclouded by longing." ― lao tzu, tao te ching
  
"no matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster" ― dalai lama xiv, the art of happiness  
  
"the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment" ― thich nhat hanh, living buddha, living christ  
 
"there comes a moment when you realize what matters the most in your life. let that moment be now and that matter be your love and kindness" ― mohandas mahatma gandhi
    
"it is crucial to be mindful of death--to contemplate that you will not remain long in this life. if you are not aware of death, you will fail to take advantage of this special human life that you have already attained. it is meaningful since, based on it, important effects can be accomplished. analysis of death is not for the sake of becoming fearful but to appreciate this precious lifetime during which you can perform many important practices. rather than being frightened, you need to reflect that when death comes, you will lose this good opportunity for practice. in this way contemplation of death will bring more energy to your practice" ― dalai lama xiv, advice on dying and living a better life 
  
"the days are long, but the years are short" ― aristotle, politics  
 
"how can you prove whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state?"  ― plato, the symposium    
 
"it is looking at things for a long time that ripens you and gives you a deeper meaning" ― vincent van gogh 
 
"because so many of us carry shame, we have a tendency to personalize love's leavings, triggered by the rejection and feelings of abandonment. but this is not always true. sometimes it has nothing to do with us. sometimes the one who leaves is just not ready for love. sometimes they know something we don't...they know their limits at that moment in time. real love is no easy path, readiness is everything. may we grieve loss without personalizing it. may we learn to love ourselves in the absence of the lover" ― jeff brown  
     
"but how would we have ever known the path if not for the longing of loneliness deep within? nothing about twin souls is taking the easy journey, but about a spirit-deep song that pulls you from somewhere beyond the horizon; it’s the beacon you can’t explain or ignore. it’s not about halves. we need to be whole within our truth to truly see our other. it’s about being present with what is on our road and not hiding. it’s about owning what needs owning, and stepping onto the path of our truth. it’s about being in a place of embracing all of our shadows and our light. it’s about opening, trust and surrender. when we live a life authentically as who we truthfully are, we hear the call deep within, and the clarity of knowing pours through our being. from this place of wholeness, connection and self-love, we are finally able to hear the ancient call that has eternally been etched along our soul. we can finally make sense of what we have always known: the time to return to our twin has come at long last, and it’s time to go home"― c. ara campbell 
 
"the difference between an ordinary life and an extraordinary life is only a matter of perspective...travel down dusty roads without a destination in mind. climb a mountain and scream out into the void. kiss the hell out of a stranger. skinny dip in a lake. get lost and lose yourself (they are two separate things). explore the wilderness (especially the one within). think less of destiny and more of the moment right here. because when you are old and ill with your loved ones around you, fame won't matter, nor will the extent of your wealth. you are the sum of the stories you can tell" ― beau taplin
 
"don't lose hope. through these dark times, you must simply learn to look harder for the light. it will come to you in flashes of unexpected beauty: the helping hand of a friend, a compliment given or recieved, a quiet moment of inspiration or peace. collect these tiny fragments of light wherever they come, until at last your sky is so full or stars, you are finally able to see the way forward" ― beau taplin, here at dawn  
 
"the moment i met you it was like a veil in me was lifted. the world became much brighter and far more beautiful, and the days no longer felt so dull and drawn-out. it was as though every moment before you had been just some tiresome dream, and at the sight of you, the morning had dawned at last." ― beau taplin
 
“you have my heart, every single moment from now until my final hour, and even after that" ― beau taplin
 
“and god himself could bend the heavens and the earth, rain meteor showers, birth supernovas, spin whole galaxies into reality in the breadth of a moment, and still never come close to fathering a sight that could steal the breath from me like hers " ― beau taplin
 
"i take it all back. life is boring, except for flowers, sunshine, your perfect legs. a glass of cold water when you are really thirsty. the way bodies fit together. fresh and young and sweet. coffee in the morning. these are just moments. i struggle with the in-betweens. i just want to never stop loving like there is nothing else to do, because what else is there to do?"  ― pablo neruda, toward the splendid city
 
"now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still. for once, on the face of the earth let's not speak in any language, let's stop for one second, and not move our arms so much. t would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines, we would all be together in a wonderful strangeness" ― pablo neruda 
 
"life is eternal. we have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. this is a precious moment. it is a little parenthesis in eternity" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist   
 
"i'm alive. when i'm eating that's all i think about. if i'm on the march, i just concentrate on marching. if i have to fight, it will be just as good a day as any to die. if you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man. life is the moment we are living now" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist   
 
"and, when you want something badly enough, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" ― paulo coelho, the alchemist     
 
"we have to take love where we find it, even if that means hours, days, weeks of disappointment and sadness. the moment we begin to seek love, love begins to seek us. and to save us" ― paulo coelho, by the river piedra i sat down and wept
 
"sometimes an uncontrollable feeling of sadness grips us, we recognize that the magic moment of the day has passed and that we've done nothing about it. life begins to conceal its magic and its art. we have to listen to the child we once were, the child who still exists inside us. that child understands magic moments. we can stifle its cries, but we cannot silence its voice. the child we once were is still there. blessed are the children for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. if we are not reborn – if we cannot learn to look at life with the innocence and the enthusiasm of childhood – it makes no sense to go on living. there are many ways to commit suicide. those who try to kill the body violate god's law. those who try to kill the soul also violate god's law, even though their crime is less visible to others. we have to pay attention to what the child in our heart tells us. we should not be embarrassed by this child. we must not allow this child to be scared because the child is alone and almost never heard. we must allow the child to take the reins of our lives. the child knows that each day is different from every other day. we have to allow it to feel loved again. we must please this child – even if this means that we act in ways we are not used to, in ways that may seem foolish to others. remember that human wisdom is madness in the eyes of god. nut if we listen to the child who lives in our soul, our eyes will grow bright. if we do not lose contact with that child, we will not lose contact with life" ― paulo coelho, by the river piedra i sat down and wept    
 
"the two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter" ― paulo coelho, veronika decides to die   
 
"the moment you come to your own being, a revolution happens in your vision. your whole outlook about life goes through a radical change. you start feeling new responsibilities, not as some thing to be done, not as a duty to be fulfilled, but as a joy to do" ― osho, the responsibility of being oneself
 
"here, start living moment to moment totally and intensely, joyfully and playfully...and you will see that nothing goes out of control; that your intelligence becomes sharper; that you become younger; that your love becomes deeper. and when you go out into the world, wherever you go, spread life, playfulness, joy, as far away as possible, to every nook and corner of the earth" ― osho, love, freedom, aloneness
 
"i'm simply saying that there is a way to be sane. i'm saying that you can get rid of all this insanity created by the past in you. just by being a simple witness of your thought processes...it is simply sitting silently, witnessing the thoughts, passing before you. just witnessing, not interfering not even judging, because the moment you judge you have lost the pure witness. the moment you say “this is good, this is bad,” you have already jumped onto the thought process...it takes a little time to create a gap between the witness and the mind. once the gap is there, you are in for a great surprise, that you are not the mind, that you are the witness, a watcher. and this process of watching is the very alchemy of real religion. because as you become more and more deeply rooted in witnessing, thoughts start disappearing. you are, but the mind is utterly empty. that’s the moment of enlightenment. that is the moment that you become for the first time an unconditioned, sane, really free human being" ― osho, the hidden splendor    
 
"a man becomes a buddha the moment he accepts all that life brings with gratitude" ― osho, tantra: the supreme understanding  
 
"there are moments when i wish i could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but i have a feeling that if i did, the joy would be gone as well. so i take the memories as they come, accepting them all, letting them guide me whenever i can" ― nicholas sparks, dear john  
 
"nothing wonderful lasted forever. joy was as fleeting as a shooting star that crossed the evening sky, ready to blink out at any moment" ― nicholas sparks, the longest ride
 
"in every moment, the quality of your life is on the line. in each, you are either fully alive or relatively dead" ― dan millman, way of the peaceful warrior    
 
"for a moment, nothing happened. then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen" ― douglas adams, the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy    
 
"certain thoughts are prayers. there are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees" ― victor hugo, les miserables  
 
"don't be dismayed at good-byes. a farewell is necessary before you can meet again. and meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends" ― richard bach, jonathan livingston seagull 
 
"accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. if you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down" ― richard bach, jonathan livingston seagull  
  
"know that ever about you stands the reality of love, and each moment you have the power to transform your world by what you have learned" ― richard bach, one  
 
"little children are living in the moment. they are not ashamed of the past; they are not worried about the future. little children express what they feel, and they are not afraid to love. be a little child more often..." ― don miguel ruiz, the four agreements  
 
so,  here is another beautifully poignant song with beautiful apropos lyrics to give listen: 
"leave a tender moment alone" by billy joel ...(just click on any of words in the blue links to listen to the song)...  
"even though i'm in love, sometimes i get so afraid. i'll say something so wrong just to have something to say. i know the moment isn't right to tell the girl a comical line to keep the conversation light. i guess i'm just frightened out of my mind, but if that's how i feel then it's the best feeling i've even known. it's undeniably real...leave a tender moment alone. yes i know i'm in love. but just when i ought to relax, i put my foot in my mouth because i'm just avoiding the facts. if the girl gets too-close, if i need some room to escape when the moment-arose, i'd tell her, it's all a mistake. but that's not how i feel. no that's not the woman i've known. she's undeniably real. so leave a tender moment alone. but it's not only me breaking-down when the tension gets high. just when i'm in a serious mood, she is suddenly quiet and shy. leave a tender moment, leave it alone...i know the moment isn't right to hold my emotions inside. to change the attitude tonight. i've run out of places to hide and if that's how i feel then it's the best feeling i've even known. it's undeniably real...leave a tender moment alone, you got to leave a tender moment alone. leave a tender moment, leave it alone. you've got to leave a tender moment, leave a tender moment alone" ― billy joel, leave a tender moment alone
  
"whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. there is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution" ― deepak chopra, buddha  
 
"let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. for only the hand of life can contain your hearts. and stand together, yet not too near together: for the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow, but are alive in each other's earth" ― khalil gibran, the prophet  
 
"it is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations" ― khalil gibran, the prophet  
 
"the butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough. time is a wealth of change, but the clock in its parody makes it mere change and no wealth. let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf" ― rabindranath tagore
 
“to love. to be loved. to never forget your own insignificance. to never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. to seek joy in the saddest places. to pursue beauty to its lair. to never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. to respect strength, never power. above all, to watch. to try and understand. to never look away. and never, never to forget.” ― arundhati roy, the cost of living
 
"if you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath. life is a collection of moments" ― amit ray, world peace  
 
"we spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. it would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives" ― maya angelou
 
"first best is falling in love. second best is being in love. least best is falling out of love. but any of it is better than never having been in love" ― maya angelou, even the stars look lonesome 
  
"and the afterglow...
of your gaze...is the only
sweater that i need" ― sanober khan, haikus
 
"life is like a piano. white keys are happy moments and the black ones are sad moments. both keys are played together to give us the sweet music called life" ― suzy kassem, rise up and salute the sun
 
"in this world, it is too common for people to search for someone to lose themselves in. but i am already lost. i will look for someone to find myself in" ― c. joybell c.
 
"you've got this life and while you've got it, you'd better kiss like you only have one moment, try to hold someone's hand like you will never get another chance to, look into people's eyes like they're the last you'll ever see, watch someone sleeping like there's no time left, jump if you feel like jumping, run if you feel like running, play music in your head when there is none, and eat cake like it's the only one left in the world!" ― c. joybell c.
 
"every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. it's not like you have forever, so don't waste any of your seconds, don't throw even one of your moments away" ― c. joybell c.
 
"i want moments with you. i want morning and noon and nightfall with you. i want your tears, your smiles, your kisses...the smell of your hair, the taste of your skin, the touch of your breath on my face" ― lisa kleypas, seduce me at sunrise
 
"it is so unfair that people who long for love the most, search the hardest for it, but find it so elusive" ― lisa kleypas, dreaming of you 
 
"there are some moments in life they haven't invented the right words for" ― lisa kleypas, tempt me at twilight
  
"all eternity is in the moment" ― mary oliver 
 
"i find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves" ― steve maraboli, unapologetically you 
 
"be the reason someone smiles. be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people" ― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart     
 
"top 15 things money can’t buy: time. happiness. inner peace. integrity. love. character. health. creativity. morals. trust. patience. self esteem. common sense. dignity. namaste"― roy t. bennett, the light in the heart    
      
"it is beautiful to express love and even more beautiful to feel it" ― dejan stojanovic
 
"some moments are nice...some are nicer...some are even worth writing about" ― charles bukowski
 
"there are moments when one has to choose between living one's own life, fully, entirely, completely-or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands" ― oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray  
 
"for one moment our lives met, our souls touched"― oscar wilde, de profundis  
   
"oh aching time, oh moments big as years!" ― john keats, the complete poems   
 
"meditate. breathe consciously. listen. pay attention. treasure every moment. reflect. make the connection" ― oprah winfrey
 
"what did you think i would do at this moment, when you're standing before me with tears in your eyes, trying to tell me that you have found you another, and you just don't love me no more? what did you think i would say at this moment when i'm faced with the knowledge that you just don't love me? did you think i would curse you, or say things to hurt you, 'cause you just don't love me no more? did you think i could hate you, or raise my hands to you? now come on you know me too well. how could i hurt you, when darling i love you. and you know i'd never hurt you...what do you think i would give at this moment? if you'd stay, i'd subtract twenty years from my life. i'd fall down on my knees, kiss the ground that you walk on, if i could just hold you again...i'd fall down on my knees, kiss the ground that you walk on baby, if i could just hold you, if i could just hold you, again" ― billy vera and the beaters, at this moment    
 
"remember, to 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 might not be there again. give time to love, give time to speak! and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind" ― bob moorehead, words aptly spoken   
 
“life will break you. nobody can protect you from that, and living alone won't either, for solitude will also break you with its yearning. you have to love. you have to feel. it is the reason you are here on earth. you are here to risk your heart. you are here to be swallowed up. and when it happens that you are broken, or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting their sweetness. tell yourself you tasted as many as you could” ― louise erdrich, the painted drum  
 
“people are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. people talk about how great love is, but that’s bullshit. love hurts. feelings are disturbing. people are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. how can they deal with love if they’re afraid to feel pain? pain is meant to wake us up. people try to hide their pain. but they’re wrong. pain is something to carry, like a radio. you feel your strength in the experience of pain. it’s all in how you carry it. that’s what matters. pain is a feeling. your feelings are a part of you, your own reality. if you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you’re letting society destroy your reality. you should stand up for your right to feel your pain, and show your strength” ― jim morrison
 
"a person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. he taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. and as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty" ― john grogan, marley and me
 
"this moment is all there is...in one moment, we are now forever, in one moment" ― jalaluddin rumi, a year with rumi  
 
"you have aroused my passion, your touch has filled me with desire, i am no longer separate from you, these are precious moments, i beseech you, don’t let me wait" ― jalaluddin rumi, the soul of rumi
 
"look past your thoughts, so you may drink the pure nectar of this moment" ― jalaluddin rumi, the essential rumi
 
"this silence, this moment, every moment, if it’s genuinely inside you, brings what you need. there’s nothing to believe. only when i stopped believing in myself did i come into this beauty...sit quietly, and move outside the tangle of fear-thinking. live in silence, live in this moment" ― jalaluddin rumi, bridge to the soul  
 
"this moment in time and space is an eggshell with an embryo crumpled inside, soaked in belief-yolk, under the wing of grace, until it breaks free of mind to become the song of an actual bird, and our love" ― jalaluddin rumi, poems of ecstasy and longing
 
"never lose hope my dear heart, miracles dwell in the invisible" ― jalaluddin rumi, the music and silence of the heart 
 
"there is an invisible strength within us; when it recognizes two opposing objects of desire, it grows stronger"  ― jalaluddin rumi, hush don't say anything to god 
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ABOUT THE IMPRESSION
"when i see something so special, it's instead the picture that captures me, and i unknowingly hold my breath while i capture the moment through my lens. these moments in time literally take my breath away...in this moment's reflection, the mirrored impression of the sun in the wet sand caught my eye, and took my breath away at the same time" ― bodhinku, a moment's reflection
    
captured two minutes before sunset at 4:44pm on november 16, 2020 underneath the manhattan beach pier in los angeles county, ca...this composition is comprised of one exposure (f/11 @33mm for 333secs, iso-64)...
 
in my photography, i always use filters to create longer exposure effects, saturate colors naturally, and balance the light in my composition in-camera...i often use as many as four filters at time, and i always use at least one filter...
 
for this exposure, to get the effects and balance i was looking for, i used two progreyusa filters in the capture of this composition, a 3.0 nd progrey antarctica filter to bring the light in the image down 10 stops to create this dreamy effect with motion blur and naturally saturate all the blues and reds in the image, and a 0.9 reverse gnd progrey aurora filter to help balance in-camera overall the image the way i envisioned it...in this case, to stop down the light at the horizon line an extra three stops and help make the much brighter sun in the window of the pier even darker, permitting details in the underside of the pier to come out better in the exposure...
 
i also used the progrey g-120z magnetic holder to hold the filter and secure it to my nikon d810 with a nikon nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8...
 
with this being an ultra-long exposure of 333 seconds, a stable and sturdy tripod is an absolute necessity in order to keep the image sharp...for this i used my faithful induro phq3 series 5-way panhead mounted on my dolica tripod 70" carbon fiber tripod, because it is sturdy, tall, and perfectly compact for travelling  
 
i wish to openly thank my sponsors who have always supported me through both the good and bad times...for truly this long exposure impression would not be possible without the use of my faithful induro phq3 series 5-way panhead mounted on my dolica tripod 70" carbon fiber tripod, in combination with the progreyusa filters which i use with every photo i take...
 
"if nothing else...if i open my eyes, if i cry, if i think, if i sigh, if i giggle, if i dance, if i love, if i breathe, then i have lived a full days worth of life...nothing is wasted, nothing" ― bodhinku, if nothing else
 
"contemplate without thinking. be certain only in your uncertainty. stop the world. slow down everything. let it all be. shut off the noise. relax. seize this moment. reconnect. feel and sense what surrounds you. listen to all the colors of light whisper as they envelope you. see the melody and harmony that float about unnoticed. taste the solitude of all this wonderment. smell the beautiful silence. now discover your peaceful serenity. then, reach out and touch your faith with all your senses. this is my world. awaken!" ― bodhinku, my world
 
"my photography is my way of keeping a diary" ― bodhinku, my diary  
 
i leave you today wishing that bright joy and spiritual peace fill your life...imploring you to make every moment count, no matter what, always and forever, for that is the only thing that truly matters...
    
and above all else,
i hope this message and impression find you well.
 
namaste,
bodhi
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