stepping forward

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
- James Baldwin

the unthinkable

"To achieve the impossible, it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought."
- Tom Robbins


















The unthinkable.
Trapped within oppressive boundaries,
unable to break free, all imagination is stifled.
Wish all you want, but there are simply too many things that cannot be.
Childhood dreams, well, they are simply that.
As you grow into maturity, cast them aside.
I'm not a pessimist. No, this - is simply being in touch with reality.

The unthinkable.
Those things that must be thought.
Those things that have to be.
Awaken that relentless spirit within
and give rise to the incredible
and this whole new realm of possibility.
Here things that formerly couldn't be - now intersect with reality.

the process

"The recognition of the value of the journey, as opposed to the imagined value points of ending, informs the idea of process."
- Tomato, art collective

Yes, life is indeed all about the process. It's a journey. Value can be found in each step of the way, not simply the destination. I experience this concept in so many facets each day of my life, be it in the creation of a flyer for work or in the composition of a new song or in forging relationships with those around me. It even shows up in the baking I do at home.

Below is my latest baking endeavor - carrot cake. In the case of baking, when the oven timer signals the conclusion of baking, the process is far from over, for consumption of the baked goods is a process in itself. Anyone who knows me well can attest to my (perhaps abnormal) tendency to savor the process of eating dessert. I take rather small bites, taking in the flavor of each and every bite at a relaxed pace. So, I'm challenging myself to carry this principle over to other areas of my life, appreciating the process no matter where it shows up.

stronger

I can't say I've loved everything that's taken place in the past few years in my life. Changes come that completely throw me for a loop at times. Try as I might, I can't control every element of my life, especially not the decisions of others.

The past few years have been teaching me something new though -- when you allow time to run its course, those experiences that may have taken you by surprise - those are the ones that make you stronger. Those are the things that make you the person you are today.

So, yeah, if I had total control there are things in my life that I'd probably change - ill experiences I'd rather do without. But, if I had my way, I certainly wouldn't be near as strong as I was made to be.

heartbreak

It is estimated that 2 children are sold every minute.

About 1.2 children are trafficked annually.

The United Nations estimates the total market value of human trafficking at $32+ billion a year.

Human Trafficking is now considered the 2nd largest and fastest growing illegal trafficking activity in the world.

www.ijm.org
www.love146.org
www.unicef.org

granola

Despite my deep love of granola, I have never tried making any from scratch... until today that is. And, for whatever reason, I didn't expect the granola to release such an enticing aroma while cooking. The scent of cooking oats fused with coconut oil was oh-so alluring. Needless to say I was quite anxious to taste the result.














I was rather pleased with the product - a granola that tasted so completely natural and fresh - nothing like the packaged processed store-bought varieties I so frequently consume. In the end, it had a nice sweetness that wasn't too overwhelming - just what I was hoping for.

FYI: I followed a recipe from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking with a few slight alterations.

in the kitchen

There is something therapeutic about baking and cooking, so I'm hoping to do a lot more of it this summer.

Today, I tried my hand at baking some "healthy" cookies. I must say it's a bit odd making cookies without butter, eggs, flour or sugar. They actually turned out to be pretty delish if I do say so myself. Check out the recipe here.