Daniel Hernandez-Salazar, Affinché tutti lo sappiano

Dalla mostra di fotografie di Daniel Hernandez-Salazar, Affinché tutti lo sappiano, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, giugno - agosto 2016.

...si alzò e comprò un campo.

Le presenti riflessioni potranno apparire come dei sogni alieni dalla "realtà" a uomini, anche di chiesa, divorati dalla "concretezza" delle urgenze socio-politiche del momento. I sogni, però, quando sono fondati sulla parola di Dio - come ci ha insegnato Martin Luther King - sono infine ben più "concreti" del "realismo pratico" di chi non prende in attenta considerazione tutta la verità della parola del Signore. Anche a Geremia, in mezzo alla catastrofe del suo popolo e della sua patria, e stretto dalle angosce di una tristissima vicenda personale, la rivelazione del disegno divino della nuova alleanza apparve come un sogno. E, in effetti, si trattava di "un sogno di Dio", ben più reale delle nostre veglie ansiose, preoccupate solo dell'immediato; un sogno che continua a condizionarci tutti anche oggi. "A questo punto mi sono destato e ho guardato; il mio sogno mi parve soave" (Ger 31,26). E, di fronte alla fine di un mondo, invece di lasciarsi andare al lamento e alla disperazione, si alzò e comprò un campo (Ger 32).

Francesco Rossi De Gasperis, Cominciando da Gerusalemme, pagg. 225-226.

Fotografia di Sebastiana Papa, raffigurante una clarissa del convento di Cortona, esposta nella mostra Di Vari Credi al Museo di Roma in Trastevere, estate 2016.

Abandonment and trust issues

In an unprecedented burst of candor, I tell Connor an absolute lie that should be hard truth. "I don't think I'm interested."
"Why?" His eyebrows are up high, the expression on his face incredulous. "She's amazing."
Apparently, now that I've staked my position to Connor, I feel the need to defend it. "I've been burned before. Not interested in going there again."
"Burned? How?"
I give a sigh and brush my fingers through my hair. "Long story short, I had a girlfriend who dumped me when I came back with parts  of me left in the desert."
Connor winces, but I give  him the rest.
"My parents never came  to see me during my recovery; it was too much on them. I'm not keen on facing the whole potential for abandonment again."
Propping on his elbow, Connor levels me with a solemn look. "Christopher, I don't think them abandoning you had anything to do with your injuries. I think it had everything to do with the fact that they're the assholes. They're the ones who are deficient and weak - the ones who are broken."
"Maybe so," I say  in agreement. "But  it's sort of left me with trust issues."
It's a sympathetic look that Connor gives me. "And anger issues. No wonder you're an asshole. I totally understand it now through."

Sawyer Bennett, The Hard Truth About Sunshine

Immagine dalla mostra di fotografie di Daniel Hernandez-Salazar, Affinché tutti lo sappiano, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, estate 2016

Refocusing

I've thought a lot about her words, and her meaning is quite simple. It's nothing more than finding the good in a situation and appreciating it with such passion that it makes up for the loss of other things. It's redirecting. Refocusing. Accepting.  Moving on.
All the things I've not even been able to start to comprehend  since I got out of the hospital. I don't understand how she's been able to do it, but I can't stop wondering.
What makes her stronger than me?

Sawyer Bennett, The Hard Truth About Sunshine

Sebeta, Etiopia, Monastero del Getsemani, Monaca ortodossa. Fotografia di Sebastiana Papa, dalla mostra Di Vari Credi, Museo di Roma in Trastevere, estate 2016.

Let them go

Jillian had given a soft laugh, and I could even imagine her ruffling his hair if he had any. "Then don't let those emotions control you. Have those feelings, acknowledge what they are, recognize them for what they're worth, and then let them go. Turn your attention to that next great thing you want to accomplish".
Sawyer Bennett, The Hard Truth About Sunshine

Sparring words

"Ah, I see". His knowing look said he had the whole thing figured out.
"Are you jumping to conclusions again? Because you'll end up apologizing twice in one day."
He laughed. "Why do all mothers have that particular look and tone mastered?"
"What tone?" she asked haughtily.
"That tone. Can I ask one more question?"
"I don't know. You're starting to irritate me again."
For some reason, that seemed to please him. "Then I'll make sure it's a good one." He waited for her nod of approval before he said, "Will you have dinner with me?"
Marie Force, Marking Time

The way straight through it

Don't cheat yourself out of legitimate feelings. If you feel mad, be mad. If you feel sad, be sad. There's only one way to the other side of this, and that's straight through it. Denying any of your feelings will only make the journey longer.
Marie Force, Marking Time

Believe in my worth

It takes guts to be good at something. Confidence that you know you can do it. It's not enough that I sweat through the workouts, that I train harder than anyone else. I have to work through the sprains and shake off the bad hits. I have to ignore the slumps and the off nights, and I can't let all the damn parasites get in my head with their endless chatter...I have to believe in my worth.

Molly O'Keefe, Can't buy me love