Dime lo que es el Amor

Tell me what love means to you. What memories do you have attached to this word which helps give meaning to it. How do we create love, find love, and give love? What type of lover are you? Do you fall in love only once or many times thru-out life? 

I beleive that in many ways LOVE has been taken hostage by the mainstream popular culture of consumption. It has been turned into fantasy many times over. This hype created around being in love can also really mess with a young person who sees his/her peers coupling up. It can devastate self-esteem if there is no “love” returned. 

Here’s  a video in Spanish that i discovered today. It is in Spanish and the concept of love is very simply stated here, The philosopher speaking is actually a scientist by the name of by Eduard Ponset. (unfortunately worpdress wouldn’t let me embed this video, please watch the video)

also, a year ago i wrote the poem below. I myself have been thinking about love lately. I am 26 and have been in 2 very committed relationships since I was 20. I am re-realizing that there’s a part of me that i have yet to discover bc i have limited my love and experiences to these specific persons. I am not your typical person who imagines families and marriage at any age of choice. I don’t care about ticking clocks either. I just know that i have evolved many times over. and so has the way i love. 

if you have been thinking about love and its meaning, comment below or write to me at anaruth@streetinc.biz.

5/15/08 -on love: 

comes without asking for it. 
i’ve been afraid of it. 
i’ve invited the feeling and emotion. 
it is possible to love more than once. 
it is possible to fall in love with the same person countless times. 
“loving somebody is different from being in love with somebody”

usually the first connection/attraction with someon is physical. but the connections that are longer lasting are intellectual and spiritual. 

the person i love: 
loves life. 
loves to dream.
loves to create. 
was sent to me by a shooting star.

as a woman, we tend to love or care for our partners (especially men) as if we were there mothers. serving them, making sure they eat, regressing more than necessary, endless devotion, pampering, making sure they feel good. in that process we forget about ourselves. we forget about our dreams, our goals, our freedom. 

a partner should motivate and inspire. a partner who loves you should bring you up, belive in you, instill confidence in you. 
a person who loves themself can love someone in a healthier manner. you compliment your own love with someone elses. you share love. as opposed to just giving and giving more of you with little to nothing in return. 

 “you dont have to be rich to rule my world, you don’t have to be cool” 

communication between people is a challenge, but it is important to have, especially if you are building. honest communication in any relationship must be practiced.

if intentions are not apparent, be careful. follow your instincts. 

“the signs are everywhere”

are you a consumer? or do you create ? 
love?

i love.

 

Lo Tiene Todo!

My girlfriend Hazel, turned me on to MALUCA, an artist from NYC, raised in a Dominican household, whose father DJ’ed through the 60’s and 70’s. I went to check out her performance in L.A., twice! “Tigeraso” is what happens when you mix it all together … 

Isn’t she hott? Her outfits declare it, her moves scream it, her rhythm has u sweatin’.  She’s definitely about to hit the starz, bc she’s outta this world!

Embodying the Spirit of Justice

I remember when this raid happened in Postville, Iowa and it stole 400 people away from their families. I believe that there is a whole generation of children that will grow up with much resentment towards this government for what is happening. Watching this clip, confirms that all the oppression that is occurring, has its resistance too. Beyond that, a whole wealth of manifestations. This boy stands for what is being created, a whole generation of justice seekers.

Searching for the Right Place to be …

“… the journey creates the warrior, not the destination…” – elder @ Bringing the Circle Together.

I realized something important to keep me going without feeling helpless or completely lost as I walk my journey called life.

Last night I headed in the general direction of a place where I wanted to be. In my search for a place to sit with the full moon and meditate with her I found many roads that went up, down, and ended. I had to reverse or turn around in tight corners and find other ways around. I could sense I was near, but it was such a challenge to find the right path that would take me to my destination.

And even after I had arrived, as much as I thought that’s where I wanted to be, I found out that it was no longer the right place.

Coyote at the midnight moonlit hour:

As I drove to a tree stump on the hills of Echo Park, across from Chavez Ravine, a coyote crossed my path. It was lost. I could sense it was frustrated and that it wanted to find a way back to what was safe and familiar. It did not want to be in the middle of the streets running in between parked or running cars. I stopped my car and coyote stood in front of my car. It continued running and I tried calling it back. But coyote had left quickly. He headed out in another direction. I only hope coyote is safe.

I kept driving up only to find four different dead ends. I noticed a helicopter intensely lighting the night sky above me, but I assumed it would leave. It was midnight by the time I found the road that would take me to the tree stump. On that road I drove past three different, creepy souls who walked with white blank faces.  The first one was a woman, she walked slowly and had long gray hair that extend out into the air. The next was a man was watering the bushes across form his house aimlessly. I drove on and parked. The third man, stumbled out of his driveway and zigzagged across the road. Instead of one helicopter, there were  now three scanning the hill across from me. It was not safe. Coyote had warned me. And it was time to follow my instinct and leave the ravine.

One more destination:

I tried one more destination, the cornfields, but I deciding to keep heading North towards the hills of Lincoln Heights. Once again, wrong rights, funny left turns, and more dead ends. But I could still see the place where I wanted to be and it was near. I few more tries and I finally made it. I parked, hiked up, and sat on a hill looking south at the sparkling jewel that is Los Angeles. I thanked my gramma moon, my mother earth, and my ancestors for the lesson they had provided…

The Lesson:

As I set my mind to manifesting my goals, I will come across wrong paths worth taking to learn it is not the way. I can always turn around, but I must be patient with my process, my mistakes, and try another way. I should not get angry, and instead keep hope, faith, and confidence on my side. As long as I have my eyes on the prize, as long as my heart is willing, the right road will always be near. When I finally arrive, my heart, mind, and spirit will know and rest easy with the deal I made with my destiny that has been reconnected.

When I arrived on that moonlit hill, a hawk flew closely above, gliding around in front of me, and with a blink of my eyes, it disappeared into the nights background…

Oil Painting by J. Aaudette (click on foto for website)

A Good Way to Start the Month

These last three days included marchers, a photography challenging perceptions of the API community, funky music, compost kings with children reigning, and Cambodian hip-hop performers.

May began with International Workers Day. MIWON organized one of the 7 marches that were spread through out Los Angeles to call for immigration reform and workers rights. Placita Olvera was the final destination for marchers who began mid-day in Echo Park.

Demonstrators unveil a "human billboard" at La Placita Olvera area in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, May 1, 2009 . Sign reads "Workers First." (AP Photo/Damian Dovargane)

While at Placita, I found myself by accident at the Chinese-American Museum. Asian Roots/American Reality is an exhibition of 92 photographs by Corky Lee, a photojournalist capturing the passion and activism of the API community. The photographs tell many brilliant stories of families, workers, immigrants, and movements spread over a 35 year period. Take a free tour and learn some inspiring history that will add to your consciousness

Police Brutality Victim, 1975. New York City, New York. (Corky Lee)

Saturday night I ended up dancing at FUNKYSOLE at the Echo. A brilliant production that hosted atleast 6 djs, including Clifton, aka DJ Soft Touch, and a female guest DJ from Bakersfield, spinning classic funk music from the 60’s and 70’s to a crowd that had every body jumping, grooving, and even break dancing.

Clifton, aka DJ Soft Touch

Sunday I made it out to the Wild Oats Organic Garden in long beach for a Children’s Day Celebration. It was a perfect day to open the vegetable and flower gardens for children to play musical chairs to the drum beats of SKIM, blow bubbles, and enjoy song and poetry.There were also workshops for parents and delicious vegan food provided Food Not Bombs Guerilla Chapter. This event was organized in part by Sumiko Braun, a mother whose intention was to provide a safe and creative space to celebrate children and their free spirits.

Food Not Bomb chefs serving what they do best, vegan justice on a plate 🙂

Joe, the "Compost King", amidst mountains of rotting veggies. Special thanks to MaryBeth and Jeidi for sharing the garden.

Girl graciously blowing bubbles...

My highlight was seeing Tiny Toones, on tour through 4 major U.S. cities performing Hip Hop all the way from Cambodia. An empowering and inspirational performance of emcees, break dancers, dj’s, and graffiti artists came together for a fundraiser to continue providing free health and educational services for children in Cambodia.

Brilliant photograph of B-Boy Homie by Jen May (www.jenmayphotography.com)

The founder, Tuy Sobil, was raised in Long Beach spending his daysas a b-boy. Sobil was deported to Cambodia after being caught up with people and in places he should not have been. Children in  Cambodia found out he had mad skills in break dancing and naturally sought him so he could teach them. He soon began to teach break dancing to children who were in need of a positve role model.  In this story, Hip Hop saves lives, again.

B-boys and B-girl Diamond (front), she is an inspiration to all Khmer girls to become break-dancers too. (photo from tinytoonescambodia.com)

Emcee lyrically performs about ancestors, victims of the genocide, youth culture and ... his motorcycle

Mother connects to his son, Tuy Sobil, whom she has not seen since his deportation. She expressed her pride in tears for the work he has inspired in the children of Cambodia.