Tag Archives: discovery
A palace untouched
“A palace untouched by human hand, with its gardens of rock and water where living creatures play the part of flowers…” — Philippe Diole Reading descriptions of the form and function of the sea anemone brings to mind horror movies or frightful science fiction. “Venom-filled tentacles…harpoon-like filament…paralyzing neurotoxin…helpless prey.” Really? But look how beautiful they are. …
Security or opportunity?
“There is no security on this earth. Only opportunity.” — General Douglas MacArthur “Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity; they seem more afraid of life than of death.” — James F. Byrnes There’s nothing like watching or reading the news to create feelings of insecurity. Violence erupts all over the globe, …
The familiar exotic
“Make the familiar exotic; the exotic familiar.” — Bharati Mukherjee I’m pretty good at making the exotic familiar, or at least trying. When Jeff and I travel, we tend to avoid the tourist routes and go to places where the locals are: public transportation, grocery stores, municipal libraries. The more intriguing a city is, the more I am determined …
Always a frontier
“Where there is an open mind there will always be a frontier.” — Charles F. Kettering I admire the courage of those who venture into new territory. From the explorers of ancient times up through the astronauts of today, we have always needed trailblazers who are willing to lead the way into an unknown future. …
Open every door
“Not knowing when the Dawn may come I open every Door…” — Emily Dickinson When our eight-week-old Schipperke came to live with us nearly 16 years ago, I read everything I could find on the breed. More than one source remarked “this dog does not like closed doors.” Apparently the Schipperke has insatiable curiosity, a …
Lose sight of the shore
“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” — André Gide To live a life of faith, we must be willing to relinquish the illusion of control. This does not imply being imprudent or foolhardy, but it does suggest that our vision is limited …
Almost like talking
“Traveling is almost like talking with men of other centuries.” — source unknown; widely attributed to René Descartes Whether the area features a landscape that goes back one century or many, whether the ruins are real or reconstructed, I always feel a keen sense of connection to what came before. All places new to me have in common …
Curiosity conquers fear
“Curiosity will conquer fear even more than bravery will.” — James Stephens I’m not a particularly brave person, but my curiosity about almost everything knows no bounds, and I can vouch for the truth of Stephens’ observation about its power to overcome fear. Through the years, my curiosity has often met with disdain: “Why should you want to know that?” …
Defeat Despair 