flower power

War and Peace: 17 year old Jan Rose Kasmir offers a flower to soldiers during the Pentagon anti-war protest in 1967.

“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” – Marc Riboud

In 1967 during the Pentagon anti-war protests, French photographer Marc Riboud captured a memorable image that would forever be known as an iconic symbol for the Flower Power movement in America. Often described as “A gauzy juxtaposition of armed forces and flower child innocence”, this photograph tells the story of a 17 year old girl who offered a daisy to bayonet wielding soldiers in a quest to stop the war. Her efforts were not in vain, it seems, as her innocent act of kindness began to speak to the soldiers. There were still, however, 681 one protesters arrested that day and dozens beaten, as they were pushed off the Pentagon’s steps.

It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Every now and then though, it’s possible to come across something so indescribably moving that no words could rightly do it justice. It could be the picture of the weeping face of an innocent child, or a watercolor painting of boats resting on the shores of the French Riviera. It could simply even be the abstract mixture of color in an oil based painting. What is it about this image of a girl with a flower in a time of war, that speaks to us so deeply? I believe that this picture is a window into the true nature of humanity. Good versus evil. Innocence versus innocence lost. It is a reflection of a reminder of our forgotten youth. This photograph- the idea of it, what it symbolizes- is so much more than that.

100,000 Monks in prayer for a better world

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller

Often we find that the way we see things affects our inner being. That strong emotional response influenced by a connection felt in our great proverbial heart is utterly rewarding. Quite recently I found myself searching for this undeniable connection to something real and beautiful. Not mainstream commercial beauty, nor a simple beauty to the eye, but an honest beauty to the heart and soul. With the help of my trusty friend Google, a good cup of herbal tea and a heart-melting collection of pictures compiled by Maia McCann on Distractify (Please check out her link at the ende of this page), I was able to find what I needed. Of course, there were other sources and other images that moved me, but today I’d like to share just a few of my favorite images with you, along with some wise (and quite suitable) quotes.

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

3 Weeks old infant with albinism snuggles up to his cousin for a snooze.

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

Nelson Mandela

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

Albert Schweitzer

“The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.”

Chief Joseph

Supporters celebrate as Minnesota legalizes gay marriage.

Edit: Here are some inspiring pictures that were taken of strong women that changed history. This simply made me smile with pride. Please check out the link to the source below.