Tag: heart

How do you share you care?

I make it a priority to visit and talk with people.
I make it a priority to visit and talk with people.

How do you share you care?

People have written down inspiring answers. Their words can be read in several windows of downtown’s Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

What would you write?

Having compassion and giving time and effort.
Having compassion and giving time and effort.
Acknowledgement - every one deserves to feel seen and heard and cared for and respected.
Acknowledgement – every one deserves to feel seen and heard and cared for and respected.
I teach Middle School.
I teach Middle School.
Seeing all people as human beings just trying to get through in the world.
Seeing all people as human beings just trying to get through in the world.
By sharing your time and helping a homeless person or child.
By sharing your time and helping a homeless person or child.
Teach, help people grow themselves.
Teach, help people grow themselves.
Spreading joy and color as far as I can reach.
Spreading joy and color as far as I can reach.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A beating heart, and neighboring stars.

I’ve written another short story. It’s titled A Heart That Would Not End.

This new story was inspired by my friend Mitchell the didgeridoo player.

Mitchell’s smile can be seen all around San Diego. Perhaps you’ve seen him playing one of his didgeridoos at Seaport Village or Balboa Park, or entertaining visitors inside the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park.

Not only does his music surge like the beating heart of the cosmos, but Mitchell has a deep interest in astronomy and our particular corner of the galaxy. He has created a unique Stellarium: a large three dimensional transparent cube filled with shining stars that represents our sun’s neighborhood. He has shown me photographs.

One day I hope to look into the Stellarium with my own eyes.

To read my new story, click here.

How to help homeless youth this Christmas!

Donations and care bags are being gathered for homeless youth this Christmas at the SDSU Downtown Gallery and the downtown Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
Donations are being gathered for homeless youth this Christmas at the SDSU Downtown Gallery, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

If you’d like to help homeless youth in San Diego this Christmas, donations of helpful items are being accepted by the SDSU Downtown Gallery, and the downtown location of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. School supplies, youth clothing and hygiene items would be very helpful.

Donations are welcome at both museums through December 20, 2018.

You can also join compassionate teens and big-hearted members of the community as care bags for homeless youth are hand assembled on December 20th from 5:00 – 7:30 pm.

Enlarge the above flyer for easy reading by clicking my photo. Feel free to share the flyer on social media.

You can also learn more details at the MCASD website by clicking here!

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Are you a blogger? Do you want to help make the world a better place? You might want to join Bloggers Lifting Others Generously.

Give a Christmas toy to less fortunate children.

Numerous elves show up at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion during 2017 Christmas on the Prado.
Happy elves magically appear at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion for Christmas on the Prado.

If you would like to give a special Christmas gift to less fortunate children in San Diego, here’s a wonderful idea!

This coming Saturday and Sunday afternoon–December 1 and 2, 2018–toys will be collected by Toys for Tots during the 5th Annual Christmas on the Prado in Balboa Park.

Bring a new unwrapped toy . . . or two . . . or three!

Here’s an even more wonderful idea! Host a toy drive at your work, church or special event and bring lots of toys!

If you happen to swing by Balboa Park on Saturday, you’ll be able to watch the lighting of the community Christmas tree in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion at 6:30 pm, then Sing Along with Santa!

Click here to learn more!

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Are you a blogger? Do you want to help make the world a better place? You might want to join Bloggers Lifting Others Generously.

Beauty and heart in Balboa Park.

A busy Sunday afternoon in Balboa Park. There is much living to do.
People walk through Balboa Park. There is much living to do.

Another fine Sunday afternoon in Balboa Park.

More beauty.

More sunshine.

More smiles.

More heart.

I could take a million photographs during walks through Balboa Park, because there is always something new.

Dancers perform at the International Cottages during the House of Lebanon lawn program.
Dancers perform at the International Cottages during the House of Lebanon lawn program.
Lebanese food is devoured on a sunny San Diego day.
Yummy authentic Lebanese food is devoured on a sunny San Diego day.
Amazing artwork displayed inside the Casa del Prado for the 43rd Annual Sumi-e Ten Japanese Brush Painting Exhibition.
Exquisite artwork displayed inside the Casa del Prado for the 43rd Annual Sumi-e Ten Japanese Brush Painting Exhibition.
Taking up a brush, learning how to craft elegant beauty.
Young people take up a brush, learning to transform ink into elegant beauty.
Autumn seasonal display in the Botanical Building features pumpkins arranged among plants and flowers.
The seasonal display in the Botanical Building features pumpkins arranged among plants and flowers.
Raúl Prieto Ramírez, San Diego's Civic Organist, talks to the audience during the free Sunday concert at two o'clock.
Raúl Prieto Ramírez, San Diego’s Civic Organist, talks to the audience during the free Sunday concert at two o’clock.
Visitors to Balboa Park peer down into the Lower Garden of the Japanese Friendship Garden from the deck of the Tea Pavilion.
Peering down into the Lower Garden of the Japanese Friendship Garden from the deck of the Tea Pavilion.
Light filters through tall bamboo at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Light filters through bamboo at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
A colorful painting of Mt. Fuji by Yutaka Murakami in the Exhibit Hall at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
A painting of Mt. Fuji by Yutaka Murakami. His fantastic artwork is now on display in the Exhibit Hall at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Steel drums add flavor to the Plaza de Balboa near the Bea Evenson Fountain.
Steel drums add flavor to the Plaza de Balboa near the Bea Evenson Fountain.
People eat, talk, relax at tables in the Plaza de Panama.
People eat, talk, find comfort at tables in the Plaza de Panama.
Perusing photographs by a local artist at Art in the Park.
Browsing photographs by a local artist at the outdoor Art in the Park.
Gazing down upon the dreamy Alcazar Garden.
People filter through the dreamy Alcazar Garden.
Feeling the holiday spirit by The Old Globe Christmas Tree in Copley Plaza.
Feeling the holiday spirit by The Old Globe Christmas Tree in Copley Plaza.
Enjoying peace and warm sunlight on the grassy West Mesa of Balboa Park.
Enjoying peace and warm sunlight on the grassy West Mesa of Balboa Park.
Shining blooms in a tree.
Shining blooms in a tree.
A noisy flock of crows was perched in the eucalyptus trees near the San Diego Chess Club and Balboa Park Horseshoe Club.
A noisy flock of crows was perched in the eucalyptus trees near the San Diego Chess Club and Balboa Park Horseshoe Club.
A drum circle in Marston Point, like the joyful, beating heart of Balboa Park.
A drum circle in Marston Point. Like the joyful, beating heart of Balboa Park.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Do you love Balboa Park, too? Check out my other website Beautiful Balboa Park!

An abundance of life in Balboa Park.

What an amazing day.

This afternoon I headed to the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park to enjoy San Diego Opera’s preview of their upcoming production All Is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914. The deep humanity of the music raised goosebumps. I’ll be blogging about that shortly.

I then rode the tram into the heart of Balboa Park, with no particular destination in mind. In the hour of remaining daylight I snapped random photographs of whatever happened to grab my fancy.

When I got home, I was struck by how the photos contain a joyful abundance of life.

Balboa Park is always so alive.

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Do you love Balboa Park? Check out my other website Beautiful Balboa Park!

Window Stories at Salvation Army Family Store.

A cat waits in a window near the uniform of a service member.
A cat waits in a window near the uniform of a service member.

Four stories are being told on the south wall of the The Salvation Army Boutique Family Store in East Village. These Window Stories concern the lives of ordinary, everyday people.

Come walk with me down the sidewalk and let’s sneak a peek through the windows. Maybe we’ll see a little bit of ourselves…

Window Stories was designed by POP/ARCH and created by Urban Interventions.
Window Stories is public art designed by POP/ARCH and created by Urban Interventions.
Standing beside the south wall of The Salvation Army Boutique Family Store at the corner of Park Boulevard and E Street.
Standing beside the south wall of The Salvation Army Boutique Family Store at the corner of Park Boulevard and E Street.
A bright red bird visits a lone person sitting at one window.
A bright red bird visits a lone person sitting at one window.
A child in the arms of a loving adult in another window.
A child in the arms of a loving adult in another window.
A couple enjoys a romantic dinner in another window.
A couple enjoys a romantic dinner in another window.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A world of peace, joy and hope.

My previous blog post seeped with terrible darkness. It showed us a human world that contains brutality, selfishness and despair.

But you know, if we chose, our world could look like this:

During my walk through Balboa Park today, I paused among the International Cottages to experience the peace, joy and hope that are possible when different people with different experiences simply love life and come unselfishly together.

Members of the House of Czech and Slovak Republics, with their smiles, dance and music set a wonderful example for us all to follow.

The choice is ours to make.

Two ways to thank those who served and sacrificed.

Today I learned of two ways to thank military heroes who sacrificed part or all of their life in service to country.

I was walking through the Mustang Club of San Diego’s outdoor car show, checking out some of the displays, when I paused to speak to individuals representing two non-profit organizations: Homes For Our Troops and Final Honor.

Homes For Our Troops builds specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans, enabling them to rebuild their lives. The specially designed homes contain features that assist heroes who have multiple limb amputations, partial or full paralysis, and/or traumatic brain injury.

There are 100 severely injured Veterans awaiting entry into their program. To learn more and perhaps make a donation, click here.

Final Honor provides a complimentary horse-drawn funeral carriage at Miramar National Cemetery. The dignified carriage is available for any Veteran, regardless of rank, whose family would like to enhance the memorial service for their loved one at no cost.

This beautiful, completely free service is made possible through private donations. To learn more and perhaps provide a helping financial hand, click here.

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Are you a blogger? Do you want to help make the world a better place? You might want to join Bloggers Lifting Others Generously.

Rowing For the Cure on beautiful Mission Bay.

Early this morning I headed to Ski Beach Park, on Vacation Isle at the center of Mission Bay. I wanted to take photographs of a dramatic post-storm sunrise, and people out on the silver water rowing to cure breast cancer.

If you want to learn more about Susan G. Komen’s annual Row For the Cure event, and perhaps watch or participate next year, check out their website here.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!