Quotes Reflecting My Vision, My Dream

Visionary Quotes

28/11/10
Women, men, children, animals, plants, our mother earth, in other words all life are NOT commodities. All deserve dignity & respect. It starts with our attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, & actions. Simply put: the power to change this starts in ourselves. Let's do it, people - for all of us. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/09/10
Let's not return to some olden time that is more myth than reality. Let's move forward to a time of respect & acceptance of ALL as worthy of dignity & right treatment. An equality of worth, value, & appreciation, not dependent on outward visible signs of color, size, age, gender, etc. but on inner things like heart, mind, soul, spirit. I am a dreamer. Dream with me please. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

27/10/10
If you want to learn a culture, a language, a people, or anything for that matter, the best way is as a lover, in my humble opinion. Love what or whom you are exploring-- treasure, cherish, accept, & have fun. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/12/10
If we teach our young that it is horrible to be ___ (fill in the blank-- girl, woman, any part of the female body, any pejorative term for sex, gay, etc.,) what are we teaching ourselves?! This is hatred and the basis for violence. Wise up. Learn kindness. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

13/12/10
May I always have the courage to choose love & kindness when faced with a choice between following the rules and being kind/loving. May I have the courage to choose & to accept the consequences of that choice with graciousness. And, where I lack wisdom or knowledge, may I seek those but still choose love/kindness. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/12/10
So I spread out my dreams before me as a map to my heart's vision, trembling at my audacity as much as my excitement. Afraid? Yes. But more afraid not to live wild & free, untamed by this mad desire to embrace impossible hope & more impossible love. To burn brightly. To love deeply. To be the dream. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/12/10

Music & art are languages of heart & soul, using sounds, sights, spaces, & silences beyond mere intellect, able to bring smiles or tears to join hearts together in ways nothing else can. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/12/10
I refuse only to march to the beat of a different drummer. I prefer minuet-ing to a harpsichord, polka-ing to an accordian, waltzing to a cello, or whatever suits my fancy. Why be limited only to marches or drums? ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/12/10
While much about a person can be learned from what is posted on a wall over a period of time, it still is not sufficient info to know that person or their own personal practices/ beliefs. Getting to know someone takes a lot of time, effort, & attention. Even an eternity is too short to know someone truly, even yourself. Meanwhile, ask, dialogue, & love. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/01/11
Guard your heart for out of it come the issues of life (from Bible, Proverbs 4:23; Qu'ran 28:32) - Our attitudes, thoughts, even our "subterranean" thoughts color how we see, hear, act, react, & are also treated in this world. Change your thoughts/attitudes, & it is like magic. Try it, & see for yourself. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

29/01/11
Every day we need to talk with someone very different from ourselves-- of a different gender, religion, culture, country, ethnicity, intelligence, ability, etc. & know this is another life worthy & valuable same as we are... & Learn to communicate & appreciate all around us. Life is waiting to share joy with us in place of fears or hatreds. We can do it. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

30/01/11
There are no "throw away" people, irrespective of the current problems or difficulties faced. Each has a story, gifts, feelings, observations, & usefulness. All have value, deserving respect & dignity, & if that cannot be given, then do no harm--just stay away quietly. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/02/11
Communication takes all of me to hear, to understand, to listen, & to know another's words, meanings, subtle clues, backstories, feelings- both surface & multi-layered depths, & intentions. It is a lot like dancing, singing in harmony, or making love. It requires all of me. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

03/02/11
Showing love, compassion, kindness, peace, tolerance for differences, goodness, cheerfulness, etc. all are peace work. Sharing joy is too. Listening, really listening with heart & soul begins the journey. Dancing to Life & singing to Love. Please join in. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

04/02/11
Yes, I believe men & women can be friends. It is not that difficult. Just see the other person as another human being. The differences - whether religious, ethnic, size, ability, intelligence, etc. - are to enjoy & explore. Respect & willingness to learn go a long way in any potential relationship. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

13/02/11
Respect, dignity, kindness, hope, & love given will return to you. It might not be when you think you want or need it. It might never come from where it was expected. But, they will return to you many times over. They first come from within you & spread to cover your world. So, give exceedingly generously. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/01/11
As rough as my life can be often, it is still one full of privilege compared to so many in our world; therefore, I want my life to speak out & up for those who must focus only on finding food, water, safe shelter, & basic survival. May I never forget those who cannot help themselves. May I never fail to remind you of them, too. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

17/01/11
Do you realize you are truly loved? If not, let me remind you then because you are a valuable person, precious beyond belief, and treasured. Oh, and I am not the only one who thinks so. *hug* ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

31/03/11
Moral imagination, feeling with you, magical locomotion to allow a break-through. Real listening is magnetic, a revolutionary force, accepting & forgiving - a dynamic course. Empathy - seeing with your eyes, hearing with your ears - my heart goes with yours. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

31/03/11
May I be a strong woman & a woman of strength. If I must choose between the two, may I be a woman of strength for that will get me through everything life will bring my way. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

12/04/11
Empathy & imagination are powerfully revolutionary, of course. Change comes from hearts & minds won by hearing then feeling the stories of others. So, I want to tell stories in every way available to me. Stories to stir spirits. Stories to bring laughter, tears, & that silent witness of knowing that here is another, not an other. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

22/04/11
Reach out to someone, something, some place new to you & new to your way of being, and allow yourself to learn, to enjoy, & to explore. Allow yourself to make mistakes along the way as you explore, too. Smile. Laugh. Cry even. But, reach out. Small steps by small steps. There is a whole world around you waiting to meet you. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/05/11
It is a privilege to see other perspectives, other ways of being, & other beliefs/practices. It is a blessing to be allowed to participate. But, it wisdom to have the wonder, the curiosity, & the courage to accept, to want to learn, to love, to celebrate, & to share. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

04/05/11
May I ever be able to feel the depth of thankfulness in my heart which has no tongue but shines throughout my life. Let me dwell upon the honorable, the kind, the pure. Then may my tongue speak from the overflow of the goodness of heart. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11

Now is all I have. Each precious moment by moment. Each breathe, each thought, each word, each feeling... experienced now. A gift. Rare. Unrepeatable as is. All I am. Now. I choose to share me with you with all I have. Now. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11
Anything ever loved is never gone or lost. It merely changes form. But, it is still there. Sometimes hiding in a comfy but almost forgotten corner of the heart. But love is still there, holding you up, a part of who we are & who we become. Love just is. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/05/11
It has been said that there is no greater love than to give up one's life for the loved one, but I think an even greater one is to live despite all & still show love, esp. when it is the most difficult & least merited thing to do. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/05/11
Beauty, sexiness, desirability, respectability, dignity, value, & all the other attributes given to humans belong to us all. ALL. There is no one way that is alone worthy of love, respect, & admiration. Being alive is beauty itself no matter the size, shape, color, ability, health, gender, outwardliness, etc. ALL are beautiful. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/05/11
Even the tiniest of motions - emotional, mental, or physical - is the beginning of the journey. Each tiny motion adds to the previous motion(s.) Even what seems like a fall or a backtrack is still part of the journey. So, keep breathing & keep keeping on. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

27/05/11
A more equal playing field has many people deeply afraid & coming up with all manner of repressive rules, regs, etc. If we are all of equal worth, then those who have relied on privilege instead of skills, connections, etc. will find the grounds shifting beneath the feet as the "enemy." Can we help those frightened souls to grow or not? ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/06/11
YES! Black, Latino, Arab, Asian, fat, tall, short, old, young, middle aged, ill, disabled, healthy, dying, ALL... ALL life, ALL humans, ALL are good enough. ALL are worthy of respect, dignity, love, life! ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

06/06/11
The wisest thing to listen to is what we present to others - in words, actions, silences, our presence, our absence, what we are reaching out with, our reactions... these paint the picture of who we really are for all to see. It is wise to watch over a longer period of time to see the growth, the patterns, the trajectory, etc. Then we can begin to know ourselves. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

08/06/11
We humans throw away some of the best treasures when we throw away each other & see another human or another life as worth less. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11

Every person, every living being deserves love & respect... dignity, acceptance, belonging, safety... adequate food, water, shelter, survival needs... Let us all live, dream, work for that time for all. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11
It is one of the hardest things we do... to stand up for ourselves and for others... especially when we have faced and still face such horrendous hatred, hostility, & outright opposition from almost every corner, including those wretched internal tapes that have played so long within us that we are unworthy and despised. But, we do it despite our trembling and fears because it would mean our own deaths as well as the deaths of the majority of humans on our beautiful planet if we remain silent. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/06/11
And when the weakest, meekest, most defenseless among us is taken care of and protected, all of us are also protected. It only takes a moment to go from able to disabled. One accident. One attack. One catastrophe. One illness. We are all vulnerable. So, we all need to be caring about these issues and those already needing the tools to live. Learn now. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

© 2010, 2011, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

My Courage Quotes

My Courage Quotes

27/09/10        
The butterfly landed on the conquering wildflower blooming and perfuming the wasteland of despair. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

15/09/10
Do we ever in this life know why things turn out as they do? Some of what we think of as our worst flaws saves us much grief while some of our best strengths don't help when we think they should. Still, all works together for us in ways we don't always see. Nothing is as it appears. So, I say relax more, enjoy, & work with whatever happens. Might as well smile, too. It's free. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

12/09/10
Some days it is harder to take than others, but I keep telling myself that I am who I am. I cannot be anyone else. I would not know how to be someone else anyway. Besides, I would not want to be someone other than me even if I could be, & since I cannot be other than whom I am, that is good. But, some days it is all I can do to keep from weeping, running away, hiding away forever somewhere. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

07/10/10
No matter what, the trick is not to give up because you just never know what is going to happen next. Yes, it could be something worse, but it could be something better than you could ever dream, too. Mostly, though, it's a continuation of the ordinary, which is a blessing in itself often. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/10/10
I may fail spectacularly and repeatedly on my path in life, but that has not stopped me yet from getting back up... to learn from the falls & to keep trying. Sometimes the "mistakes" were more important than the supposed lessons. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

21/11/10
When you are struggling to live in a good way, trying to heal, & falling down often but continuing to get up to try one more time all the while wondering if all the effort is really worth it, please know you are never alone. You are being cheered on by your fellow strugglers as well as myriad allies that are not seen at the moment. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

26/11/10
May love, life, joy, kindness, & peace be my jewelry and my beauty routine because nothing is more beautiful in my eyes than Life glowing from within. May I help you shine too, my beautiful, beloved friends & family. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

13/12/10
May I always have the courage to choose love & kindness when faced with a choice between following the rules and being kind/loving. May I have the courage to choose & to accept the consequences of that choice with graciousness. And, where I lack wisdom or knowledge, may I seek those but still choose love/kindness. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

22/12/10
When sadness like a shroud enveils my heart & difficulties besiege my mind, I trudge along or rest a while before methodically continuing onward with Life, bit by bit until the time is done. Sometimes it is the courage simply to continue to breathe that makes a character, I think. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/11/10
A real test of your strength & character is the amount of control you have when you are angry or afraid. Can you refrain from lashing out, panicking, or saying/doing things you will regret? Can you still be patient & kind at that time? I don't know about you, but I am still working on this one. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

08/01/11
I could not stop for death & still won't! The imp wants mischief, the dragon feeding, the nymph a laurel tree to tend, a broom needing off the pink potion, a magic carpet to clean, breathing still to do, friends to love, & a beloved to thrill well past ecstasy. Schedules! Mustn't interfere with mine! lol ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

09/01/11
Guard your heart for out of it come the issues of life (from Bible, Proverbs 4:23; Qu'ran 28:32) - Our attitudes, thoughts, even our "subterranean" thoughts color how we see, hear, act, react, & are also treated in this world. Change your thoughts/attitudes, & it is like magic. Try it, & see for yourself. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/01/11
Moment by moment I am training myself to respect all of me as a whole & worthwhile person. I am learning to turn scared into sacred. I am learning that I really am who I am, & who I am is exactly who I was meant to be. I am learning this is the same for all my relations in creation. AND, it is a joy. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

26/01/11
I hated my body until I realized it was how I heard, saw, tasted, felt, smelt, & experienced life. Without my humble body functioning despite all it goes thru, I would not be here. I could not love, laugh, think, or enjoy all I have so far. So, I am learning to love & bless my body. It's about time. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

07/02/11
The world needed me just as me, so I will be the best me I can be by just being me. I don't know how to be anyone else, so I'll be me by default & by choice. The world needed you just as you, too, & even if nobody else cares, I do. I like you as you. Shall we be us together now? ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

18/02/11
Many have asked to get to know me better, & I am open to friendship from everyone everywhere. I am just a very shy, quiet, but friendly person until I "warm up"... which can take a while. But, it is not because I do not want the friendship, so please accept my apologies as I ask for patience with me. Thank you. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

19/02/11
If you really want to know me, then know my thoughts, see my art, feel my words, dance with my spirit, & sing with my soul in those glimpses & glances scattered across my heart & eyes for the daring to catch & hold. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

20/02/11
From babyhood on I have wanted to become Love, to find my wholeness, to heal from the deep brokenheartedness. It has been a journey in learning to forgive, to let go, to choose ever more wisely, to allow myself permission to just be me. I'm still learning. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

05/03/11
Breath is Spirit is Life. It would be wonderful if each breath could be free & easy, but even if each one must be a titanic struggle, it still will be done. Life finds a way until the end. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

23/03/11
I raise my head up to howl in laughter, to howl in mixed emotion, to howl to life itself. Despite pain, fear, heavy burdens, despite all. I will raise my head up to howl. My heart will dance long after my body is gone for I have loved as well as I am able with all my heart. May I yet live to learn to love more. Love never dies. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/03/11
Let me plant flowers even where I will never smell their fragrance, trees even where I will never enjoy their shade, love even where I will never know even a hug back. Let me leave something alive and beautiful wherever I go, wherever I am. A simple act of kindness & love can bring such healing even if I never see it. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

25/04/11
I am not a beauty nor a Barbie. I am an aging, larger, struggling to heal & move again, real woman. Many would find me not so attractive outwardly, but it would be hard to find more beauty in this broken body. It has withstood so much & is still here, doing its job faithfully. This is true beauty, imho. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

29/04/11
Maybe the reason I am still here despite all is not so much that I need to be here or that I am of a warrioress type of spirit. Maybe, just maybe I am still here against all odds is because someone(s) still need me here. Maybe just the fact I exist gives someone(s) hope, love, or joy. Maybe the fact of my life is the message. Maybe this is also true for you as well. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

01/05/11
I am a real woman. I sometimes scream, show fierce anger, say horrible things, weep, ache, get scared, panic, etc. I am human, just human. Some say these are faults. Maybe they are/maybe not, but it is not all of who I am. I cannot allow these to keep me from continuing to be real, be kind, & to grow & learn. I can make that choice to keep being & moving as the woman I am. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

31/05/11
As an aging woman, I love the charisma, the accomplishment, the confidence in who I am, my own sexuality & spirituality, my knowledge /intelligence/ wisdom, & all that I have so far learned & experienced in my life & my loves. This is real beauty. It cannot be faked nor exactly duplicated. It can be shared. Many an older woman/man can show you this same beauty. ~ Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

© 2010, 2011, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

I Come to You in Friendship

I Come to You in Friendship

I open my hand to you

With helpfulness and sharing it lends.

I open my heart to you

With love each word it sends.

I open my mind to you

With appreciation it comprehends.

I open my arms to you

With compassionate hugs it mends.

I open my ears to you

With deep caring always bends.

I open myself to you

With hopes that we’ll be friends.

ã4 December 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Remember, Oh Heart, You Are Not Alone

Remember, Oh Heart, You Are Not Alone

The fire that burns inside that causes fear, that brings deeps sighs, regrets,
The drowning sorrow, the uncertain waves of sea so unpredictably below
Your life's ship, the memories play, tolling on...
Sometimes alone despite the crowd, the heart cried out, oh secrets!
That cannot come back but cannot go forward into the undertow
While the sea's waves go rolling on...

Remember, oh heart, what once you loved is ever within and around
You. The love changes form and offers more, for love is.

A lover's kiss, a mother's touch like the purr of a baby cat,
The sun drenched land, the cleansing rains,
The seasons continue on...
Today the hill has berries growing, tomorrow will have grasses tall,
The sun and the rain do not mind the change
The hill produces love.

Remember, oh heart, what once you loved is ever within and around
You. The love changes form and offers more, for love is.

Your tears may fall, your heart break, you feel all is lost,
Your compass broke, the ship struck ground,
And it seems time has left you behind...
But tides do change, are changing now,
This burning, this drowning, these sorrows, these fears,
Are but a cleansing time for something more dear...
For love is...
Always. 
(c) Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw, 17/10/2010. All rights reserved.

I Do

I Do

Having been buffeted by storms for so long,
It’s hard to appreciate the calm
Which comes intermittently now,
But I do.

Having lived in the whirlwind,
It is hard to reap the full benefit
Of seeds sown in peace,
But I do.

Having no place to run to and be safe,
It is hard to run into the arms of god
And feel safe there,
But I do.

Having been hurt and betrayed so much by so many.
It is hard to risk trusting you
And reaching out to you,
But I do.

Having known sorrow and suffering of heart and soul,
It is hard to find deep joy
And hope at every turn,
But I do.

Having had no one to love me properly in life,
It is hard to be loved by you
Or even to love you,
But I do.
I really do.
(C) 20 January 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw

Buried Treasures

Buried Treasures
Come into my embrace, my love,
And let me begin to reveal my treasures
That my enemies thought were all destroyed or stolen,
But what they didn’t know then,
And they’ll not learn now,
Is that my treasures were buried
Deep inside me—
Kept safe until the right time
When the correct combination
Would begin to unlock the riches
Long ago buried
Deep in my heart
And spirit.
A great mystery—
The amazing ability
To disappear into myself
In a way that even I
Could not unlock
Until the right time.
But now,
Come, my love,
Take my hand and go on this adventure
Of great discovery with me.
(C) 20 January 1993, Daphne Yvonne Bradshaw.

Dark Is the Night; Bright Are the Stars that Shine

While listening to an old song from 1970 -

Rare Bird - Sympathy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvCd4LT0VBI&feature=related

Part of the lyrics:

...Now half the world

hates the other half

And half the world

has all the food

And half the world

Lies down and quietly starves

'cause there's not enough love to go round...

When looking at the world around us or even at our own lives, it can be hard to believe things will improve. True. But, please look around with me at some other things -- and yes, I try to remind myself of these things often as well to keep my heart strong...

Huge numbers of people worldwide have been gathering to protest and demand the end of atrocities of many types... growing over decades... including all types of people. They even get killed or jailed or tortured... and still the numbers grow. Growing numbers of people just like you and me are willing to stand up and count it worth the price paid to do so.

Also, look at all the small groups of people who are re-learning to grow life... gardens, forests, animals in rescue, animals in wild ... whole devastated lands recovered or recovering, more animal rescue sanctuaries, and so on.

Also, look at the outcry against slavery, against child exploitation, against rape, against violence... against tyranny... it is widespread and growing... it was not so widespread before. We humans are learning it is not acceptable to do these things anymore. Sure those who are in power or have moneys or positions to lose if these evils are gone will fight back viciously. That is a given. But, people are standing up despite the ruthless push-backs of power.

Look at how afraid the "rulers" are. They are becoming more ruthless and pushing the poorest and most defenseless into the ground with the rest of us slated for the same. BUT, that ruthlessness shows their fear. They know they are outnumbered once the people realize where the real power truly is. And it is happening... worldwide.

The road ahead will be very difficult, dangerous, costly, and bloody perhaps. But, there is joy further ahead too. Humans truly are mostly good, I think, if given the chance to be. If we weren't, we'd have been all dead long before now. I see the weaving of hearts and minds together. I see healings all around despite the sufferings.

Sometimes it does take us humans hitting the very bottom and having nothing else to lose before we find a way out of our messes.

And we can climb out. We can. We will. Hope is not dead. Love is not gone. Mercy is still there to pour down on us every day.

Just remember to always look for the bright side too... there is much to be grateful for and to fight for still. I know it is often too difficult to see the good when the evil around is so strong and seems to be winning. But it cheers me to remember that the darkest night is when the stars are seen to shine brightest because I can see them more clearly at that time. I am determined to follow the good -- to pursue it, plant it, share it, cultivate it, and nurture it ... whenever and wherever I find that goodness. I have been around gardens and farms all my life. I know that although there are crop failures sometimes, what is sown will be reaped in larger measures than the seeds planted. So, I hope to be a very good seed planter. I want a bumper crop of compassion, of love, of kindness ... of hope for us all. I will have to start with me, of course. And, there are many other such gardeners around, too. Yay for that!