Music That Moves Me

We all have it.  That one song which, every time we hear it, just reaches down and grabs us at our very core.  Sometimes we know exactly why we react this way, other times the reason is elusive.  Either way it can't be denied that for most of us music pulls out emotion like few things in life.

I'm posting some songs here (in no particular order) that have that effect on me. For some, as soon as I hear the first few notes they immediately trigger a tear. For others it takes a few bars.  They literally make me stop whatever I'm doing, and everything around me melts away.  All I'm left with is this feeling.  The feeling that someone has reached through my chest and grabbed my heart. The clenching shortens my breath.  It's uncomfortable, but God help me at the same time I love the experience.  Because even in moments of intense melancholy I feel. 

And when you feel, you're alive.









(Special mention also goes to Howard Jones' "City Song".  Couldn't find a video for it).






I felt it all over again just putting this post together.  It's emotionally draining sometimes, but in a good way.  Hard to explain, I guess you get it or you don't.

...so what songs move you?

Mindscape

How to not think you a poem,
When your words give rhyme to uncertainties?
How to not think you a song,
When you harmoniously resonate through the mind?
How to not think you a bird,
When you fly unencumbered by life's gravity?
How to not think you nature's fury,
When like a gale you stir the soul?

How to not think you?




Photo credit here

Secret Friday

                                               sooo sexy!


Is it really Friday? Yeah baby! Welcome to the twenty-fourth installment of Secret Friday, a chance to anonymously share some secrets and/or fantasies you've been keeping to yourself. Some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking and some are just plain naughty.

All are valid.

Before we get into this I want to talk about something that happened a few days ago that I probably won't forget as long as I run this. As I mentioned last week, Rasha told me she decided to start featuring "Tell Me A Secret Tuesday" weekly on her blog.  A great comment from Amber on Rasha's post this week caught my attention.  She said,

"I don't have a secret today - but somehow reading this post last week and this week makes me feel better. Not that I'm happy that other people are struggling by any means - I wish everyone could find the peace and contentment they long for. But somehow this post makes me realize that we all have issues, all have secrets, all have unanswered prayers - and that's just a part of life I'm learning to live with."

It's hard to explain how it felt to read that, because it's exactly the reason I started Secret Fridays. Through all our secrets, fantasies and struggles we share a commonality which, when laid naked before all to see, makes us realize we're not alone. The submissions I receive from all of you are sometimes not easy to read but they're so, so important.  I thank you Amber for allowing me to repost your comment here.

If you want to see more, also drop by to visit Neisy for her Secret Fridays. (If her post isn't up now it should be shortly). I love that this idea has also crossed the ocean to Egypt.

Okay, here's how this works:

1) This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor.

2) Post a secret or fantasy anonymously, no names please. It can be anything from mild to wild, anything goes. All I ask is that it's true. You can post as many as you're comfortable with.

3) I don't plan to censor content or language. However I do reserve the right to remove anything which appears to be posted with the sole intent of offending. I also reserve the right not to remove content that may be considered controversial. It's a fine line sometimes.

4) If you're someone who is easily offended by swearing or sexual content you may not want to read through the comments. I have no idea where this will go and won't be reviewing comments until after they are posted.

5) Feedback about this feature is welcome, anonymously or otherwise.

6) I'd like everyone to please refrain from commenting on what someone else has written; what may seem trivial to you can be very personal to someone else. Everyone has feelings and I want to see them respected, therefore inappropriate remarks will be removed. Fortunately this hasn't been an issue and I'd like to thank all of you for that.

On to it...

Self-Harm: A Greater Understanding

One of the biggest benefits of blogging is that it affords us a chance to learn about lifestyles and cultures that we would never know otherwise. Shortly after I started my site last year I stumbled upon a blog which revealed a world of which I knew very little.

L. was a bi-sexual woman in her late-twenties, involved in a D/s (Dominant/submissive) relationship with her female partner. She was the submissive in that relationship, as well as in her previous relationship with a male partner.  She also self-injured.  In other words, she willingly cut herself.  The conversation that followed was one of the most valuable experiences I've had in understanding a life lived much differently than my own.  It also raised an important question. 

Why is self-harm not talked about more often?

No way around it, this is a heavy subject.  It's a growing phenomenon, particularly common among girls and starting typically around age fourteen. People who self-harm commonly have eating disorders. They may have a history of sexual, physical, or verbal abuse. Many are sensitive, overachievers. Self-injury begins as a defense against what's going on in their lives; it's a way of gaining control.  Psychiatrists believe that for people with emotional problems, self-injury has an effect similar to cocaine and other drugs that release endorphins to create a state of comfort.

Recently on one of my almost-daily visits to the psychology section of my favourite local bookseller, I chanced upon a book written by a woman who experienced this through most of her life. 

                           

Victoria Leatham has written this book under a pseudonym.  Her story began in her late teens with the realization that she was depressed but unsure of how to deal with it.  It continued, and after university she turned to self-harm as an escape.  In her words, "What I wanted-what I needed- was a pain that I could see and deal with.  I couldn't cope with the mess inside me any longer, and cutting myself seemed to be the best solution."

As the book moves forward we read of her struggle over the following years to gain control, in which she experienced (amongst other things) binge drinking, sexual promiscuity and visits to various psychiatrists.  She was prescribed various treatments over time, including numerous medications, and voluntarily had herself institutionalized on a few occasions.  She received the help she needed through cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), in which she came face to face with her thinking and beliefs. CBT commonly entails keeping a diary of significant events and associated feelings, thoughts and behaviors; questioning and testing cognitions, assumptions, evaluations and beliefs that might be unhelpful and unrealistic; gradually facing activities which may have been avoided; and trying out new ways of behaving and reacting.  The most difficult part of this for her was learning not to trust her instincts.

Although this book sounds like an incredibly heavy read, I found it very hard to put down. It's well-written, not at all clinical, and gives a lot of insight into the mind of one person struggling to break free of her demons.  Although she made some unfortunate choices, I was struck by her continuing strength and determination to break free of this behaviour.  She never gave up, but instead continually sought treatment.

Approximately 1% of the US population has inflicted physical injury upon themselves at some time in their life as a way of coping with an overwhelming situation or feeling. Those numbers are most likely an underestimation, because the majority of acts of self-injury go unreported.  The figures are higher in many other countries. I would have liked to have seen the book include information at the end on how to seek help, perhaps include some links to treatment centres.  Otherwise it's an excellent and (I think) important read to gain a greater understanding of this tragic affliction.  Definitely recommended.


As a side note, in preparation for this post I've done some research and found that there are many centres which offer treatment for those who self-harm.  One of the better-known seems to be S.A.F.E. Alternatives (click to link to their site).  If you know any teenagers struggling with similarly serious issues I'm including a link to Young Womens Resource Center (click to link).

I'm interested in hearing any comments, anonymous or otherwise, on this subject.  If you made it this far, thank you for reading.

"What Makes You Tick" Giveaway Winner!

And the winner is...

...Jill from Life After College. Congrats Jill!  I'm working on the logistics of shipping this and it should be on its way Friday.

A very sincere thank-you to all of you who talked about who you are beneath the surface. It's not an easy thing to do.  All entries came to me confidentially by e-mail and as such I can't publish them (sorry guys!)  I can reveal that I had seven entries from men and women in four countries.

I'm considering ideas for my next giveaway in the next few months, suggestions are welcome!

...'Cause It's How I Roll Baby!!

"If you can't be a good example, be a warning."

 Muwahaha!!

Battle Studies

I like to think of myself as a romantic. I'm a sucker for poetry, sappy ballads and a good love story.  I believe in 'happily ever after'.  Tend to romanticize people, situations and memories more than I should sometimes.  I believe in chivalry and treating a woman like a lady, although I've never viewed women as the weaker sex.

I see beauty in everything around me.

But I'm also a realist. I don't believe in love at first sight; if anything it equates more to physical attraction. I won't say love at first sight isn't possible, just not probable.  I don't subscribe to conventional views of soulmates; it's hard to believe that in a world full of millions of possible partners we all have just ONE person we're meant to be with.  I do believe in happily ever after, but not as exists in storybooks and movies.  Happily ever after takes work and doesn't always come easily; but it's working through the ups and downs that makes a loving relationship truly rewarding.

So here's the internal battle I'm fighting.  Is it possible for these two sides to exist without one taking over the other?  Can eyes that colour the world with romantic idealism still see it realistically?  Am I just overanalyzing this?

Undecided.

Secret Friday

Welcome to the twenty-third installment of Secret Friday, a chance to anonymously share some secrets and/or fantasies you've been keeping to yourself. Some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking and some are just plain naughty.

All are valid.

If you can't get enough of secrets, also drop by to visit Neisy. (If her post isn't up now it should be shortly). I love that this idea has crossed the ocean to Egypt. You're awesome Neisy!  Also be sure to visit Rasha for "Tell Me A Secret Tuesday". Rasha and I recently became acquainted and it looks like she'll (hopefully) make this a regular feature on her blog. If you want to see more please drop her a comment here with a secret and/or note of encouragement. I'm sure she'll love to hear from you.

Here's how this works:

1) This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor.

2) Post a secret or fantasy anonymously, no names please. It can be anything from mild to wild, anything goes. All I ask is that it's true. You can post as many as you're comfortable with.

3) I don't plan to censor content or language. However I do reserve the right to remove anything which appears to be posted with the sole intent of offending. I also reserve the right not to remove content that may be considered controversial. It's a fine line sometimes.

4) If you're someone who is easily offended by swearing or sexual content you may not want to read through the comments. I have no idea where this will go and won't be reviewing comments until after they are posted.

5) Feedback about this feature is welcome, anonymously or otherwise.

6) I'd like everyone to please refrain from commenting on what someone else has written; what may seem trivial to you can be very personal to someone else. Everyone has feelings and I want to see them respected, therefore inappropriate remarks will be removed. Fortunately this hasn't been an issue and I'd like to thank all of you for that.

Enough of my yapping, on to it...

Giveaway

Hi everyone, a reminder that there's still time to enter my "What Makes You Tick"giveaway, ending May 26th.  Click here, or on photo at top of sidebar for details.

Hope your week is going well!

Brooklyn (revisited)

Can't think of anything to write at the moment so I'm posting something I wrote last year.  Whether you're reading it for the first time or you've read it previously, I hope you like it.

Brooklyn

Moonlight bathes these worn tenements
Gray clouds receeded, marking rainstorm’s pass.
And I in torn faded jeans,
Weathered guitar resting in lap,
Keep vigil upon this towering web of stairs.
Your fire escape Romeo,
Futilely awaiting your return.

Was a time we'd have torn the roof off this place to get to each other,
Evading your father’s watchful eye
Mother’s vehement stare.
Chasing dreams like yellow cabs
We lived to make every corner a memory,
Stealing kisses and so much more
Down every backstreet we ran.

But those days have faded
Like neon signs in familiar places,
Having long since closed their eyes.
Where did we go?
Fell in love with a picture we painted
Of our lives together
Like watercolours on the sidewalk
Washed away
When the storms grew too strong for us to repress.

Light fog now rolls down this alley,
Ghostly shadows playing through billowing sidewalk steam.
And here, bathed in dim streetlights’ glow,
Awash in mist and memories,
I’ll sit and wait for you forever
In Brooklyn.

Q&A- Five People I'd Like To Meet

This post is in response to an interesting question I received last week, "If you could only invite 5 people (living or deceased) to dinner who would they be and why?" Here they are (click on each name for more info)...

Mohandas Gandhi

Gandhi was one of the greatest leaders of the 20th Century, a man who lived a modest life and lived as he preached.  He was a quietly outspoken advocate of a simple life lived in truth, spirituality, love and non-violence. I'd like to sit with him and just listen to what he has to say; you can't have too much of any of these things in your life.   

Mother Teresa

One of the most selfless humanitarians of our time. Mother Teresa devoted her life completely to caring for others in Third-World countries who were sick and dying of various diseases. I'd like to sit with her because someone like this is bound to have a profound influence on the way you look at life.  I think I'd leave that conversation with more compassion than I now have.


Freidrich Nietzsche

To my mind Nietzsche is one of the most brilliant philosophers of modern times (nineteenth century).  While much of his work admittedly makes my brain hurt, his philosophies are fascinating and I find his most frequently quoted works still hold many truisms today.  (Many of his quotations appear on this blog). I'd almost be scared to sit with him as our discussion on philosophy could run for hours, much of that time taken up with me asking questions.


Dr. Cindy M. Meston, Ph.D.

Cindy M. Meston is one of the world's leading experts on female sexual psychophysiology.  Recently she collaborated with evolutionary psychologist David M. Buss to publish "Why Women Have Sex", the result of a three-year study of approximately 1,000 women. I'd like to sit with her because no other study of female sexuality that I've read has explored the psychology involved as thoroughly, and I consider these findings to be somewhat of a breakthrough.  It's a fascinating, amazing read. (Click here for further studies by the Meston lab on sexual function and dysfunction).

John Mayer

I consider John Mayer to be one of today's best singer/songwriters.  He's also an accomplished guitarist with a considerable blues background, and can hold his own with the best of them. For me John's writing reflects a tremendous grasp of the human condition, particularly relationships. I'd like to sit with him and just talk about life.  No one else influences me as heavily; if I could write like anyone it would be this guy.



Disclaimer: I realize that Wikipedia isn't always 100% accurate, but it does give a good overview of each person's bio.

Secret Friday

TGIF!  I hope you're all warmer than I am right now, we're experiencing a chilly Spring where I live.  Ah well, I'm sure warmer weather's on its way.

Welcome to the twenty-second installment of Secret Friday, a chance to anonymously share some secrets and/or fantasies you've been keeping to yourself. Some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking and some are just plain naughty.

All are valid.

If you get something from this I hope you'll consider hosting one on your blog as well. Feel free to copy and paste the guidelines below if you choose. All I ask is that you keep a regular eye on your feedback; contributions can be intense sometimes and people writing in need to be respected.

Here's how it works:

1) This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor.
2) Post a secret or fantasy anonymously, no names please. It can be anything from mild to wild, anything goes. All I ask is that it's true. You can post as many as you're comfortable with.

3) I don't plan to censor content or language. However I do reserve the right to remove anything which appears to be posted with the sole intent of offending. I also reserve the right not to remove content that may be considered controversial. It's a fine line sometimes.

4) If you're someone who is easily offended by swearing or sexual content you may not want to read through the comments. I have no idea where this will go and won't be reviewing comments until after they are posted.

5) Feedback about this feature is welcome, anonymously or otherwise.

6) As always I'd like everyone to please refrain from commenting on what someone else has written; what may seem trivial to you can be very personal to someone else. Everyone has feelings and I want to see them respected, therefore inappropriate remarks will be removed. Fortunately this hasn't been an issue and I'd like to thank all of you for that.

And now to it...

Giveaway- What Makes You Tick? (Updated)

Thanks to everyone who read about me.  It was an interesting exercise to say the least but I enjoyed writing it, as well as reading all your great comments.  I chanced upon the clock above in my favourite local bookstore today, and it's inspired a giveaway.

Please note:  I've changed the closing date for this giveaway to May 26th and will be drawing a name on that day.  I've discovered that there are severe restrictions in shipping clocks to the US by courier or mail, however I have a friend flying to the States on May 28th and she's offered to take it with her and mail it from there.
  When you e-mail me, please include your full mailing address.  This will ensure, if I draw a winner from the US, that it'll get on the flight in time.


The Goal:

As many of you know I'm always interested in learning more about people.  So I want to know what makes you tick.  That is, what you feel has made you who you are, why you do what you do.  Here's how it works.

Write something that gives insight to who you are. It doesn't have to be as lengthy or in-depth as I wrote earlier; I'm not asking anyone to go through some painful regression. Just give us a better idea of who you are beneath your surface.

A few suggestions to get you started:

-was there a significant event in your life that shaped who you are? Describe how.
-was there anything you rebelled against that led you down a different path? What was the result?
-did you have a strong personality trait that carried into later years? What is it and how is it significant?
-did you aspire towards something when you were younger that you pursued in your later years?
-was there an influential person in your life who taught you certain values?  What were they and how do they apply to your life now?

The Rules:

• there are no restrictions on content or length.
• it can be something you've posted within the past month if it's significant to describing who you are now
• e-mail me at barrysquotations@gmail.com and refer me to your post after it's up so I can enter your name.
• I recognize that some people will be more comfortable with this than others.  You have the option of e-mailing me with what you've written if you'd rather.  
• title of your post can be anything you'd like
• winner will be determined by random draw, rather than by content. 
• whether the submission comes by blog or e-mail, I'll be posting the winner's name.  In the case of a post I'll provide a link to it; if it was by private e-mail the submission will not be published.
• giveaway runs for three two weeks.  The winner will be drawn on Tuesday, June 1st  Wednesday, May 26th and announced shortly after.
• I'll also link to all other submissions when I make the announcement so that people get a chance to drop by and visit you.

The Prize

The clock is 6 inches in diameter, glass-faced, with eight gears that continuously revolve. It's very cool to watch, now that I've seen it in action I'm thinking of getting one myself. It can be wall-mounted and also comes with a stand for desktop use. Takes two C batteries which will not be included due to shipping restrictions. Approx. value: $30.00.

Good luck everyone!

Q&A- What Makes Me Tick

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile".
-Albert Einstein


On Monday I asked you guys to submit any questions you have for me. The first question I received was, “What makes YOU tick? What has happened in your life that makes you such a compassionate man?”  It was unexpected, I didn’t anticipate anything quite so profound.

The question of who we are and why can’t be answered easily or quickly. It can’t be answered simply by looking at what we are on the surface or who we are in the present. To truly understand another person we need go back to the start. Put another way, this is going to be a long-ass reply.

There’s a law in forensics called Locard’s Principle of Transferrence which says that when a person commits a crime they will leave at the scene something that was not there before, and carry away with them something that was not on them previously. I believe this is also true with people; we are the sum total of those we meet in our lives. Their influences shape us as we allow (consciously or subconsciously) and we carry a part of everyone we know, good or bad, with us. So back to the start.

Childhood

I had a great childhood, in fact I’d say it was amazing. I did everything a boy loves to do, played rough, broke some bones, played with friends. In my eyes my parents were perfect. They loved my brother, sister and me very openly. My mother was a huge influence, she taught us to be open to seeing life through others' eyes and to accept people for who they are. I never once saw her show prejudice towards anyone.  This was where I first learned compassion and understanding.


Adolescence

When I was twelve my parents divorced and we began living with our mother.  My teen years weren’t great. I had a falling-out with my father that would last into my twenties. My stepfather was an abusive alcoholic who was a tyrant when he was drinking. I didn't have a strong male figure in my life after the divorce.

These years were filled with dysfunction. I tended to stay in my room a lot as a way of dealing with it. It was during this time that I learned I had a choice of how to handle the things that life threw at me. I could have turned to alcohol and joined him. I could have escaped with drugs. But I chose to rebel against it all. I also learned during this time that we can’t judge those who do become dependant on drugs or alcohol. While it’s
easy to dismiss as a weakness, everyone has their external or inner demons to deal with and we have to put ourselves in their shoes, try to understand them. What I had learned about compassion earlier carried me through this.

Despite a disruptive home life I did well in school. My dating life was a different story. I was always ‘the friend’, a shoulder for others but rarely a boyfriend. While I was happy to be supportive it certainly had its frustrations; sensitive guys don’t get laid much. I was to make up for this when I hit my twenties.


Twenties

When I was in my late twenties I was finally able to leave home. I couldn’t stand to have beer in my fridge for over a year. I hardly drink now, never did much, and most of you (male or female) could drink me under a table. I’m good with this. Another example of external influences.

I met Sandy when I was 28 and we married a few years later. And all the frustrations, all the disappointment and the hurts I had experienced before faded to distant memory. She was my reward for what I had gone through.


My Accident

In April of 2008 I had a car accident as I was leaving work one Friday evening. I had been through this experience years previously with Sandy when a car ran a light and T-boned us. But this time would be a significant turning point in my life. That one split-second impact created a ripple whose effects have resonated every day of my life since.

For the following three months I went through physiotherapy to treat torn muscles between the ribs in my back. Physically I healed, but psychologically I was distraught. I was incredibly emotional, and felt I couldn’t revert back to who I had been.  For the first time in years I was full of self-doubt and uncertainty.  Eventually, athough I regained my self-confidence I began to feel a void, like my life lacked purpose. This feeling and my search to find the reason behind it was to last several months. Shortly before spring of 2009 I realized I needed to take the focus off myself and put it on others.  Admittedly I've always had somewhat of a 'hero complex'; I get a lot from giving of myself (I hope this doesn't sound too self-serving).  I believed this was the answer I was searching for.

At the time of my accident I had a friend at work who was sending daily quotations to some of us. I remembered how these quotes had often helped me keep things in perspective, and thought it would be a good way to reach out to people. She had since left but I decided to start it up again, and within a few weeks my e-mail distribution list had grown to over 250 people in Canada, Australia, the US, Trinidad and the UK. It was getting out of hand so I began looking for other options, and in March of 2009 “Life In Quotations” was born.

Gradually I began to feature my own writing in the form of quotations, poetry and short stories. As I wrote I started to get a lot more feedback and developed a following. This following turned to friendships, some of which have grown very close.  I began to realize I could continue to be a shoulder to others- much more comfortably, in the case of my female friends, as any fear of romantic 'tension' have been removed.  Any doubts I had in my ability to develop these relationships had faded.  Most of you don't realize how much this helped, you've been a shoulder to me as well and I've always appreciated it.


Where I’m At Now

Two years after the accident I feel better about my life than ever. I adore Sandy, we're more in love today than when we met seventeen years ago.  She was incredibly patient with me while I was recovering emotionally (the physical part was easy in comparison).  She gave me room to heal, and did it all with understanding when I didn't understand what I was going through myself.  I feel I've emerged from that experience a better person, and I attribute a large part of it to her.  She never stifled my growth and I love her for it. 

I never intended my blog to be about me. Initially it was a way of reaching out to others; as time went on it became cathartic to receive feedback and develop relationships in the process. I realized it wasn't selfish anymore to want to gain something from this.  Today, although I do feature my own writing and cover what’s going on in my life, I still like to turn the focus back on my readers regularly.  Every one of you are important to me, I write as much for you as for myself.

I’ve had some memorable conversations in recent months.  I’ve become more interested in what motivates people, what lies beneath the surface. I want to know about life through people whose experiences are much different than my own, from those of different backgrounds and lifestyles. And although I've grown to have a greater understanding of women over the years you still hold considerable mystery to me; seeing life through your eyes is endlessly intriguing.

I'll continue to learn about the world with an open mind, discover things I haven’t yet. Hopefully continue being fortunate enough to see sides of people they wouldn't normally share. I want to approach it all with childlike curiosity. I want to be loved, but as importantly I want to be trusted. Someone placing their trust in you goes a long way in showing what they think of you.  It's a huge demonstration of acceptance, and if I'm honest I guess that's why it's so important in my life.

I’ve grown to realize that if I really want to make a difference while I'm here I should move not mountains, but people. Success in my life has never been defined by career or possessions. For me, success is anything I can do that will make people look back with a smile when I’m gone and think, “I’m glad I knew him.”

That’s what makes me tick.

Secret Friday

Happy Friday everyone!  Is it just me or did this week go by really fast? 

Welcome to the twenty-first installment of this series, a chance to anonymously share some secrets and/or fantasies you've been keeping to yourself. Some are uplifting, some are heartbreaking and some are just plain naughty.

All are valid.

If you get something from this I hope you'll consider hosting one on your blog as well. Feel free to copy and paste the guidelines below if you choose. All I ask is that you keep a regular eye on your feedback; contributions can be intense sometimes and people writing in need to be respected.

Also visit Neisy here for Secret Friday on her blog.

Here's how it works:

1) This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor.

2) Post a secret or fantasy anonymously, no names please. It can be anything from mild to wild, anything goes. All I ask is that it's true. You can post as many as you're comfortable with.

3) I don't plan to censor content or language. However I do reserve the right to remove anything which appears to be posted with the sole intent of offending. I also reserve the right not to remove content that may be considered controversial. It's a fine line sometimes.

4) If you're someone who is easily offended by swearing or sexual content you may not want to read through the comments. I have no idea where this will go and won't be reviewing comments until after they are posted.

5) Feedback about this feature is welcome, anonymously or otherwise.

6) As always I'd like everyone to please refrain from commenting on what someone else has written; what may seem trivial to you can be very personal to someone else. Everyone has feelings and I want to see them respected, therefore inappropriate remarks will be removed. Fortunately this hasn't been an issue and I'd like to thank all of you for that.

And now to it...

A Friend Is...

A good friend is someone who makes sense of what the heart cannot.
-Barry O'Shea




Photo credit here.

Q&A time

I won't have a post ready for another day or two, so I'm putting this one out to you guys.  If there's anything you'd like to know about me, drop me an e-mail at: barrysquotations@gmail(dot)com . 

I'll post my answers here on Sunday (only your question will be posted, not your name).  Ask whatever you'd like.

Tempest

She blew in like a storm unexpected. You know the kind. One minute everything’s clear, next thing you’re covered in rain and your world’s turned upside down. And although the sky’s moody you can’t help but be mesmerized by its intensity.
She washed away all of which I was certain and disappeared just as quickly as she came. And when the sun broke through my world was fresh and I saw everything in a different way.

That’s what good storms do.  They never leave you the way they found you.