A Kind Eye

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

House cleaning

Dominicans have a great deal of pride in the places they live.

It shows.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

A city, reflecting on itself

It was not the look of the bold, futuristic skyscraper that caught my eye. On the contrary, it was the way it served as a mirror, so the city could reflect on its heritage.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Outside, looking in

The classroom did not have a chair for him… so he was content to absorb what knowledge he could through the slats of an open-air window.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The man was unknown to me, but his tired appearance drew me in. With a sack of clothes near his feet and the bag of food he had tied to a nearby chain-link fence, I wondered whether this was the beginning of a journey, or an end. (In this part of the world, people often hang their foodstuffs to keep them out of reach of stray dogs.)

As he surveyed the market square, his expression swayed from curiosity to confusion... as if he had misplaced his years, and was scanning the neighborhood to see if he might find them. Is that what made him clutch his chest near his heart?

Though not a professional photographer, I have realized the most revealing pictures are often in black and white. They allow us to focus on feelings rather than colors; nothing is left to distract from the heart and soul of the moment.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Cauldron of coffee

My appreciation for java runs deep. Once upon a time, I drank a pot of coffee each day… perhaps more. So believe me when I say that this was like the deep aroma that envelops you while walking past a storefront coffee shop… multiplied by a hundred. The beans, recently picked and dried, were roasting over a fire in a huge cauldron.

There were no fancy machines, no exotic menus with beverages one can barely pronounce; just fire, cast iron, and beans.

Simply... perfect.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Shy child

We were being given a tour through a traditional Dominican farm, where families harvest fruits, flowers, cacao, and coffee. As we weaved between the small houses and outbuildings, we noticed a young girl was shadowing our moves, but too shy to approach. For the longest time, she kept her distance, but was clearly interested in the foreigners who were walking the grounds.

Suddenly, when we were focused on something else, Julie felt a soft touch on her arm. She turned to see the girl’s out-stretched hand, offering her a freshly picked flower. Once Julie accepted it, the girl turned and darted out of sight, again demonstrating her bashful nature.

But shy as she was, she glanced from around the building, to see if the flower made Julie smile…

It did.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Chairs

The climate is reliably pleasant in the mountains of the Dominican. Homes are appointed with ample doors and windows, strewn open so as to let the houses breathe-in the tropical air.

One farmhouse we passed, in particular, had a familial charm all its own. Its belongs, while humble, seemed happy; the worn decor suggested that children had played here, grown here, and then gone on their way. Mother and father stayed behind to reflect on their years together, and wait for the kids to return... as evidenced by the open doors and the two rocking chairs, still carefully placed side-by-side. (Click the photo to enlarge.)

Friday, July 1, 2011

On a roll

In reality, it was just lunar light, drifting among the clouds in a sapphire sky.

But in my minds’ eye, it was as if someone had hurled the moon across the sky with such force that it kicked-up a trail of stardust in its wake.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The patience of a playground

Swings love nothing more than to hear the laughter of childhood. To throw a young rider toward the sky, and then cradle them safely as they return toward the ground, giggling, to and fro until it is time to go. Too soon, kids venture off to explore their world and become who they will.

Meanwhile, the links of chain may rust, and their seats might become bleached by the sun. But swings and other playground things are content to hang around, waiting for the day their friends come back to play.

(For Caitlyn, Lydia, Valerie and Eric. We wish you the very best on your new adventure.)

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Easy rider, waiting for a place to go

As our truck passed by, he glanced up with a grin, as if he knew something we did not. I suspect he was a man about town, with places to go and people to see…

But not right now.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Yes, they can

Recently, I had the chance to attend an amazing sports event. It was not a pro or collegiate game, but a basketball clinic for kids with special needs of various kinds, including both cognitive and physical challenges. Each child was paired with a high school aged “buddy” to be their personal coach for the two-hour session.

At first, my entire focus was on the faces of the special needs children; how happy they were to be treated as equals by the older kids, and how proud they were made to feel as star players of their two-person teams. But I realized, too, how fulfilling this experience was for the high school helpers, and what important lessons they were learning as they coached and encouraged their young all-stars. They may have differed in size... but this day, all stood equally tall.

EVENT NOTES: The iCan Hoop basketball project was founded by Julie Hagen, a mom who wanted her son Lucas to have a place to play and kids to play with. iCan is now a part of the West Metro Miracle League. For more information on the West Metro Miracle League, visit http://www.westmetromiracleleague.org/. For more photos from the iCan Hoop event, click here. And to see why we devoted this posting to their cause, click here.

The look of success

Each of us knows what it means to strive for success, but there is an even greater sense of accomplishment when we help others succeed. When you help someone else accomplish something, you are rewarded by their achievement in ways that are difficult to describe; a sense of pride and joy that leaves you feeling both selfless and speechless. Often, the experience begins with a young player looking up to their coach... and ends with the mentor in awe of their student.

EVENT NOTES: The iCan Hoop basketball clinic on March 27, 2011. The iCan Hoop league is designed to give kids with special needs a place to play the game. It was founded by Julie Hagen, and is now a part of the West Metro Miracle League here in the Twin Cities.

Visit http://www.westmetromiracleleague.org for more information.

To see more pictures from this event, click here.

And to see why we decided to write this blog posting about their cause, click here.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Difficult to notice, but interesting to see

The contrast was captivating. Wooden handrails against a stucco wall. The palms. The delivery cycle with the broken chain, parked beneath the stairs.

Because it is both rare and modest, simplicity is both difficult to notice and interesting to see.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

A bountiful garden

In many parts of the U.S., the term fresh produce is quite relative. Depending on the locale and the season, our fruits and vegetables have ridden—sometimes for days—on a ship, plane, or refrigerated cargo truck.

In the market square of Higuey (pronounced: ee’ – Gway), food is sold less than a few miles from where the seeds were sewn. It has not been refrigerated, nor treated with preservatives or coloring. It looks fresh only because... it is.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Shoemaker

Entrepreneurship is abundant in the market square. One example was the determined pace of a shoemaker, who was reconditioning discarded shoes to make them ready for their next owner. It seemed like a good way to invest his minutes, as he waited for his next shoe repair customer.

What he lacked in tools he made up for in determination and swiftness. If I ever catch myself wasting time… I will try to remember his work ethic.