Open and receptive

Doing the happy people pose at

the Orangerie Museum in Paris.  This is

the museum specially made

to house Monet's waterlilies, and it

is beautiful.  I am a devoted fan of

Monet.  I have seen his work in

Stuttgart, Germany -- where I fell

deeply in love with his poplars,
(to the point that I was crying
about the experience I was so
moved when I met Steven back
at the hotel), in New York City,
where I'll rush to see the Monet water lilies
(also magnificent) before the MoMA
closes, when I arrive there, 

and in Paris -- Oh Monet!
Photo

Steven van Schaik © 2016

 I was a big fan of Louise Hay when she was alive.  I had her books, and
owned daily sayings tear off calendars.  She was amazing.  And one of the
things that she and other people who are positive thinkers taught me was
to envision the best.

One of her key sayings that I remember is, "I am open and receptive to
the bounty of the universe."  That's a good one.  And maybe saying it often
is part of why I ended up in this photo, in one of the most famous museums in
Paris, while I was also exhibiting in Paris at the Carousel du Louvre in
the Louvre! Seeing Monet's work live -- the scale, the passion -- the use
of colour, the technique.  Not much can match it for an artist, especially one
who is a fan.  I am.

But putting your arms in the air to be open and receptive to the bounty
of the universe, not only welcomes the possibility of good into your life,
physically holding your arms up for two minutes lowers your stress
levels.  

Here we are in Canada, just north of America where people are hanging on
the edge, wishing their lives will change after the election. I send love
to all of my family and my friends there. And maybe this is the time for being
open and receptive to good, and lowering our stress levels.

Paris is one of my dream cities -- going through a hard time now, as are
people all over the world.  So I send love. I loved every minute I spent
there.