...Of Life and Love...

The river of life and love is roaring and peaceful; rocky and smooth; murky and clear; warm and cold. Its brazen power will carry you away, and its subtleties will leave you searching and longing for the slightest engagement.

Flow with it, embrace every movement, welcome each surprise, and explore the mysterious twists. Don’t allow the unassailable waterfalls to create inner adversity – some things weren’t meant for your conquering.
Allow yourself to experience the seemingly fearful in order to increase your level of trust, and more deeply enjoy the serene pools that also await you.

Realize the river isn’t yours alone. You are a mere sliver of water – insignificant yet grand in your own way. Even your slightest of maneuvers creates a ripple effect that travels beyond the bounds of your sight or imagination. Everything you do matters more than you can possibly recognize; just one of the many reasons to treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. 

–Ronda Rae Franklin

Photograph and art work: Kori Lynn Photography

The Two-sided Gift

Photograph by RR Franklin

The Saluyero 1; Sayulita, Nayarit

‎"It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life...that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

In recognition of the truth and true beauty of this:

No man can sincerely love another without loving himself.

No man can sincerely teach another without learning himself.

No man can sincerely share faith with another without growing in faith himself.

No man can sincerely give hope to another and not gain more hope himself. 

In essence - as I have written before - you cannot truly give without allowing yourself to receive. Always give sincerely of yourself and you will do so with a receptive spirit by default; a truly spectacular part of human nature. 

Put the wind in another's sail, and yours will be filled as well. 

-Ronda Rae Franklin

Open Your Arms and Welcome Life

How often do you not act, and later you wish you would have?The next time you are faced with a situation where you'd really like to open yourself up, but then find yourself fighting internally against your pride or shyness - remind yourself you will never be in that exact position again. It really is now or never - with everything, everyday, every moment. Give all of you all the time. No regrets. This doesn’t give you permission to act out foolishly; this gives you permission to offer the best of yourself all of the time. 

–Ronda Rae Franklin

Photograph by R.R. Franklin

Taken in Sayulita, Nayarit

Open Your Arms and Welcome Life

"Broken to Grace" - Living in the grace of God

Living in the grace of God..."In my eyes, this is the most precious and merciful place of faith to enter into and live. It is where peace is understood. It is where love, Godly love, is second nature - or rather first nature. It is where we accept who we are in God, and let go of who we think we need to be to earn our place with Him. It is where we know in our soul that we are with Him always. And it is that understanding that brings us to the place of peace so deep within ourselves that it is not easily conveyed through words, if at all. Explanation is no longer a necessity. His will surrounds us and binds us in His love, mercy and grace." 

~Ronda Rae Franklin,

Broken to Grace

Photograph by Rachel Whitney