Paradise Found
Paradise Found
EarlySummerEdition
Volume 1 Number 5
Publisher...Bathsheba Monk
Editor...Joanne Fanny Barry
foundparadise8@gmail.com
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Tulum, Mexico
CoverPhotobyFabioEstabanAmador
FromElSalvador,FabioEstebanAmadorisanarchaeologist,photographerandvisual artist,whostudiedattheArtStudentLeagueandtheSchoolofVisualArtsinNewYork
Cityandearnedamaster’sdegreeanddoctorateinMesoamericanarchaeologyfromthe StateUniversityofNewYorkatBuffalo.Heservedasaprogramandscienceofficerforthe NationalGeographicSocietyandasahosttotheNationalGeographictelevisionseries “MysteriesoftheUnderworld.” HisworkhasappearedinNationalGeographicmagazine, iWatchandTresTiemposMagazine,theNationalGeographicMuseum,NationalMuseum ofAnthropology,Dr.DavidJ.GuzmáninSanSalvador,theMuseumoftheCityofNew York,NationalGeographic’sonlineExplorer’sJournalandinnumerouspublicandprivate galleryexhibitionsWebsite:https://www.fabioesteban.com
Contents
Page 5 Where Does Your Garden Grow by Bathsheba Monk
Page 6 A Controlled Descent, Photos and story by Fabio Estaban Amador
Page 8 A Celebration, Photo and story by Karle Schwartz
Page 10 The Hidden Garden by Matt Wolf
Page 11 Flourish: To grow vigorously, to thrive, Drawing by Elizabeth in Mrs. Kathy Kusiak’s 4 Grade
Class at Faith Christian School in Roseto, Pennsylvania th
Page12 Flowering by Vera Cole
Page 14 On Flourish, Hippies: The Last Shangra-la, photos and story by Suzy Malik hippiegandhishantitulum.com
https://www.instagram.com/hippiestyletulum?utm source=qr
Page 31 Flourish: to thrive, drawing by Alanna in Mrs. Kathy Kusiak’s 4 grade class in Faith Christian School in Roseta, Pennsylvania th
Where Does Your Garden Grow
You get one life. Fill each day with at least fifteen minutes of wonder at the paradise you find yourself in. If you live near water, swim in it, sail on top of it, or dive into it.
If you live in the desert, wrap yourself in a keffiyeh and collect wild sage for sweet tea, then go out at night and marvel at the stars and planets and the universe we are a part of.
If you live in the city, find a flower in the crack in the sidewalk and learn resilience. And if you live in the forest, take some time to talk to the trees. They are notorious gossips and you’ll learn lots of secrets. The secret to a happy life is to reconcile yourself to being born in a time and place not of your choosing with a temperment not of your choosing either. Find the miracles where ever and who ever you find youself. Things that you pay attention to, grow. They flourish.
You get one life. Don’t forget to notice it.
Bathsheba Monk
A Controlled Descent
Standing at the edge of the cenote, I was nervous. It had been nearly a decade since I entered these sacred waters. I didn’t know what to expect from myself anymore. But I remembered the magic. That feeling of being swallowed by darkness, suspended in silence, flourishing in the void. We ran through the dive plan. Simple. No agenda except rediscovering an old passion. We slipped into the water, checked our gear. Then it was time. As we sank into nothingness, I expected panic. Instead, there was only calm.
A controlled descent, like my body remembered what my mind had forgotten. The water swallowed the light until we broke through to a lower layer. And then it opened up. A dreamlike landscape unfolded. Limestone hills and valleys carved by time. Patches of ethereal blue and green. Gardens of delicate, long-stemmed plants with single delicate flowers flourishing in the underworld. It was exactly as I’d hoped: a journey into a sacred landscape, a hidden world that few ever get to see. Now I know, for certain, my future has to include these magical gardens.
Fabio Estaban Amador
A Celebration
We were eye to eye. The squirrel in the tree outside my window bearing a ripe red strawberry in his mouth. He paused momentarily before vanishing into the scene that is my yard. There is a path beyond lined with ripening fruits. A few plants are haphazardly covered with chicken wire in an attempt to restrict access while the patch rambles on unconstrained to follow an adjacent fence. I join the harvest.
As I fill my basket a cat bird flits into the bramble and plucks a berry of his own. It's become a celebration, all these berries andthereissurelyenoughforall.
KarleSchwartz
The Hidden Garden
Inthebackisahiddengarden numerousbirdsflybackhereandland nippingandgrowing,feedisforthem Idon'tjustwanttohearyouinpassing Iwanttoknowwhoyouare allyourcolorsandyourcomedy youcombinewiththetrees andtheflowersinthegarden tobringsolaceamidst thetreacherousmoodsoftheworld itisbackhereIcanflourish distillaworld,letitoozeintome soIcantakeitwhereverIgo therealworldthis,humbly existingatitsownpace andnotlookingformore onedayIwillwalkamongstyou andyouwillnotscatter littleones goaheadandfinishyourmeal Iwilltakeonlyalittlepeace thatImayshareinmytravels Matt Wolf
Flowering
In the broken gray sidewalk, outside the dingy hotel, on a dirty side street, a single violet blooms. Just inches tall. Squeezing up thru a tiny crack. Unstoppable. I’m on my way to visit a loved one in prison. The oppression, depression, and desperation are overwhelming. Yet there’s this flower. Looking at me. Just hanging out, eating dirt, sucking rain, soaking up sunshine. Being beautiful.
I amcalledtowonder.
Flowersholdwithinthemtheelementsoflife—pollen,hisandhers—awaitingthe alchemyofattention.Eacharenothing,nothing,tilthetouchofastrangerorkiss ofapassingbreeze.Thenlifehappens.
Theplantisresponsibleforthislife-givingmoment.Yet,theplantcannot makethestrangercomeorthewindblow.Ortherainfallorthesunshine.Or pickwhereitlivesorwhoitsneighborsare.Theplantacceptsthis.
Theplantreceiveswhateverisgivenandwithgustobecomesallthatitcanbe.
Theplantproducesflowers—crazybeautiful,outrageouslyfragrant,softtothe touch,rustling,sweetnectarhelddeepwithin,fragile,fleeting,vulnerable. Theflowersareofnobenefittotheplantitself.Infact,theycomeatgreatcost.
Yettheplantoffersitsflowersfreely.Toanypassersby,“Come,come,takeof me,enjoy!Iamyours.”
ThewordflourishcomesfromLatin,florere,“toflower.” Nottogrow,tofruit,to livelong,ortobestrong,buttoflower.
Behindthebarbedwireandconcretewallsnow,Ireachtohugmylovedone, beautiful,inherprisongarb.Theguardyells,“NOTOUCHING!”Myeyesturnto meettheguard’sandIsmile,asIfeelafootpressintomineunderthetable.It’s sobloomingwonderful.
On Flourish
Hippies: The Lost Shangri-La
Anopenhighway.Afieldofwildflowers.Therisingnoiseofaquietwind blowingthroughthetrees. Flourishingstartsinward. Itistheseedcenteredinside.Itbeginswithsuchthingsasknowingwhat coloryourcenteris.Whereitlives.Knowingitssubtlevalue.
Flourishingisnourishingthis.
Protectingit.
Whileobservingthelifeofthosewhoridefreeandresidein extraordinaryconditions,afewthingsI’vefoundtobetrue:
OnLove.
Loveisafrequency-itregulatesournervoussystem.
Loveiscalming,groundingandhealing.
Ifit’slost,It’sworthfindingandfightingfor.
Loveyourself,fallinlove,stayinlove.
Body
Seekinginspiration.Ifallwehaveisthismoment,whatwillthenextmoment create?Ifchangeistheonlyconstant,whatlessonscanchangeteachusand howdoesitlightourfire.Inthisway,changeandinspirationareequal.Even
thesimplestthingscanbemotivation.Beinspired.
Inspirationistimeless,agelessandeternal.
Joyisaverb.Itcanbeabarometerforwhetherornotwe’relivingonourpath.It caninformuswhenwe’vesteppedawayfromwhowereallyare.Joyisacatalyst forgrowth.ItistheGodwithinus.Joyisasuperpower.
Keepsusintouch,intheflowandactivelyofthisworld.Itdemandswestay engagedinthisworldwithyourfeetontheground. Knowyourvalueandyouwillfindsanctuary.
Flourishingistheplantthatgrowsfromtheseed.Itstartswithsomething unseen.Itisundergroundandnoticeablewhenitstartstogrow.
SuzyMalik
"Flourishing is not a solo endeavor”
Barbara Fredrickson
"Creative ideas flourish best in a shop which preserves some spirit of fun."
Leo Burnett
