back to Prestes Maia

back to Prestes Maia, originally uploaded by Tatiana Cardeal.

tati loves people and that shows in her photographs

It had been a while since I'd visited Tatiana Cardeal's photostream on Flickr. I didn't mean to not check it out, but there are so many photographers and so many groups and so many comments to leave and so many manies that sometimes the little gems that you have treasured so much (also Romanlily, DRP, and a handful of others) slip through your viewing fingers.

But today I was reminded to check out Tati's site and so faithfully off I trotted. And faithfully, she delivered.

Tati lives in Brazil and she focuses on the people with whom she comes into contact. And somehow, for her, that means indigenous people. People with the kindest eyes you've ever seen. Widest smiles you've ever seen. Most open countenances you've ever seen.

Somehow Tati shows you a new way to look at mankind. And will you roll your eyes if I tell you that the way is through your heart? She shows you people through her heart. And the only way you can get a glance is to open your own.

Last week Sevens mentioned the phrase "all the world loves a lover." And I don't know if it is that I'd never heard that phrase or if I had simply forgotten it. But it has become a mantranic background phrase for me in the last week. Yes, all the world does love a lover. There is so much truth wrapped up in that simple statement.

All the world loves a lover.

Open your heart and others will open theirs back to you.

See people with love and they will see you with love.

See the beauty in people and they will begin to see the beauty in themselves. And maybe pass that on to the next person they see.

It's like the ultimate pay-it-forward where everyone wins. And everyone benefits.

And for those of you out there who think otherwise.... Well, shoot, you probably don't read my blog. You probably roll your eyes in my general direction. But I guess what I want to say is (and shoot again, now I am thinking of a particular person [who i haven't spoken to in ages] and that never works — because it can become like preaching, can't it?) you do yourself a disservice by seeing the negative first. By choosing to not like. By choosing to nitpick or look for the negative or assume the worst or be so very afraid that you lock yourself up in your self-imposed dungeon and quite seriously, it brings tears to my eyes.

And I want to remind you that all the world loves a lover. And all the world is just waiting to love you back.

(Whew. How'd I get on this Soap Box Opera Hour?)

Go and check out Tatiana's photo stream. Slip in and let her love for her fellow human beings sweep you away, if even only for a moment.

xo to all. m.