“Grandma, how do you deal with pain?" by Elena Barnabé
“Grandma, how do you deal with pain?"
"With your hands, dear. When you do it with your mind, the pain hardens even more."
“With your hands, Grandma?"
"Yes, yes. Our hands are the antennas of our soul. When you move them by sewing, cooking,
painting, touching the earth or sinking it into the earth, they send signals of caring to the deepest part of you and your soul calms down. This way she doesn't have to send pain anymore to show it."
"Are hands really that important?"
"Yes, my girl. Thinking of babies: they get to know the world thanks to their touches. When you look at the hands of older people, they tell more about their lives than any other part of the body. Everything that is made by hand, so it is said, is made with the heart because it really is like this: hands and heart are connected. Masseuses know this when they touch another person's body with their hands, they create a deep connection. Thinking of lovers: when their hands touch, they love each other in the most sublime way."
"My hands, Grandma . . . how long haven't I used them like that!"
"Move them my girl, start creating with them and everything in you will move. The pain will not pass away. But it will be the best masterpiece. And it won't hurt anymore. Because you managed to embroider your essence."
Life Lesson: wise words by Frida Kahlo: “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” And more wisdom from Nayyirah Waheed, who describes herself as a ‘quiet poet’ and maybe the most famous poet on Instagram: “If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both salt waters mixed with air.”
“If you can just stop, pause and just have one second of joy…
that’s amazing because that’s one of the things that’s so lacking and it’s hard.”
Lewis Miller, owner of LMD New York floral designs.
“Guerrilla installation,” the project, aptly titled Flower Flash, made its debut in October 2016 as the Lewis Miller Design team made installations at the crack of dawn.
The immense flower arrangements, all works of art made by hand, flowers are repurposed from the studio’s past events, getting a second chance to be admired by city dwellers providing just a well-needed dose of good cheer.