Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.

Lao-tzu (604 BC - 531 BC), The Way of Lao-tzu

Sometimes we must go through the worst of situations in order understand who we are and what we stand for.

We’ve been robbed!!!

My wife and I were recently victims of crime in the city. Last night some jerk threw a brick through a window in the back of our house while we were gone. They climbed into our house looking for something to steal. Luckily we have an alarm system which went off. They still had time to destroy our bedroom and made off with a small amount goods.

The Oakland police met us at the door when we arrived home, and did a great job in making us feel better. They even boarded up the window the thief had broken. I have to say they did a great job and the City of Oakland should be proud of them.

When someone breaks into your home and steals and destroys what you have built up, it touches you at your core. I have to say I am still shaken a bit by the whole experience. Searching for calm while guarding the gate. One cannot allow fear to take over. We must fight back and we must stand strong. This is our home!

Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing
and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.

- Henri Cartier Bresson