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Photos of Children From Around the World With Their Most Prized Possessions
Chiwa – Mchinji, Malawi
Shot over a period of 18 months, Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti’s project Toy Stories compiles photos of children from around the world with their prized possesions—their toys. Galimberti explores the universality of being a kid amidst the diversity of the countless corners of the world; saying, “at their age, they are pretty all much the same; they just want to play.”
But it’s how they play that seemed to differ from country to country. Galimberti found that children in richer countries were more possessive with their toys and that it took time before they allowed him to play with them (which is what he would do pre-shoot before arranging the toys), whereas in poorer countries he found it much easier to quickly interact, even if there were just two or three toys between them.
There were similarites too, especially in the functional and protective powers the toys represented for their proud owners. Across borders, the toys were reflective of the world each child was born into—economic status and daily life affecting the types of toys children found interest in. Toy Stories doesn’t just appeal in its cheerful demeanor, but it really becomes quite the anthropological study.
Stella – Montecchio, Italy
Pavel – Kiev, Ukraine
Arafa & Aisha – Bububu, Zanzibar
Cun Zi Yi – Chongqing, China
Bethsaida – Port au Prince, Haiti
Orly-Brownsville,Texas
Botlhe – Maun, Botswana
Watcharapom – Bangkok, Thailand
Alessia – Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Norden – Massa, Morocco
Julia – Tirana, Albania
Keynor – Cahuita, Costa Rica
Shaira – Mumbai, India
Tangawizi – Keekorok, Kenya
source: featureshoot
Cranky Old Man…..
When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Melbourne .. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.
What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . … . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .’I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . … lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. …Babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future … . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. …. . ME!!
Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within …
We will all, one day, be there too.
Memoires
This is not a Personal diary neither a private journal…
This is me saving my memories so I can enjoy them later. The Happy but also the Sad ones…
In this series, I will share stories from both the near and distant past…
I don’t really have a reason, maybe because I’ve never thought I’d share such details one day…
But still, to me at least, mistakes are lessons of wisdom; it’s true the past cannot be changed but the future is yet in our hands…
People mentioned in my stories are real… Most of them will easily recognize themselves but the names and perhaps some of the details I will mention as I go along will be made up, or at least that’s what I would like you to think…
Any comment on any of my posts will be welcomed and approved as long as it doesn’t expose identities of those the post decided to keep secret…
Finally since this is obviously just an Introduction of what’s to come over the next few weeks, I’d like to offer you the privilege of deciding which story you’d like to hear/read first…
options are:
1- Ali’s first love
2- She changed Ali’s life
3- Bad luck Ali
4- Rebound-er Ali
5- Cheater Ali
6- Stupid in love Ali
teaser: There is always a girl, always…
So go ahead, chose a title, comment here or reply to me on twitter, one week from now I’ll post the winner story…
Lots of Love,
Ali
janbein 