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Love Research adventures, street interviews, and photos chronicling my search for love around New York City.
October 4, 2009September 12, 2009Love + 100 Strangers ProjectPhotographer Lauren Nicole Love has created an art project that consists of photographing 100 strangers of all different ages and asking them to define love in their own words. Fun to find a fellow love researcher! Check out her website to see more Love portraits at http://laurennicolephotography.com
July 12, 2009Amma Tour 2009
Last week, I visited the Manhattan Center to hear Sri Mata Amritanandamayi, an Indian humanitarian and spiritual known as Amma speak. I had heard about her from my sister who read an article about her visit to Seattle. Amma subscribes to no formal religion, but rather says that her religion is Love. She spends her life traveling around the world speaking about her message and offering Darshan, which is a Sanskrit term describing the experience of having an audience with a saint or sage. Amma’s darshan takes the unique form of a tender, motherly embrace. Over the past four decades she has physically embraced more than 27 million people worldwide.Intrigued I stood in line for 30 minutes with thousands of other New Yorkers in order to get a chance to hear her speak. I was given a small token in order to get an embrace from Amma. It was a strange experience. When I finally entered the building I was led to a hall. There was a living chain of people clad in white saris and red sashes chanting together and making an entranceway for newcomers. The first thing I saw when I entered were many booths filled with Amma products for sale: ayurdevic oils and beauty products, silk saris, meditation supplies, postcards, calendars, and even small hand-made dolls in her image.
The market overwhelmed me. I made my way to the front of the hall where she was speaking from a stage. She spoke in Malayalam, and a translator with a resonant voice gave her words in English. He was speaking about how when we are born into the world we come with nothing, when we die we also take nothing with us, so our pursuit of material possessions is really pointless. I agreed with this sentiment but was confused by all the Amma products. I do believe that the proceeds she raises from the sales go towards her many charitable projects in India. Amma has established 53 schools, two million people are fed every year by Amma’s organizations, and 30,000 free homes have been built.I participated in the meditation and fully enjoyed her talk, unfortunately I didn’t get my hug. My token said Q and I knew it would be at least 11 pm before my turn came up. Exhausted by the crowds I departed quietly. But her words lingered in my mind. ”Love is what fills life constantly with newness,” and “True happiness is when the love that is within us finds expression in external activities.” –AmmaJune 11, 2009
I met an elderly mother and son at the expo. They lived together, both were writers and wheelchair bound. Grandma Day was dressed all in florals and a straw hat covered in plastic flowers, and she had a brimming smile. Her middle aged son was soft-spoken, and followed close behind her. His interview was memorable due to his trance-inducing voice, which was melodic and quite calm. I was mesmerized when he recalled his father’s dying words, which were all in rhyme.Who are you love heroes? Or who taught you love?“I would have to say my sweetheart of 56 years. My parents and my savior taught me to love. It’s a God given gift and you have to share it. Love is Forever.”–Grandma DayWho are your love heroes?“My father, he reminded me when he was dying that Life is a book of volumes III, the past, the present and the yet to be. The past is over and done away, the present we’re living day by day and the future is not set you see. And that’s the way it’s meant to be. Life is a walk in faith.”–Michael Day
June 2, 2009BookExpo AmericaLast Friday, I spent the afternoon doing Love Research at the BookExpo America at the Javits Convention Center. All the attendees I interviewed had lots of to tell me about the little L-word. There were authors, librarians, editors, designers, publicists, and publishers all in the mix. Their professions varied, but everyone had come to BEA because at heart they were book lovers. I gave out roses and copies of my BLAD (a 16 page sampler of my upcoming book) to everyone passing by with interest.  Me and Katrina, my editor at Adams Media
 Love Research booth at BookExpo America
May 27, 2009Where did you see love today?This weekend I went to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden with my parents who are visiting from Wisconsin. It was a gorgeous spring afternoon and all around us the flowers were breaking open. I bought a $26 frequent visitor pass which was like getting my own key to the garden. It’s mine now, I thought. I can come here as often as I want. We wandered through the Rose Garden which won’t be at it’s peak until June. Hovering like bees around buds we sniffed all the perfumes, and admired the exquisite colors. While sitting on a stone step I noticed a couple walking down the path. A young man gently held the arm of a young blindfolded woman, whispering into her ear as they walked. My father and I smiled together, and wished we had a camera so we could snap a shot of this sensuous blind date. April 20, 2009 |
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