A few of them focus on people who are missing. These are the most heartbreaking of all, because the grief cycle of the families of the missing is stuck in suspended animation. You can hear it in their interviews - their fear, anxiety and the ever-present tears of people who never are allowed to move past the first stage.
Listening to one case that is very haunting - the case of Mikelle Biggs - I realized that two things I'm very passionate about converged in this little girl's story - missing persons and cell phone zombies.
I realized that the absolute kindest thing we can do for any human being on this earth is to give them our attention. Our FULL attention. At every waking moment. I'm constantly pained by seeing people EVERYWHERE I GO - driving, at the park "with" their kids, walking their dogs, jogging, eating at a restaurant, in a car with other humans - but only staring at their phones. It sucks of course personally when I'm almost killed by a texting driver, or when an entire table full of people I'm with goes silent and I just see everyone's hair parts while they stare at their phones, or when I say something and ten minutes later a cell phone zombie gives a delayed zombie response to what I said, or asks me to repeat it. I'd love it if society would give that up. It's definitely a cause for me. I should organize a march.
But far more important than just the social pain caused by cell phone zombies, is the issue of how we could actually save people's lives with just our observance of their presence. Mikelle Biggs was gone in 90 seconds. Her bike wheel was literally still spinning when her sister turned around to tell her to come home. She's been looking for her ever since.
What 90 second period of someone's life might you observe, that could be the most important piece of information you could provide someone like Mikelle's sister? What if you were not looking at your phone when you noticed a child that didn't seem to belong with the person they were with? What if you happened to look around in a social setting and noted the person walking out the door - what they were wearing, or who they were with, what time it was?
Hearing families desperate for just one sighting of their loved one in a certain place or time prior to their disappearance really cements my feeling that if we want the world to be a better place, and if we really want to serve other people - we need to SEE other people. Acknowledge their existence, really look at them and remember them. That would also be a good time to smile at them or say something nice.
Use your phone when you are alone. Hey - that rhymes - maybe I can make a bumper sticker that people who aren't texting and driving will see!
It's just my little plea out into the universe today.
My favorite crime podcasts do so much good for the families of the missing, sometimes connecting them with that one person who does know something - and I think they can do more good than that even, if we can recognize that not finding your phone more interesting than another person's life can actually save one. If I won the lottery, missing people would definitely be my philanthropy of choice. Then I'd develop an app that told people to live the life that's in front of them while they can.
We talked about this at my retreat - just the gift of being present. I hope it's something we can change as a culture. There are a lot of ways you can respect a person and their life - your simple power of observation is an important one.
So, all that being said, I had to make a card about it, and my friend Kelli gave me the inspiration to do that with a class she taught at my retreat. Kelli is a police officer, so she totally understands the importance of observation, and she's quite good at it.
But she showed us a fun magazine transfer technique that resulted in lots of fun Gel Press prints with large faces on them. I thought that was a PERFECT way to stamp my theme today, because you DO matter to me. Even if I don't know you. :) (Technique video below.) The sentiment is from this Concord & 9th set. Every one of these prints was done with just the three colors of paint you'll see in the video.
|
Now, just to be a little less serious, let's have a grumpy girl, shall we? We were using fashion magazines for our transfers, and I'm going to be honest - some of these gals looked MAD!! When this print turned out so well, I knew I had to have a hilarious sentiment to go with her angry face, so I picked this Altenew set, which is one of my fave funny sets for times when things aren't going swimmingly.
|
I paired that with some Concord & 9th stamps and die, and then I cut the print into strips for an even more pop-art look.
|
So, do you want to see how to do this fun and addicting technique? Here is my video or click here to watch it in HD on YouTube. Thank you to my sweet, Tiggerific friend, Kelli for introducing me to this fun experience.
Finally - heads up on a crafty sale! Stamp-n-Storage is having a big sale today through June 18th! Get organized if it's spring where you are!
Loveyameanitlookoutforeachotherandnotatyourphonebye.
Use your phone when you’re alone....
ReplyDeleteAmen sister!
YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR!!!!! I ALWAYS close down my phone when at the cash register! LOVE LOVE LOVE your cards!!!! How do you find the AWESOME sets???? Guess that’s whybyou are the #Queenenabler
ReplyDeleteI was mesmerized while watching you lift the magazine pictures from the gel plate. You two must have had a glorious time experimenting, learning and laughing! Thank you for doing this tutorial!!!
ReplyDeleteI’d join your march! The only time I use my phone at table is when we’re on vacation and I need google translate to help me with a menu - I’m sure I look funny in the opposite direction though as I’m usually holding the phone out of sight under the table so the waiting staff don’t see what I’m doing! Great video, I’ll be raiding a local charity shop for fashion magazines next time I’m in town!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, one hand crafting? You know why those girls in the magazines look mad, because they are hungry!!! Ha! These prints are amazing!!! I agree with you on the cell phone issue, nothing sadder than sitting in a restaurant and seeing all the faces looking down at their phones instead of at the people they are with.
ReplyDeleteWell you matter to me too!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for showing how you did this. Honestly, I have 2 Gel plates and I have struggled with what to create using them. I think sometimes, because of such limited time, I don't pull it all out but I really need to try this out.
xx Karen
These are creepy cool and might be all I want to do while I am on vacation now. I hope to make a bunch of these creepy images - now to find my gel plate. XO
ReplyDeleteYou are correct, if only people would use their phones while alone and engage in conversation, how different our world could be. Love your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching this technique and love the results. What kind of paper/cardstock were you using?
ReplyDeleteI would come be in your march, Lydia! Stopped by to find your video on the magazine prints - I watched some other videos on it but yours is the best!
ReplyDelete