An extravaganza… but so much more than entertainment!
Bla Bla Bla: the Live show was off the air for only a couple minutes and someone asked me “what did you like the best about the show?”… I hadn’t really finished living the whole experience, I hadn’t taken in what my ears heard, what my eyes saw, what my heart received… so I simply answered: “the best part of the show was the fact that I felt free, completely free…”
Of course I could review everything that happened during the show and make up my mind…but do I really want to?lol I don’t think so… as EVERYTHING was meaningful to me, EVERYTHING made me laugh and cry and feel alive, EVERYTHING was so true and real. My freedom doesn’t reside in the comfort I have or in the easiness of the events I live, but my freedom is seeded by the love I accept and the love I share in return, it is watered by the trust I decide to grant to others around me and to my own heart, this freedom blooms out of the honesty I cultivate in all the little details of my life.
We could see that Online Live-chat musical talkshow as a great source of entertainment, making us smile and learn about what some artists are thinking and how they are living … OR… we could allow ourselves to go a little deeper. You want to try?:) If you were with us for the show you can answer what you have experienced and if you didn’t have the opportunity to be there you can still answer by sharing from your own experience…
1- It was impossible to witness this Bla Bla Bla without seeing the overwhelming presence of Sef: his humongous pieces of art showing off his own glory…lol… his glorious cake…his new queen called “Queen”… his new t-shirts with his own face on them…we even had a visit LIVE of “Sef from the future” that ended up arguing with his own self “Sef from the present” leaving all of us very confused…lol. But above his very “Full of himself” image, what touches you in Sef and inspires you in your own life?
2- Rocked by an unreleased song to appear on the next YFE album, Chaos & Communion also infiltrated a discussion quite intense. We were talking about exploring our own darkness. What you didn’t see is me being touched and crying as I asked “Why would I do that? Why would I dig into my darkness to discover what I try consciously or not, to tuck away, conceal or mask…???” What would be your reason and where do you find the strength to face your darkest sides?
3- Sef shared that he grew up in a home where women had to shut up in front of the man of the house and where homosexuality was God’s plague. As Alex and him talked about the meaning behind the new Sef’s shirts “Don’t Mess With Mr. Pink” and “Free Golden Zebra”…they explained how taking a stand for human rights for ALL no EXCEPTIONS was not a smooth journey. How is it possible for you to stand for human rights?
4- This Bla Bla Bla theme could have been “Holly Excess” as so much crazy stuff happened!!! We saw not only 2 humongous paintings of Sef but we even witnessed 2 Sefs simultanously…lol… We lived deep emotions when we talked about Japan one year after the tragedy… We even have now a new YFE sister called QUEEN… a REAL pony living with us!!! What does it trigger in you to see so much extravagance?
I am waiting for your answers!!! I am opening the way with my own thinking below but I’m sure your comments will help all of us to reap a maximum of treasures out of this amazing moment we lived all together! Let’s share! Just as the Bla Bla Bla and EVERYTHING Your Favorite Enemies do, this blog is made to connect, exchange and create bridges between us.
-Miss Isabel
Tags: Bla Bla Bla The Live Show, Chaos & Communion, Human Rights, Miss Isabel, Sef, www.yfestore.com, Your Favorite Enemies
Comments (9)
britt
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1.) im touch of his love. inspires me to not give up in my own life.
2.) encoragements friends give me.
3.) its possible, i care and have respect for others.
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Elizabeth
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I had to leave about an hour before the live experience ended, but this morning i had time to watch more through the rerun (thanks!!) – i still haven’t gotten to Queen the pony! Can’t wait for that! But I have been so deeply touched – I wanted to go ahead and comment a little!
You know I LOVE the vision of this blog and all that you do as being made to connect, exchange and create bridges between us! Each of us so unique and diverse – i am constantly AMAZED at the depth and beauty that flows out as we share our hearts with each other!! Yes, we all carry darkness inside us (“we’re all the same,” even in that..), and yes, that darkness can hurt those around us, but when mercy and forgiveness are more than occasional guests in a “community” – when those life-giving forces are honored and revered and sought – our combined light can truly outshine the darkness – in fact, quoting dear Marcel who is quoting Jeff – Let’s face our darkness, and only there, light might live as bright as it could be..” A lot of our darkness is related to prejudices of all kinds – just as Alex said – “that’s in me”, and it takes a very conscious and ardent effort to pull away from that ingrained mode – even to recognize it because it can be so familiar we don’t even know it lurks within us. A community such as the YFE family (and to be honest, i know of no other like it) that invites us to open our eyes and really SEE the people we come in contact with – to SEE the beauty that is there in the midst of their pain and battles, joys and sorrows – even if it is a very different beauty from our own – that is the kind of revelation living that truly CAN change the world. I LOVED Alex’s statement that he would rather be “stoned with those rejected” than throw stones himself. AMEN to that!! The more of us who bravely choose to cross that line and stand with those who are marginalized for whatever reason, the more Light and hope will shine in this world. As you say, it’s something we can seek to do in every area of our lives..family, work, and social circle we have been placed in or chosen..and quoting Alex once again (he was especially quotable that day! 😉 )- Our own “personal truth” is a dangerous concept when it is spoken without a filter of love – a revelation of the heart can change anything. Thank you all for continually being the catalysts of revolutions in my own heart!!
prayers and much love always!!! mom e
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Marjo
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Thanks Miss Isabel for this refreshing blog!! I wish I could have been able to “quote” or paraphrase, in only a FEW words…what touched me the most about your sharing! But since it would have implied the fact that I would have copy/pasted almost the whole second paragraph…I just thought of saying that I totally relate to that description of freedom you’ve given here! Haha!!! And please forgive me all for not answering the 1.2.3.4 questions asked…Actually, I just feel free to be myself and express what really touched me here…and of course, you are a part of this freedom I’m discovering!! And I’m thankful for all of you…amazing people around, my family…because I get to learn from you, share with you…and experiment what freedom, love, peace and joy is all about!
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Brenda Van Camp
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The answers to your questions are…..
1. I have spent one on one time with Sef. He is not what he appears to be on the surface. Sef has made a significant impact in my life. Sef is not a rock star. He isn’t that prideful person you saw in that artwork. He’s not arrogant and mean, well like he pretends to be towards others. I find him to be a once wounded, gone through the fire, refined and a loving soul. Sef has an eternal Spirit living within him that he wants to share with others and show them the real meaning of everlasting love. I think Sef has a kind, gentle and loving Spirit that lies within.
2. Miss Isabel, this world is in darkness and the forces of evil preys on the wounded and hurt. The people I met a couple of years ago had a path that they were following into the light (eternal) and with them they want to bring the world. As you know, there is freedom in this light to love, be loved and to truly be the person that God intended each one of us to be. To me God is that light. He knew me before I was. He knew what I would go through before I went through this place we call life and he gave me the freedom to make bad choices and through all that fire I was refined. Some of us live a life of secrets, buried pain and shame. Through the trials we experience we build a history of experience that, in my live God has turned around and brought glory to His name. I believe we were put here and sent to the four corners of the world to share this love and this freedom.
3. Although, I don’t know much about the testimony’s of you and Moose. I do know some of the neglect, physical, mental and sexual abuse the others have gone through, and share many of their experiences. I know what it is to be broken, abused and unwanted. God has used these experiences and given me and I believe this YFE family a purpose in live. That purpose is to love all people unconditionally and tell them the lives that they do can choose to live. That’s freedom.
YFE is not extravagant in my opinion. The point I got was, we don’t need a bunch of stuff to be who we were called to be. The “stuff” you have doesn’t own you. There is a really big difference. I think that would be called Idolatry if you couldn’t live without it. Two years ago I visited and saw how all of you were living. Two of the sisters gave up their beds for Eliz and me. That is what I call love for another.
There are many personalities there at the church. Funny I didn’t meet a rock star while I was there. Who I did meet were humble, caring and loving souls with one purpose and that is to spread the light and the joy of true love for one another.
I hope one day to return but if not my life was changed in the three days I was amongst you. Forever in my heart and forever loved.
Brenda
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Max
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1.There’s no specific part of Sef that inspires me… HE is THE inspiration, not only for my own life… But for LIFE! This world would be so much darker with no Sef!
2. Exploring my darkness is painful… And it’s even more when I see how painful it could be for others… Because once I open up… I realize that it’s worst than what I could imagine! Exploring our dark side is very painful… But whether I share or not… It’s still there… And how can I turn the ugly into beauty if it remains in the dark? Ugly in the dark might get even uglier…
3. I think that caring for your loved ones is quite a stand…
4. Well… When I see Queen in the court yard I say… ”What could possibly surprise us now that we have a pony?”
And well… What do I want? I can have it…
But I really wouldn’t want to meet the Max from the future! LOL
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Vanessa Beaudoin
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1- What inspires me about Sef is his joy of living he radiates! I love it when he lets his heart speak out, that’s when we get to see just how much he is passionate about human rights, about seeing his family well and how much he loves to make people smile around him.
2- My reason to explore my darkest side is to be well, to grow and to learn about myself. There are reasons why we do the things we do and when you understand the “why”, you can prevent the “Oups I did it again”. I have learn’t to embrace the darker side of myself because the more I push it away the dimmer my light is. As for the strength to go there… well it comes from my passion to find freedom and a joy for living I just can’t imagine yet.
3- Growing up in a town where some people can not enter a bar depending on race or being threated differently in stores. I have always felt strongly about human rights and the right for people to be threated equally. I often wonder what I can do but the least I can do is educate myself and educate others around me. Ignorance is a disease that plagues all of us if we refuse to open our eyes to our own backyards and outside our lives.
4- When I start to think something is impossible I know to think twice. I often second guess my abilities and the result of that is that I sell myself short. So why couldnt I do something big too?
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Elizabeth
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Thanks again Nessa….you are indeed one of the brightest lights it is my honor to know – I’m so VERY blessed our paths have crossed and become woven together through the magic miracle of the YFE family.. love you always!! eliz
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Marcel B.
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1- Sef is an true inspiration. He went through so much but still he didn’t give up. I saw the videos he did about himself, about his life. And it’s so intense. And you know with evertime i speak with him i discover him even more, which is really amazing. What inspires me for my own life is just the same like for you, that he keeps going no matter if he fail or not and that’s what i need to learn as well because for me, i often tend to run away instead of thinking positive and face it.
2 – I actually never thought about going into the darkness because i was searching for the light. But it’s true we need to face the darkness to find more light. Jeff said once to me “Let’s face our darkness, and only there, light might live as bright as it could be..”
For me my strength is my family here as well, because there’s so much support and love around here, from everyone at the whole world.
I never experienced such a love before i got in contact with you 2 years ago and it’s so incredible and a real treasure.
3 – You know actually when i was in school i often went with the stream…
In my class there were so many people that was against foreigners, homosexuality and everything. I never thought the same way but i also didn’t take position… Now it’s different because i’ve friends all over the world and i rather be with them and take position for them and for human rights for all without exception then denying my friends, you know!!
4 – For me it was something special to live it because there’re so many things that happened! So many things are just crazy and unbelievable. But i think it’s like you say just a proofe that everything really is possible. So it’s crazy but also encouraging and inspiring at the same time.
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Miss Isabel
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my answers:
1- The heart of Sef is so strong that even if his outside image and voice are meant to be loud, his loving and unifying heart speaks louder. One thing that I admire from Sef and want for my own life is that he welcomes with faith and courage everything that comes his way, the blessings as much as the challenges. He may fail or succeed but when an invitation is sent, he is among the first ones to say “Here I am”.
2- As the discussion about exploring our own darkness went on in studio, I realized that I could find more honesty and freedom by digging into my own darkness, facing long forgotten ghosts. That is my motivation. Though my hope to come out of it successfully resides in the fact that I take this personal journey surrounded by my family, as they are lovingly kicking my butt by diving first and they are strongly supporting me by their own determination. It will be difficult for me but I want to try for real, it’s my destiny so I don’t resist, I walk in it.
3- First I allow myself to be sensitive to the different injustices that are going on, I then speak out, I openly love, respect and support people who are rejected and abused. Women, Men and Children of all ages, cultures, sexual orientations, religion…in all their differences are nevertheless EQUAL and deserve respect and EQUAL rights.
4- To me, this whole craziness means that nothing is impossible, that we can explore the most deep darkness and at the same time allow ourselves to live exaltation and peace… By letting go of the desire for control, I can be free, completely free… and also, the joy I saw on Alex’s face when he was preparing Sef’s gift, hearing Jeff’s laughter, admiring Stephanie’s talent leading the whole show and witnessing such dedication from the whole Bla Bla Bla Technical crew… all that is excessively inspiring and an example that life creates life and that walking as one in the same direction leads us even further than the finishing line.
-Miss Isabel xxxx
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