Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Open Up

                  

Unfold yourself, little by little, or with one quick flick…however you decide to show who you are, know that you are beautiful, through and through, little by little and with one quick flick! Fan the heart of life, with the extraordinary flare of your personality! Open up and let it be…YOU!

Have you ever danced with a fan?

Photo of a vintage fan, hand painted, 1900s. I found it at the bottom of a jewelry box. The dealer said, "It is torn, not worth anything…" HA! That was not my opinion! Everything is worth something.

Comments

44 responses to “Open Up”

  1. Paris Parfait

    Such a beautiful, thoughtful post, Corey! Love the delicate fan and the photograph. Very artistic! I love fans too; have some from Seville, Spain and I often see old ones at flea markets here. But in Paris, they don’t say “it’s worth nothing” because it’s torn. They charge high prices. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Annie

    Oh Corey. Every entry just gets better and better for me. This is just sublime. All I could think of was wow, wow, wow.

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  3. Britt-Arnhild

    Not worth anything!!!!!It would be perfect in my blue garden 🙂

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  4. carolg@PB

    I LOVE the Cerulean Blue with a touch of pale Rose…
    Thank you Corey 🙂

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  5. Kristy

    love…flick…mother…flick…friend…flick…faithful…flick…stubborn…flick…insecure…flick…happy…flick…still grieving…

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  6. Jeanne

    From a FAN
    You have such treasure troves and your words touch my heart deeply!
    I hope you know how much inspiration you add to us all.
    Keep them coming!
    Love and kisses
    and a million hugs and well wishes!
    Enjoy sweet wonderful you~
    Embrace your bliss!
    Love Jeanne ^j^

    Reply
  7. cruststation

    The fan is beautiful, how can that be worth nothing? Fan the heart of life, haha perfect for the hot weather over here.

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  8. Lee

    My wife’s a fan but I’m not a dancer!

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  9. diana

    Love the colors in this fan… and the analogy to opening up.. are the prices different in paris than they are in your neck of the woods ???

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  10. katie

    indeed everything even when it is broken is worth something – sometimes more so for the story those imperfections tell 🙂 beautiful

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  11. susan@artstream

    we are all fans corey! and the blue of this one is my current favorite color. so lovely. torn? naw, beautiful!

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  12. Shannon Lewis

    Flicking myself open to show what I can offer is so painful when I’m simply flicked shut without batting an eye by the person who I’m showing myself to.

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  13. Anna

    Your words and things of the past inspire me. Love your writing Corey! Don’t be afraid of the flight; just think of what’s at the other side. Have a happy time.
    Annabelle

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  14. boliyou

    Your poem’s very evokative. I love it!

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  15. DebR

    I like the thought that maybe the fan was torn because it was used and loved.

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  16. sandig

    A friend told me, not so long ago… of how she loved things that were worn. She said “These are things that have lived”. There is such beauty in choosing to LIVE… Beauty in the imperfect!

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  17. ally bean

    Oddly enough I think that I have. At my wedding reception.
    You see my bridal bouquet was attached to a fan. And odds are pretty good that at some point I danced while holding the bouquet/fan. Can’t verify for sure, but probably did.
    Or maybe it sat on the table and watched me dance without it. That seems more likely now that I reflect on it. But I’m sure that it was nearby as I danced– cheering me on.

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  18. Amy

    You are such a muse, my friend. I love reading your encouraging and thought-provoking posts. I have not danced with a fan, but I am imagining it now…a big fan with feathers, and a tease of a dance.

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  19. Kristen Robinson

    Corey this is lovely. Your writing is absolutely wonderful what a muse you are.
    This fan is incredible. Thank youso much for sharing your talent!

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  20. Kim Carney

    I love the imagery of your words, brilliant!

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  21. jennifer

    Such wonderful encouragement – just what I needed… Danced with a fan? I don’t think so!

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  22. Colette

    It’s worth a lot 😉
    My fan is from Madrid. A Spaniard taught me how to flick it open and a head gesture to go with it!
    Flick-Flick!!

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  23. audrey

    The fan and your words are beautiful.

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  24. amber

    Corey, You must put all these beautiful writings into a little book of encouragement. It would be lovely for people to have a page to read and look at everyday!
    🙂

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  25. Rebekah

    Yes. Please publish a book! The intrigue of the torn, the threadbare, and stained is the stories the hold silently and which must be understood only by living with them, touching them, brushing them against your cheek. They come alive. New, pristeen – I can appreciate but have no compulsion to bring home.

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  26. vicci_ann

    Sweet Corey…Your posts are always so uplifting! When are you leaving for California?
    The fan is wonderful…

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  27. naturegirl

    Corey I am dancing with fans almost always now that “hot flashes” are a part of my life!! A true hot mamma that’s what I reveal today! 🙂 Your fan is so beautiful!

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  28. kit

    Maybe that’s why it’s so scary for a fan to open itself, even with a flick – in case someone says it’s worth nothing. It can take a fair stretch of life to gain the courage to open to its full extent.

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  29. Gena

    It is the things “not worth anything” which usually thrill and delight me! I shun perfection,give me something that has been loved and lived with anytime,these are the very fabrics of our being,a patch on a tea dress,a mohair teddy bear almost threadbare from being hugged,oh i could go on! as always Corey your writing and your pictures are inspiring!

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  30. Linda (Corey’s cousin from Willows)

    As the warm Sept. air stood still in Florence in 1987, the purchase of a fan was for pure survival. I shall find that fan and dance with it tonight! I will dance while no one is watching.

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  31. Franca Bollo

    I watched “Napoleon Dynamite” last night and am feeling inspired to dance. But instead of fan, maybe I’ll partner myself with Tater Tots — tossing them in the air and catching them in my mouth while I shimmy.

    Reply
  32. cathy

    Wow, I love this captivating piece, very nice

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  33. HildeC

    I’ve been visiting your blog for a while now. I just had to say that I really love your pictures and your text. I think I will come back visiting again and again and again 🙂

    Reply
  34. Cat

    Corey, this is great. It sparked my mind and when I opened my fan I rode out on a motorcycle. Too fun.
    Imagine each person that opens their fan and comes out is so unique! I think we all aught to spend more time with our fans OPEN!

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  35. gracie

    Just what my soul needed this morning… thank you Corey! I’ve missed you – it’s lovely to come back online and find your heart is still there.

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  36. Adeleine

    Beautiful words, and lovely picture! Thank you for this entry.
    I used to be a flamenco dancer and we sometimes performed with fans- it felt magical.

    Reply
  37. mary ann

    c’est FANtastique!
    keep the fan flaming corey!
    🙂 mary ann xoxo

    Reply
  38. Connie

    Why she is lovely just like you! So glad you saved her with tear and all.
    Take care,
    Connie

    Reply
  39. MCaplan

    W-O-W!!! You are so prolific and have such an amazing light around you and your words! W-O-W!

    Reply
  40. lauren

    I miss you! It’s nice to know I can always return back here to my Corey and find a beautiful thought and image to carry with me as the day progresses. Thanks for your wisdom my friend. I’m anxious for your arrival and looking forward to both of us being able to hold Ulla tight and comfort her in any way that we can.
    hugs,
    lauren

    Reply
  41. andrea

    Oh the fan is lovely. What a great post and your words are poetry yet again.
    a.

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  42. mad

    Your blog is like a discipline; inspiring, thoughtful, romantic and DAILY! I still wonder how you do it- I always look forward to reading it, everyday or two…

    Reply
  43. jinxthegypsy

    I just love that fan , Corey!

    Reply
  44. Marilyn

    Corey, finding several of your posts in my Bloglines account after days of working too much and feeling spent is like opening a box and finding wonderful little touchstones…each a gem to help remind me who I am. Lovely.

    Reply

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