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Shawntavia Norvell
Professor Artis
English Composition
15 September 2015

Photographer Name: Rudi Artawan

Title of Work: Heartfelt love for God
Original Publication: February 14, 2014
Name of Website: National Geographic.com
Publication Date: February 19, 2014
Date Visited: September 14, 2015

Have you ever prayed to a higher power to purify your soul? Have you ever been heartfelt
for god? In talking about Heartfelt love for God photograph Rudi Artawan stated Bali girl,
who looked elegant, was praying with a sincere heart, a sign of love and affection to his Lord in

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Besakih on Valentines Day. Does love have specific day to celebrate the purity of the gods love
or love itself? Why is it that all cultures celebrate love such as weddings and anniversarys? In
my personal opinion, love should be celebrated and nurtured to help develop an embracing
spiritual bond between powers. Love can transform the manner that you view the world
psychically, physically, and psychologically. Giving back your love and time can also change the
world everyone has their own views, morals, and values. Your morals are important and it can
enlighten citizens to help others and together recover the definition of love and become more a
better humanitarian.
Love has expectations of growth, responsibilities, challenges, achievements, and endurance.
I dont believe that love was created for just marriage purposes. Love should be shared with
strangers, family, co-workers, communities, animals, and the environment. The basic elements of
life and love should be embraced internally and externally, because of knowledge given from
questioning and concern. The love of life generates security and serenity to strive for the
mysterious pleasures of our existences and excitements. Striving for love is produced by
anxieties of doubt, which has created sensations of dependence of gods strength. God
strengthens society to become righteous even when the population continues to misadventure,
which has a connection to this photo, my theory about this photograph is the representation of
purity not only for our self-righteousness but for gods righteousness. We should celebrate the
honor of gods sacrifices for love and grace on Valentines Day, instead of celebrating this day
for self-indulgence of love.
Heartfelt love for God is a very touching photograph by Rudi Artawan. Rudi Artawan uses
quotes of love, prayer, culture and Balinese. In this picture there is a harmony ceremony taking
place citizens praying with their eyes closed, on their knees bowing down trying to channel their

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internal spiritual guidance represents the quote of prayer and culture. In the background there is a
child wearing a red and white shirt with brown cargo shorts, and also there are two women
walking with multicolored skirts on with dark colors. The citizens involved in the ceremony are
surrounded in light blue, yellow, pink, white, and purple pedals on the ground. The men involved
in the ceremony are wearing white headdresses, and white gowns one ironic item about this
photo is that some men sitting in a circle while the rest of men are kneeling. The women of the
ceremony are in the middle kneeling. They had on white outfits with floral designs colorful
ribbons such as yellow, purple, and pink. There are diverse items in this photograph some
women and men are wearing watches, some are wearing wedding bands, and some are wearing
both.
In the photograph there is a young married woman wearing and holding a yellow flower.
What does this photo represents? Why is there a man wearing a white headdress with a brown
and yellow pattern design? Why are they wearing purified garments and colorful materials?
Why is there women and men kneeling together? Why are citizens that are married and those
who are not married kneeling together? Why are the married kneeling? Why are the unmarried
kneeling? Why are some citizens wearing watches? Why are the women wearing ponytails?
What does the colorful pedals represent? Why is there some men are sitting in a circle? Why did
they choose Valentines Day? Why would you celebrate god on this day? These are all good
questions to ask yourself, and my interpretation may be different from yours views of the
photograph.
My conclusion about the photograph consist of multiple reasoning, such as the women
holding the yellow flower and wearing a flower in her hair. These women represents curiosity of
loving the unknown with a pure and bright heart, her experiences can inspire other women. My

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personal opinion about the women wearing flowers and colorful garments are symbolizing hope
to purify their flaws and to consume a stronger connection with god. I believe that the women
and the man are bonding together spiritually to strengthen unity in love of god; from married to
unmarried they believe in the same morals and values. In photograph wearing the watches
representing that there is unlimited time to serve god, or that in the future gods plans of
righteousness will succeed. The colorful pedals represents of always saying pure through
hardship. I believe that Valentines Day shouldnt consist of a day with your spouse, but a day to
celebrate gods gift to earth love.

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Works Cited
Artawan, Rudi. Heartfelt for God. 14 February 2014. 14 September 2015.
<http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/photos/3049674/>.