Friday, November 9, 2007

Haiku; Perception of Others

The calm black water
holds the pale yellow moon light
and then lets it go.

For just one moment
night water reflects moon light
soft pale yellow, good-bye.

These were written sometime in early 2007. They were inspired by a painting my aunt made.

I think I enjoy the painting because it doesn't look like something my aunt would paint.

We've had recent conversations about how she comes off to some people as "all business" and "adult." I think she carries herself with great positivity, responsibility, and self-assuredness (even if that's not always what she feels on the inside). But because of these things, one wouldn't expect to see an image of such darkness come from her. I say darkness because of the literal color scheme and not the subject matter.

In our society, I think there is an expectation of adulthood that people become non-individuals, bland-minded, and part of the hoi polloi (remember in high school when you found out that your teachers were real people too?). America seems to really hate aging (especially in women) and does its best to make us feel inadequate past age 25.

So I think it can be difficult not only to be the adult and still manage to feel like yourself and not just somebody else's something or other, but also to experience our elders as they really are: whole, deep, diverse, unexpected, young at heart, wise, imperfect humans who were once where you are now.

We all need to work on judging and assuming.

A Buddhist saying paraphrased: Try to see the tree as a tree and not as your ideas about the tree. 


2 comments:

Jeanne said...

Straight form the horses mouth-the Aunt: "So many roads I've traveled, some dusty, long, and hard----but others, winding up through the clouds & leading to today---where I'm not content, so much, but happy. Life if full of dimly radiating moonlight over the vast ocean and filled with sunrises bursting with the dew on the green grass. As for my life & I hope for other's lives, too---May your everyday be filled with the sun & moon".

Jeanne said...

And from the horses mouth: "Life is a road to follow. Sometimes, along the way its bright & cheerfull & easy going----but often it's not. May everyone experience the chill of the night mist and the warmth of the sunrise glistening off the dew. For the seasons are relative to our thoughts. I would hope for everyone to choose to feel each moment & express it by exuding peace, consideration, & love. No matter how dark or dreary things may be we can change that by being--being happy".