So where goest thy Rinsho

A sister from the West visiting Jaipur: Mister, what is that elephant doing, behind us on our right?
Indian brother: Madam, he is walking.

one walks before learning to run. but one does not enroll  in a class that helps get us from walking to running!

Fortitude: Encountering the Beatitudes while bypassing the ravines of Crassitude

Recently, I shared news with a few colleagues of a win—news of an artistic effort that had garnered recognition, and to my mind a win of sorts. I had received intimation from Radek in Poland that we [Radoslaw Nowakowski & Venantius J. Pinto (Poland/India – joint runner-up)] were runners up in the 4th Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize for the artists book CorrespondAnce.  http://artistsbookprize.co.uk/2013Prize

Among the few people were those whom I had served in various capacities, those who had approached me for various things, those I had bailed (not balled) out on projects. Professionals ahoy—the parakeet in my mind squawked. Also, in that clan were individuals who had been feted, some wined, others dined, their angst condoled, and “confessions” heard. I received two responses celebrating the success of CorrespondAnce or about 20 percent. This was a new surprise since I would have thought that its not always that such successes small as they are their news du jour. Simply celebrating others is what I cherish. I was not expecting anything beyond the fact that I existed as also for reasons above which fall under the banner of being a professional. 



So what could some of their “dispassionate” reasons be. Is it that kudos are worth proffering only to certain people. Ergo, it does not sit well within certain minds if you are not one of those anointed ones, regardless whether ones skills have played a significant role in their having been able to rest easy. 

Or is it merely a coagulation of fear and torpor? Both of which being indecent as far as they taunt our sensibilities in wanting to disregard each other as part of a brotherhood of cogs in our endeavors, labors, and in love—whereby, in giving and partaking we receive.

I will do it

14 Blades (2010, dir. Daniel Lee) is a Wuxia film set in the Ming dynasty. The Jinyiwei were the government's secret police, rigorously trained since childhood in clandestine combat. The following words uttered by Qiao Hua who deeply loves Qinglong, a Jinyiwei—struck a chord in me. 

Whatever you tell me to do 

I will do it 

No matter if you are lying to me 

Or not

But such words will only be reckoned with by those who have complete respect for the significant other in their life. Often, although we give utmost respect to the other—the fruit of our senses, the aesthetic object if you will rejects it, or does not allow for the embracing—whatever the extenuating reasons may be. 

The point for reflection is in the what, the why, and the how of such a reality. During our existence as individuals, repeated mis-readings of the stirrings in our being are akin to a selling out—as in ones core being hollowed from within—our perceptions deceiving us. It occurs on account of a lack of direction; an inability to go headlong into the wind and learn about each other, as also a lack of realization or awareness, and an inability to cherish holding onto the strength of the other. As also, the sheer lack of awareness to strengthen oneself, as well as the other, and the relationship.