The art works from the Impressionists era deplict nature as it is seen at a specific moment in time, emphasising on the emotions and feelings from the moment along with the effect of light on a scenery.
Attending the Pissarro exhibition has rekindled my interest in art. Each painting was able to transport me through time, back to the 1800s to a faraway place, where I am able to experience the smell of nature, the warmth of the sun, the smog from the factories, the livelihood from the markets and the stillness of the rivers. I was able to feel the heat of the sun and the chill from the snow. Each brush, each stroke and each blur deplicts a moment from the past, which I am able to associate with, more than 100 years later.
The experience was enhanced by my friend, who was knowledgeable in painting and who explained how certain effects on the paintings were achieved, giving a technical analysis of the paintings, which counterbalances well with my emotional outpour when reviewing these paintings.
Two and a half hours just flew by so quickly. And in a flash, we were back walking in the sunlight, in the real world, away from the gallery. As I walked down the street and used my eyes to look at the scenery around me, I actually preferred the perception portrayed in those artworks than what I was seeing in the real world, even though artworks are a mere reflection of the real world.
Maybe art is just another form of escape from the reality of this world.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Why some people don't want to share
People are expected to have deep personal sharings with others, especially at church camps and sharing gatherings. These are great opportunities for us to share with one another about our inner most feelings in order for us to understand one another.
However, there are reasons why some people don't want to share. A list of possible reasons appear below:
1. People are not close at all to one another anyway. If they don't have any close communication normally, they would not share deeply at an event that happens once a year.
2. Sharing in a large group may not be effective. There is very little time for a response, especially if the group is big. It is this lack of personal response from sharing something that is deep that discourages a person from sharing in such an environment.
3. There is usually no follow up after a group sharing with people. A person may share some inner most thoughts or problems. It is very rare for the people in the group to see how that person is going with their problems after the event. Everyone is busy in their own worlds.
4. Some people just want to know what is happening to the people around them, with no intention of caring or helping. They treat sharing as an information session, and so, the whole experience may be cold and unwelcoming for the people who shared deep things.
5. Not all people in the group have the experience or wisdom to understand the information in the sharing, and accordingly, they are not able to provide any constructive feedback or help to the appropriate people.
If we are to encourage others to open up and share, we should be willing to assist in the aftermath of such a session, by spending time to follow up all the people in the group, not just the few we are close to. How often are we willing to put our time and effort on people outside of these times? What right do we have to want them to share at an annual meeting if we don't even communicate with them through the year.
There are many opportunities in our daily lives for us to know the people around us. Maybe we should make use of these opportunities, instead of just relying on annual events or group sharings, which may not be effective anyway.
However, there are reasons why some people don't want to share. A list of possible reasons appear below:
1. People are not close at all to one another anyway. If they don't have any close communication normally, they would not share deeply at an event that happens once a year.
2. Sharing in a large group may not be effective. There is very little time for a response, especially if the group is big. It is this lack of personal response from sharing something that is deep that discourages a person from sharing in such an environment.
3. There is usually no follow up after a group sharing with people. A person may share some inner most thoughts or problems. It is very rare for the people in the group to see how that person is going with their problems after the event. Everyone is busy in their own worlds.
4. Some people just want to know what is happening to the people around them, with no intention of caring or helping. They treat sharing as an information session, and so, the whole experience may be cold and unwelcoming for the people who shared deep things.
5. Not all people in the group have the experience or wisdom to understand the information in the sharing, and accordingly, they are not able to provide any constructive feedback or help to the appropriate people.
If we are to encourage others to open up and share, we should be willing to assist in the aftermath of such a session, by spending time to follow up all the people in the group, not just the few we are close to. How often are we willing to put our time and effort on people outside of these times? What right do we have to want them to share at an annual meeting if we don't even communicate with them through the year.
There are many opportunities in our daily lives for us to know the people around us. Maybe we should make use of these opportunities, instead of just relying on annual events or group sharings, which may not be effective anyway.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Opportunities
Sometimes I am accused of missing out on opportunities.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that has haunted me for a number of years afterwards? Should I have tried harder or even fight for it, as opposed to accepting reality and taking a step back? The feeling of loss and rejection surfaced deeping during the wedding, when all the songs they played remind me of those days.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that may have changed my life, giving me an opportunity to experience a different place and culture? Will anyone else in my shoes make the same decision I did? The feeling of loss and non-recognition surfaced when others took up similar opportunities with no hesitation, not understanding that I have given up my opportunity for them.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that may have changed the outcome for a family? If I would have taken a certain position, a family may have been saved from the hurt and depression from rejection and discrimination of others. The feeling of loss and rejection surfaced every time I am reminded by how the family was being treated by others.
Did I miss out on an opportunity to say words that are close to my heart during the life of a person? If I made more of an effort in communication, I may have shared deeper with that person, before they left permanently. The feeling of loss and guilt surfaced every time I woke up after dreaming where the scenes in the dreams contained that person as if they were on earth.
Maybe the only thing I should do is to grasp hold of opportunities in the future and don't let them slip away. There are always opportunities in life. But unfortunately, some opportunities happen only once in your lifetime.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that has haunted me for a number of years afterwards? Should I have tried harder or even fight for it, as opposed to accepting reality and taking a step back? The feeling of loss and rejection surfaced deeping during the wedding, when all the songs they played remind me of those days.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that may have changed my life, giving me an opportunity to experience a different place and culture? Will anyone else in my shoes make the same decision I did? The feeling of loss and non-recognition surfaced when others took up similar opportunities with no hesitation, not understanding that I have given up my opportunity for them.
Did I miss out on an opportunity that may have changed the outcome for a family? If I would have taken a certain position, a family may have been saved from the hurt and depression from rejection and discrimination of others. The feeling of loss and rejection surfaced every time I am reminded by how the family was being treated by others.
Did I miss out on an opportunity to say words that are close to my heart during the life of a person? If I made more of an effort in communication, I may have shared deeper with that person, before they left permanently. The feeling of loss and guilt surfaced every time I woke up after dreaming where the scenes in the dreams contained that person as if they were on earth.
Maybe the only thing I should do is to grasp hold of opportunities in the future and don't let them slip away. There are always opportunities in life. But unfortunately, some opportunities happen only once in your lifetime.
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