I don't really watch the news that often, or ever, really. I do listen to NPR on occassion and sometimes BBC News on TV. Nor do I like politics that much. Something strange has been happening to me lately, putting my routine into question. A while ago the first of the protests in the middle east caught my attention and I found myself really listening to what was going on. I went out of my way to listen to up-to-the-minute updates on the radio. I heard a man talk about how he thought the peaceful protest would turn violent in a few hours, right before it did just that. I felt so much a part of this history that was happening so far away from me as a person.
Then the earthquake and loss of life in New Zealand. I lived in that country for a year and a half, and this city I remember was in ruins, many dead. This too caught me up in it.
Now, it's Japan. First the earthquake immediately followed by the terrible tsunami, washing people away into the unknown. Human lives, then the nuclear reactor, the partial meltdown and the lives. So many human lives are lost, and will be lost. The originally 250 people working to stabilize the multi-failing reactors, reduced to a skeleton crew of 50 people, who knowingly remained, offering their own lives as forfeit to save the lives of countless others. Those men will surely die from the radiation poisoning. They are giving their lives. As you can tell, this has swept me along with it.
These people, these individuals all across the world, their stories effected me in a way I was not aware I could be moved. This is real, and happening now. This must be why people read the news, because it involves real people, just like them, just like me, just like you. All living their own lives, and then something happens and they must continue to live, even if that means dying.
I really do not know what this all means, not that I'm following a double rainbow right now, but for me, the reality that the news is truly about real people and not numbers has floored me over the past two months. I now want to be a truly informed citizen of the world.
Let's see how long that lasts.
Bite size nuggets of self-helptual inspirationality.
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
February 14th
I kept forgetting all day that it was Valentine's Day. Little reminders popped in my head like dust particles dancing through a narrow stream of light. Today was special, I just kept forgetting about it. That makes me question what makes a day special? I've had personal days of celebration, we all do, but my birthday is just a normal day for everyone else. Kind of like celebrating the Fourth of July while I was living in New Zealand. It meant something to me, but it was just the fourth of the month there.
Last week my parents had our priest over for dinner. We were talking about recent historical things and how the world changes so much every day. My priest gave me the perspective he has from being inside the Church, how the liturgy is the same in every country, town and parish throughout the world and repeats itself in a four year cycle. From the Church's perspective, no day is special because of politics or wars or treatise. In fact, every day is special as it is a celebration of a saint, a walk through the life of Jesus and carries with it specific readings from the Bible. In effect, the Church is a rock (pardon my weary metaphor), and the events of the world happen as they will, but while they come and go, the Church is. I would like to live this way, to have my life happen, to have the world happen, people come and go (as they will whether I want them too or not), and inside myself remain steady, at all points of my being.
...either that or I'm just lamenting the lack of anyone to give flowers to this year. Either way, today happened to be a special day for many people. For me today happened, and I continue.
Last week my parents had our priest over for dinner. We were talking about recent historical things and how the world changes so much every day. My priest gave me the perspective he has from being inside the Church, how the liturgy is the same in every country, town and parish throughout the world and repeats itself in a four year cycle. From the Church's perspective, no day is special because of politics or wars or treatise. In fact, every day is special as it is a celebration of a saint, a walk through the life of Jesus and carries with it specific readings from the Bible. In effect, the Church is a rock (pardon my weary metaphor), and the events of the world happen as they will, but while they come and go, the Church is. I would like to live this way, to have my life happen, to have the world happen, people come and go (as they will whether I want them too or not), and inside myself remain steady, at all points of my being.
...either that or I'm just lamenting the lack of anyone to give flowers to this year. Either way, today happened to be a special day for many people. For me today happened, and I continue.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Burning in the New Year
Moral:
If you don't like something, burn it and hope that makes it go away.
Full meal deal:
Last night I was introduced to a new (to me) New Year's tradition. Before midnight you take a piece of paper and write down something(s) from the previous year you want to let go of for the new year. Basically, instead of taking on more stuff in the form of a resolution, you get rid of some old stuff by burning the word of it (and words have power, do not doubt that).
Super sized:
I somehow still turned this letting go of the past into more work for the future. I chose to let go of my need for approval from others. I've mostly lived my life as a good improvisor and said yes to most things. Someone suggests I try something, I do. That's why I jumped out of a plane in New Zealand (but that's a whole different kettle of walnuts). As an actor still figuring out my thing, it was strongly suggested to me that since I wear glasses (as a person), I should get more prominent frames. I assume it's also a suggestion to make bolder choices in life and art. I pondered this for quite a while and as I am getting new frames, I looked at quite a few options. I really sought out bigger frames that say "Hey, look at me, I'm glasses. Dig me, or whatever." However, I have a thing about artists (pronounced arteests): I don't like them. It's odd to be an artist (pronounced the way real people say the word) in Portland, Oregon, enjoy mostly indie music, have a closet full of the equivalent of life costumes and still despise hipsters, but here I am. There's probably a French saying that would fit well here, but again, I'm not that kind of artist.
What this all comes down to is, I did not go with the strong suggestion from my professional actor friends. I burned that option. Gladly. It turns out that I do not want to look like someone I don't like. I'd much rather look like me. That's quite enough to deal with, and one less thing I'll have to burn next year.
If you don't like something, burn it and hope that makes it go away.
Full meal deal:
Last night I was introduced to a new (to me) New Year's tradition. Before midnight you take a piece of paper and write down something(s) from the previous year you want to let go of for the new year. Basically, instead of taking on more stuff in the form of a resolution, you get rid of some old stuff by burning the word of it (and words have power, do not doubt that).
Super sized:
I somehow still turned this letting go of the past into more work for the future. I chose to let go of my need for approval from others. I've mostly lived my life as a good improvisor and said yes to most things. Someone suggests I try something, I do. That's why I jumped out of a plane in New Zealand (but that's a whole different kettle of walnuts). As an actor still figuring out my thing, it was strongly suggested to me that since I wear glasses (as a person), I should get more prominent frames. I assume it's also a suggestion to make bolder choices in life and art. I pondered this for quite a while and as I am getting new frames, I looked at quite a few options. I really sought out bigger frames that say "Hey, look at me, I'm glasses. Dig me, or whatever." However, I have a thing about artists (pronounced arteests): I don't like them. It's odd to be an artist (pronounced the way real people say the word) in Portland, Oregon, enjoy mostly indie music, have a closet full of the equivalent of life costumes and still despise hipsters, but here I am. There's probably a French saying that would fit well here, but again, I'm not that kind of artist.
What this all comes down to is, I did not go with the strong suggestion from my professional actor friends. I burned that option. Gladly. It turns out that I do not want to look like someone I don't like. I'd much rather look like me. That's quite enough to deal with, and one less thing I'll have to burn next year.
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