An idea, a thought, an anecdote, a story or a poem a day!

This idea came to my mind today that how cultures can change, enriched, or get lost, just in one generation. It was a beautiful day today, blue skies, golden sunshine, and we were at a park in Western Sydney.  Especially it being the Sunday of a long weekend in winter, the park was full of people; everywhere, there were group picnics, grown ups sitting down, while children were biking, or just running around;  aroma of different types of food, colours of winter flowers, and falling leaves filled my senses, so sitting at our spot on the picnic rug, near a small lake, with the soothing sound of a water fountain, it was a perfect setting to close my eyes, and lie down to soak it all in.  I heard people sitting close by, a chattering group of 4 or 5 couples, men and women having lunch, joking around laughing, I could catch a few words of English, but couldn't understand their language, it was may be Telugu.   Then their children arrived from their play, and started ...

Things that we do Actions and the activities that we partake in habitually,  Day after day, year after year,  some that we don't even know why,  The get-togethers, the birthdays, anniversaries, religious days, cultural days, dates in our social calendar,  These are the rituals, that we hang our ceremonies on, things which we want to do, things which we enjoy, the colours, the food, the jokes, the songs,  as these are the threads of our social, cultural, religious frameworks, which give us the structures, which tell us what we need to do, and when, and how! They goad us into action, force us into celebration. When we don't feel like doing anything on a birthday, feeling low and lonely, and useless, the chime of "happy birthday" coming from different avenues, jiggles us to life, the card, the cake, the party, and we feel wanted, loved, and special on our special day! When someone dies, the space they vacate is taken by these rituals, these activities, which bring ...

While enjoying the two exhibitions, Know My Name , by Aboriginal women artists and,   Botticelli to  Van Gogh, famous European artists,  at the  National Gallery  in  Canberra , I was thinking, these paintings, painted by people from another time, and another place  Cultures apart! Countries apart! Continents apart Centuries apart appeal to so many of us,  gathered here  These Pictures Stories Songs bringing us together What is in them, which appeals to every heart,  A common thread of beauty,  a shared definition of grace,  a collective consciousness of decency,   which I hope remain stronger than the ties of trade, the ropes of rivalry, and our global internationalisation!  Yes, if art be the soul of human life,  carry on!