26/04/2015
It's been a while now that I hadn't had the chance to ponder upon my own personal thoughts. I've gotten so used to me asking questions and drawing from the reply to come up with a material reflecting my subject. Of late, I've gotten used to that process and almost forgot my wellspring of ideas- which is my own thought. Well, be that as it may, I wasn't complaining, no reason to. However, I've recently been shaken from this ostensible reverie by some random activity related to my "mundane" work - or what it seemed to me to be. I was asked to draw something that represents the "gift" that I may or may not be aware am actually receiving from my role in the organization. But wait, to DRAW? My handwriting is barely legible and here I am being directed to draw?! But being deeply committed to finish the session with no less than sparks and fireworks (kidding!), I embarked on seriously giving it a thought. And there, in that suspended space and time it just dawned on me like a floodgate that opened up to let the waters rush in, I started to draw.. and draw..and draw..and draw..until I was sure that my thought was absolutely reflected on that piece of paper. When I came to myself after that trance-like state, honestly I was a little scared; scared that my hands didn't measure up to my thoughts! I showed my work and asked my seat mate what she was seeing. I tell you, I've never been so unsure of myself than in that three seconds before her reply came. But when it did, I was so releived I felt the blood rushing from my heart into every vein and vessels while the unmistakable warm feeling of confidence enveloped me once again.
Waves. She's seeing waves. Specifically, huge wave tips with droplets.
Why waves? And here goes the metaphor: This generation equate success and lasting happiness upon tangible, measurable output. Above anything, we admire what our eyes can very well see. In effect, we underscore those whose undertakings are impalpable and reduce them to be less succesful or worse, less happy. I'm talking about those who facilitate transfer of knowledge, those who practice the art of listening and inspiring people and even those who take pains to live with integrity. These undertakings aren't praiseworthy because it has no known monetary value. Can we actually put a price tag to inspiration so that you can only give this much or little? Can we measure learning by the kilo so that we can charge accordingly? If the answer is NO therefore I say yes, I have a gift that can be symbolized by waves. Even when I am in reality just a drop in the ocean, I make up the waves. Every drop (of the likes of me) causes little tremors in the sea (of humanity) that alters the movement of the waves, however miniscule. So that in our continuous labor as waves, little by little we shape the landscape upon which we push; we give direction to whatever we hit upon. Finally, the waves endoctrinate a most valuable lesson: that even as we struggle with highs and lows, with often unpredictable and not so smooth weather; even as we embattle to hold on together to cause greater impact, we have to go on day in and day out. We do not stop flowing. We do not allow ourselves to be stuck up in a low point or a high point, to linger upon blunders, misgivings or failures. We have to continuously flow and resonate that which we have set to impart...until we finally dissipate into nothingness, as everyone else does in the end, but just as happy and succesful as when measured beyond the bounds of human frailties. Onwards!
26 April, 2015
Legend:
Orange: a half face of a fiercely shining sun
Blue: waves and droplets
Brown: sand/landscape
Synopsis: abstract drawing uses curves and straight lines..like this one, haha! :-)
