Pointillism is one of the painting techniques that I respect the most. I'm sure many of you will recognize this classic picture of George Seurat titled A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. This painting is entirely made of pure colored dots applied in such ways to form this beautiful image. No lines at all, even though lines are, in fact, a series of dots disposed very closed to each other. When I admire this painting, it inspires me not only the respect for the complexity of the details and painting technique, but also for how it matches with my outlook on life, and what I pledge myself to live by. A multitude of dots, isolated, but together forming the big picture. Each dot enhancing the other, but each dot strongly impacting the entire picture. Before you wonder where I am going with this, here's my thought about life...
I remember one of my single female friends telling me how hard it was for her to enjoy a picnic at a park, when seeing all these happy families eating together, while she was still looking for love and dreaming of having children one day. She couldn't enjoy herself there, too busy comparing herself to everyone. I could sense some distress and her clock ticking, her fear of falling behind. And I know she wasn't the only one who would see life as something linear, since that is what society conditions us to believe. Society dictates us a time line and a life path, where it is expected for everyone to finish school, find a mate, settle down, get married, purchase a home, raise children, while pursuing a solid career. Then comes the comparison between everyone on that time line. Who's ahead, behind, sideways...
I don't personally think anyone is ahead, or behind. Maybe just more comfortable in certain ways maybe. Well, at least not ahead physically or materialistically in the linear life path sense.
We are where we are, and accepting it and understanding our place is what makes our lives beautiful and meaningful. Like each color dot on that painting, everyone and everything has its place, and is instrumental in the large scheme of things. Perhaps that is why I never understood or felt the "keeping up with the Joneses" inferiority complex and the fear of not fitting in. It is not important to compare ourselves with who's around us, because the only direction that matters, well, at least to me, is upward, towards the sky.
When we focus on elevating our minds, spirits and souls, working on bettering ourselves everyday, de-cluttering our minds, it does not matter anymore which peripheral direction we take. We cannot judge someone by where he or she is standing because everyone's journey to get where they got is so different, and personal. Converting jealousy and envy into inspiration. Seeing beauty in other's joys and empathy in other's misery.
To come back to my friend who constantly fears of falling behind, some may have been married for ten years already, compared to her, but during these ten years, she has lived other experiences that married people have been deprived of. I am not saying she is not allowed to dream or get frustrated they take too long to concretize, but I don't think not having what she wishes for, at that very instant, should ruin all the good that she has around and within herself. If our state of mind is unsatisfied, we can never be happy even with all the money and the strongest social status in the world. In the end, we are simply where we stand and we could stand still forever and still grow and evolve. Like mediation and introspection for example, they make us stop while furthering us with our mind and spirit, farther than our body and wallet can ever take us.
There is a big difference between going "nowhere"and remaining still to assess our souls from time to time. Would we judge a monk or a priest for choosing the life they chose? They didn't "move forward" in the conventional sense; instead devoting their lives to religion and staying still in order to meditate or pray. They worked on their minds and hearts, making them grow stronger day by day. In the end, in my opinion, it is only how happy we are with ourselves and the rest of the world and how far upward we go that truly matters. It's not about direction, nor competition, but elevation and level of consciousness. Consciousness of ourselves, strengths, flaws and how we can contribute to our own lives. The world would be such a better place if everyone knew how to cook their own comfort food for their souls...
perfect timing!
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