Tuesday, December 11, 2012

artsy fartsy: gum on your shoe and a high five

Two people standing in front of a piece of art will see very different things more often than not.  

When I stand in front of a Clark Takashima original from The Dream Series in the gallery I work at on the North Shore of Oahu, I see the water for what I feel it really is.  Others see strands of hair, deities, magic, or even just a  simple wave.  This piece, entitled "Vibrational Planes", has so many hidden elements.  The ohm symbols, the orb of life, the manifestation of the implied peace with the universe... It is difficult to look at this piece and be bored or uninspired.  
The same can be said for most of the occurrences in the universe and our daily lives.  When I step in gum, I simply scrape it off and throw it away, and I assume it was the universe keeping me from stepping off the curb into a speeding bus or allowing me the few moments I needed to wait to run into an old friend.  Hell, sometimes it is just stepping in gum and there is nothing significant to it at the time... Until the butterfly effect hits.  

Others may step in gum, and burst into tears, as it is officially the worst day ever.  Ever.  How does one get into a mental and/or spiritual place in which the simple act of an annoying tidbit can break their spirit?  One word: Perspective.  You cannot allow for yourself to find the negative attributes of the day or a single action break you.  Yes, we all deserve a day where we snuggle up on the couch, eat junk food, and watch five seasons of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix.  Conversely, we also deserve days where we pick ourselves up out of the rubble, slap on a smile, and find the brighter side. 

Any time I have a rough day, I try and focus on the blessings and brighter moments in an effort to not let myself slide back into the quicksand.  And, yes, dear reader, it is indeed quicksand.  Negativity, self-pity, and shitty days will keep on sucking you in.  Everyone is sick to death of the  person on facebook that has Armageddon in their lives all week, every week.  So, you stepped in gum.  That sucks.  At least you have money for shoes, legs and feet to put them on, no debilitating disease preventing you from walking, and you're in a safe enough place in the world where you can walk outside without car bombs threatening your safety and life.  

Was that a bit dramatic?  Perhaps.  However, so is stating that you hate your life because you're in a boring meeting.  Guess what, kiddo:  You have a job!  Boom.  Lawyered.  

You cannot appreciate the sun without the rain, the warmth without the cold, and a person until you have truly missed them.  

Moving to Hawaii showed me how much I missed the warmth, but it also made me miss those crisp, cool days in Quito over the last year.  One slightly overcast afternoon, I was sitting at Rumfire in Waikiki, my home away from home on the island, and listened to the waves while I sipped an ice cold Kona beer and listened to a few girls (transplants from southern California and Florida) bitch about the weather being "gross, ugly, and lame".  Seriously?  Seriously.  If it is sunshine and no clouds, it's too hot.  If it's raining, it's a drag.  If it's overcast, it's ugly.  

Perspective, people.  

You live in Oahu, Hawaii where people save their entire lives to go visit just once and you have lost sight of the beauty that surrounds you.  You are living someone else's dream... How dare you take that for granted?  If we all stopped complaining about stupid shit and looked at the positives, I think we would all have bigger smiles, fuller pockets, and warmer hearts. 

Now, go high five someone.

xx.a