AN ARTIST’S RELATION TO SOLITUDE
An artist must make time for the long periods of solitude
Solitude is extremely important
Away from home
Away from the studio
Away from family
Away from friends
An artist should stay for long periods of time at waterfalls
An artist should stay for long periods of time at exploding volcanoes
An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at fast-running rivers
An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at the horizon where the ocean and sky meet
An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at the stars in the night sky
Marina Abramovic
I loved the poem enough to share it, yet felt there is something much deeper to reflect there.
Is solitude the road to stillness … afterall there is often stillness in the movements and movement in the stillness as well.
So I would like to ask an artist…
Do you really want solitude or stillness ?
Sometimes in deep solitude there is no stillness.
And that is perhaps the reason for the need of staying away from it all.
Staying away is not the answer but just a change to alter and arrange thoughts.
For thoughts run amuck sometimes and have a speed all their own
On my recent business trip to Shanghai China @ the International conference and exhibition centre, I couldn’t resist clicking a candid shot of this cute little boy so very glued to his game on the mobile. A few minutes earlier, while I was engrossed in a discussion with his mom. I had watched him how he cried copious tears for getting the mobile from her hand until his loving mother finally relented, albeit reluctantly and gave it away for him to play. And then he got all busy and was the most well-behaved boy!
Children will always be children and truly children are no different anywhere in the world. East or West the craze for the mobile is the same every where.
So a dear friend from another city knowing my love for science intimates me about a lecture program on Astronomy that was scheduled to happen in my city.
Reading more about it got me looking forward to attending it.
It was expected to happen in a school auditorium. And the entry was open to all.
I called a day prior to the event to confirm and then decided to schedule my work for the day so that I would be free enough to attend and enjoy it.
The organizers had mentioned about arriving at a stipulated time, it took me an hour to reach there by car but I was on time. I found the venue completed the registration and walked up a flight of stairs to the auditorium.
As I entered I saw a couple of seats free as most were occupied and I was settled in.
There was a chair with a bag next to me. And there was a girl in the next chair. I sat there waiting for the program to start.
Many people walked past me searching for a chair but never thought of checking if the chair beside me was really occupied. The auditorium was soon getting filled up. And then a young boy came in and checked if the seat was empty. Because he asked he got the seat actually, as the bag turned out to be the young girl’s.
Just as we were are settling and waiting …within 10 minutes or so, there was such a sudden rush in the number of people entering the auditorium. Suddenly the hall seemed to be brimming over with people It was quite a sight as even the aisles were full of children and parents and elderly. And people were still pouring in. It soon turned almost unmanageable and overcrowded.
A lady came on the stage and requested people in the aisles to sit where they were standing but no one was ready. In fact, to be fair, it was getting difficult to even stand, let alone sit.
The lady then started off asking parents teachers to vacate their seats for the children, as the program was meant mainly for them. No one was ready to get up and give up their seats.
On hearing the heartfelt request, I instantly gave up my seat for a young boy standing next to me. I just couldn’t sit in my seat after that, but I noticed that except a few like me, most people sat glued to their seats. Perhaps they felt they had a right because they came in earlier than the children standing.
Perhaps we are all flummoxed what to do in situations like this and respond differently.
To my understanding, I discerned that the child of tomorrow stands to gain sitting there more than me for I went there only for my own interest in the subject but perhaps it would help impact or influence his future in a positive way.
So I willingly gave up my seat.
Unfortunately, I had to leave the place as it was filling in so much that it was turning claustrophobic to even stand anywhere. As I jostled my way out of the auditorium I had to squeeze through the crowd all through the flight of stairs and outside on the narrow road in the street to the venue as well. As people were still thronging in.
Although I sincerely missed the lecture I actually felt relieved to have moved out early on.
Clearly, the organizers had missed out on this that the venue was too small to accommodate this unexpected number of people. Looked like their good intentions of keeping the entry free resulted in this. Maybe they could have kept the entry fee for adults and kept it free only for children.
Anyway I had time in my hand and decided to explore a nearby mall and returned home.
A few interesting things happened there. But that is the subject of another post another time.
Just thinking…
Perhaps every moment of our life is predetermined.
Perhaps we are meant to be where we are.
I may have reached the venue on time got the seat but I never got to hear a lecture that I planned to. And since I gave up my seat on my own, I was solely responsible why.
Sometimes life challenges us What you deeply desire You may have to give up for another… But there is always a reason why!
What are your thoughts? Would you have given up your seat or stayed on? Would love to know…
Today my post is a little self-reflective… it is on my own writings here on WordPress.
It’s certainly very nice to feel acknowledged. Especially by WordPress that I have published 450 posts in a row. It has been a beautiful journey so far.
And yes, I am hoping to keep writing more.✍
We all can write if we truly wish to. Often our writings are a reflection of our understanding of experiences in life. Writing regularly gives me a sense of contentment as well as a feeling of letting go.
Of late a regular reader pointed out to me how my posts have changed and diversified to touch many other topics of life and living.
Yes, it is true and I appreciate them for noticing and sharing this.🙏
At times I write immediately when I see or experience something that touches me. I must add that I feel as writers, every once in a while, we must deliberately try to break a set pattern… if we feel we are getting into a mould.
New topics give us scope to enrich ourselves to understand ways to break free from monotony and explore more.
Personally, I feel my writings have now become more spontaneous than before by simply writing regularly. I write on all kinds of things that mean something to me. I emote and express and hope to evolve for the better through my own writings. So for me, it’s a cathartic experience.
Thank you, dear readers, for reading & sharing my works and this journey with me and hope to continue seeing your words and reflections here on WordPress. And thank you as well for inspiring me with all your lovely reflections.
Every person has a certain style of dressing. They have their own preferences on what to wear and an idea of what looks and feels good on them.
Some are safe players and some are extremely adventurous.
Corporate wear.
When it comes to the world of corporate wear, there is good reason to understand how to dress for success and make it work for you.
Here are a few tips on dressing well at work.
Dress well. It matters.
Feel good in the clothes you wear , remember its for yourself, not for others.be confident in what you are wearing.
A Matter of Details.
Attend to the smallest of the detail ensure that you are clean and organised
Avoid shabby and grunge looks while at work.
A Matter of Choices
Avoid going overboard spending for clothes or accessory.
Teach yourself to be well mannered, as how you behave is not only a reflection of yourself but also the company you work for.
A Matter of Decorum
Pay attention to your behaviour that all time
Maintain decorum and adhere to the set company culture.
A Matter of Comfort.
Choose closed shoes with practical heels. Avoid uncomfortable stilettos if they dont allow you ease of movement. Alternatively you carry your work wearing a shoe bag and wear comfy shoes while traveling to work. Or you can opt for comfortable block heels.Do remember your health is above all else.
Ensure what you wear is comfortable.
A Matter of Professionality.
Avoid distracting bling and bringing unnecessary attention on yourself.
If you wish to you can adhere to
global monochromatic tones at work grey black blue beige etc with the right accessories. It may makes you look and feel professional. It helps to accessorize with hints of colour to make the look interesting.
Make sure to work well at what you do as much as you dress well. Be a thorough professional at work.
A Matter of Grooming.
Keep your makeup minimal and fresh.
Be well groomed. Let your hair, nails speak for themselves remember to wear neat and ironed clothes.
Keep jewellery simple avoid too much skin show.
Avoid dangling earrings. Keep them for a party.
You can try matching your footwear to the attire or go for contrast.
Avoid following the trends of fashion blindly.
Wear what suits your personality and be yourself.
A Matter of Poise & Posture.
Regardless of what you are wearing ensure that you work on correcting your posture. If you find yourself slouching pick up your head & shoulders align with your back and breathe easily. Remember that a good posture shows confidence.
A Matter of Attitude.
Keep good attitude. To be the best you can paying attention to clothes you wear but more importantly remember it’s the whole package.
A matter of planning
Think what you want to wear next day. A simple practice of selecting and keeping your clothes ready for the next morning saves time.
A little planning goes a long way.
Remember it is not superficial it is an investment to your own self and career.
Dressing well is not about the brands you wear. It it about how wear what you wear.
If the seed sown is not full of self belief
Share the goodwill &cheer in every season.
Savvy Raj 
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