Beauty or Mutilation?

I noticed my middle daughter, JA, was wearing some new and unusual earrings today. They were clear plastic and looked like tapered cylindrical spears sticking out from her earlobes. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that they were not earrings at all but were stretchers that kids put in their ears these days – very popular along with body piercings, tattoos and the like. Although her stretchers were not the dollar coin size ones with the big gaping openings in the middle, they were more feminine and refined but nonetheless – stretchers. I was horrified … why would she do that to her gorgeous face?

These stretchers are meant to do just that – stretch the earlobes using whatever shapes and sizes of devices. JA assured me that the hole would close  if you leave the stretchers out for a few days, but my mind was wheeling from this reality – what was she thinking? Her sister, K, chimed in to say that if one doesn’t go beyond a certain size of stretchers, the holes won’t be permanent. As if this would make me feel better?

I know, I know, in some countries and cultures, they do this purposely and they stretch different body parts from a young age, such as putting disks into the lower lip, ear stretchers that dangle the earlobes below one’s shoulders or neck ring stretchers that extend one’s neck to unusual length, and the more deformed they are (compared to our standards) the more they are considered beautiful. But we don’t live in those countries or cultures. I never thought globalization would come this far. Yikes! I was speechless – and THAT never happens.

JA then listed a whole bunch of stuff to make me feel better, like she is not pregnant, she is not sick, she is not an alcoholic or into drugs, she is not getting fangs (studs implanted on your lower lip or chin) or eyebrow piercing, she is not getting tattoos, she is an ambitious young lady, going to school and has a part time job … really I have nothing to worry about. I can’t help but feel awful. Call me old fashioned, this is self mutilation, not a beauty mark!?

When she turned 19, she secretly implanted two pins on the back of her neck (instead of getting “fangs”). Now this? Am I over-reacting? I am afraid to think of what might be next. She doesn’t see it as a big deal now, may be not until she is much older and the skin loses its elasticity. My daughter is an AWESOME kid, please please God, don’t let her do anything more than this and put some sense into her?

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Mirroring the beauty

Yesterday, the lake surface was absolutely calm, there was rarely a ripple. There was some ice jammed up against parts of the shore from previous windy episodes. The mountains, the sky and the trees were reflected perfectly in the water, mirroring the beauty above and on the water surface; it was like mother nature wanted me to see twice the beauty.

There is something about being close to water and what it can do to me. I love being at the cottage, which faces the lake. Watching the water and how the weather changes its characters, features and atmosphere does something to me. Being here at the cottage somehow re-centres me, it brings relaxation and inner peace. Here, I read and write a lot more, I have time to reflect. It cleanses me mentally, it draws my strength back to me and helps me appreciate all the good things I have. Purely AWESOME!

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Stop and Listen to the Music

This was shared with me on Facebook and I thought it accurately captured how often we don’t stop and smell the roses, listen to the music and appreciate the beauty and people around us … AWESOME!!!  Read on below the photo

Amt Für Vollständigkeit’s Photos

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist.
Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the top musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written,with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:

Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

(repost by Das Amt für Vollständigkeit)

By: Amt Für Vollständigkeit

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