It’s a difficult time in the world, with so much happening at once. I suppose every age is like this, but this is my first one, as an adult, as far as I know, past lives notwithstanding, footnote reminders for aspects of consciousness, I remind myself. Apologies. I’ve been reading so much, and Finnegan’s wake is deep within my mind, the rhythm isn’t easily forgotten. But what of memory? What do we remember about all the mistakes of the past? Have we forgotten? Have we forgotten that war brings total misery, for all involved, what then, and where then, do we find ourselves now? I’m aware of many things happening at once, but in so many ways they are all the same. They are about emotional blindness, not seeing the beautiful and subtle aspects of our world as we focus on goals and objectives that have become blinders to the reality around us. I know there are more wars than those in Ukraine, our world is at the point of what we’re beginning to hear is a global recession. I am not an economist or a global strategist, I’m simply an artist with a belief in God, living in a forest, in a small apartment with my partner, my days are simple and calm, and from this place, deep within the forest, when it’s quiet gives me great concern when I read about or look at the news. Soon, and not far from now, we’ll be back in a city, I am both terrified and excited by the prospect, because I know just how difficult a situation our world is in. This is a time for great care. The tinge of purpose with kindness that is beginning to flow through my work, and on close inspection always has, gives this artist a bit of pause, If I’m not honest with this moment, as I am with so many others, the purpose of this journal will not be intact. So, in a word, I’m worried. I’m not only worried for myself and my family. I’m worried for the world. We’re beginning to hear signs of a global recession, war is raging and there is so much hate. In my own country, there are so many divides, but what is common is that we are all human, such a strange word, possibly overused. What does it even mean to be human, is it not the sense that we need each other more than ever? We are all waking up to a new morning every morning, there is so much hope with technology, and so much tragedy at the same time. I am not a newspaper, there is more for you to read by authors more advanced than I am, but if I could take a moment, just be good to each other, the threat to our world is greater than one group or another. We have to come together to face the climate crisis. That’s why I get so frustrated about the so-called democracy over my images. I make things for everyone and I see games being played with them. They’re for everyone and should always be, I refuse to let them power other agendas. I’ve said it often, but my role is to find a place of peace, and the only way I know how to do that is in the arts, I’ve tried political organizing, it gets, well, political, it’s shocking for someone who doesn’t speak those languages.
I doubt I will take on another coffee role. It was incredibly educational, and with all its difficulties, it was absolutely difficult, intellectually, physically, and emotionally, but I’m moving on from the field. For three months, I worked in a coffee shop, and I’ve written about it, it reminded me that the lives of people are greater than their politics, it doesn’t get written about but it’s there. Our world is incredibly peaceful when you’re that close to it, people are good and kind in ways you can’t imagine. Go to any community coffee shop and you’ll see it, it’s a wonderful experience. I hope anyone having difficulties right now, with friends or family, or anyone we share bonds with, can sit down and have a warm drink and talk about things. It’s very easy to do, and this time requires it so much. This is no time for conflict, we all face threats greater than what we can imagine, it’s time to walk away from conflict, and create lasting peace. We’ll need it. We’ll need it to preserve the environment and all life within it, we need it for the refugee crisis, we need it for equality, we need it for peace, we need it for all people, we need it for those of us who are in need, and that is greater than one thing or another, but we need each other now more than ever, and in that perhaps we can find what so many cultures call God. I’ll be making images to share in my little corner of the world, in a small studio near a kitchen in a forest somewhere, not far from cities, but I’m just like everyone else. We have a world to save, all of us. So I’m taking a moment of pause today. I bought a candle and will be taking things slow, in memory of all who have departed, and for all that come after. We owe it to the generations, they have lifted us all into this very moment, each moment, of every day. Can we consign their histories and sacrifices to the destruction of a planet, it can’t be this way. I want to honour the whole of human history today, through one small candle in a forest. It’s a simple thing, but if you’re going about your day, know that I lit a candle for you, and for all people, on a moment so important, that we all need to face, the way the planet is headed. Thank god for weekends. Remember that our ancestors fought hard for that too.
The Reluctant Blogger 