back from spending a magical thanksgiving holiday in berkeley with Canadian friends, mike and maureen and their children. we caught up, explored ideas and exchanged stories while walking among redwoods, sycamores, eucalyptus and california oaks. good wine flowed while we talked of my art project, among many other topics. spending time with them was restorative. mike is the kindest of men: intelligent and sensitive to the core. and maureen's company is almost zen-like. she is a true gentlewoman whose loving nature towards her family and the day is nurturing. contagious.
mike, a professor at the school of public health at Cal, said that one of the interesting facets of the human genome project and the breaking down our dna so miraculously is that they've found that, of all the different global races, cultural facets, skin colors, eye shape, belief systems that set us apart from one another, the actual physical difference in us all is about 1.2 %.
mike, a professor at the school of public health at Cal, said that one of the interesting facets of the human genome project and the breaking down our dna so miraculously is that they've found that, of all the different global races, cultural facets, skin colors, eye shape, belief systems that set us apart from one another, the actual physical difference in us all is about 1.2 %.
we also discussed whether it is wise for me to pound the 800,000 nails by myself, before bringing the assembled piece into the public, for further artistic contribution. i forgot to tell them how much i love challenges of endurance.
next week, nail test #2 will happen, as well as an interview with the dean of humanities at mt. st. mary's college. another meeting with nery and the hunt for a donated work space.
before our trip up north, i received a plethora of supportive emails for this project, with the exception of one. a relative wrote me expressing concern for my interest in this area. "why rwanda?" "why not focus on your own backyard?" "why not focus on the living?" "it's disturbing (why i see my own responsibility in an event such as this)." to all these and more contemplative questions, i say, raise them. feel free to play devil's advocate with me. all questions are good and i will work to be as sensitive to all aspects while, as my friend Jenn said just tonight, raising awareness...which is really the goal here. more than anything...raise awareness and inspire connectedness. that's really it. i hope that so much more comes out of it.
one morning in berkeley, our daughter eleanor and i walked outside enroute to grocery shopping on shattuck street. in front of mike and maureen's house, a moment of stillness was broken by a swift autumn gust of wind. crisp and refreshing. we stared up at a sycamore tree and watched the last of its leaves clinging on and then letting go, twisting, flipping, dancing a final beautiful dance before falling to the ground to their ultimate end--or new journey to become part of the earth again. we tried to catch a leaf here and there. so big. i thanked my mom for giving me keen powers of observation. that's one thing i wish to give cooper and eleanor--strong powers of observation...non-judgmental observation.
