A co-worker asked me what I've been doing in Kansas City. He's an older man, and I thought he wanted to make sure I've been keeping myself busy and not sitting at home bored. I had the typical answer, "Oh, I played poker with some friends... I've just been hanging out." That's the answer people usually expect and are satisfied with. He gave me a strange look, almost a disapproving one. He segued through some of his personal experiences. By the end of my conversation with him, I understood why he had that reaction. He was suggesting I spend my time wiser than I have been.
His appreciation of Vietnamese art led him to a life lesson epiphany. There's a saying in Vietnamese, "Cam Ky Thi Hoa" (this is without the accent marks, of course). In English, it roughly translates into, "Music Strategy Academics Art." Usually, a series of four wall panels of scenes expresses this saying, for example:
The first panel would have an image of an old guitar.
The second panel would have an image of a chess board.
The third panel would have an image of a book, and
the fourth panel would have an image of a sculpture.
He said that he had always enjoyed that piece of art and its message. The panels showed the aspects of a well-rounded person.
Later in life, he saw a similar series of four wall panels conveying the same message. Instead:
The first panel showed an image of a couple playing instruments with eachother.
The second panel showed the couple playing chess with one another.
The third panel showed the couple reading poetry to one another, and
the fourth panel showed the woman painting while the man was sculpting.
At that point, he realized that life is more rewarding with a mate, and those four panels describes interests a couple should share in order to grow together. The panels represent topics that offer endless exploration that challenge the couple and allows them to learn from each other. Another insight he expressed was that no other people were incorporated into those scenes. This suggests that once the right two people find eachother with those similar interests, the opinions of others become obsolete.
My initial thought was, "Now, how in the world can I find a guy like that? That sounds like I'm looking for a Renaissance Man, and I can't even find one that remembers my birthday." Then I realized that I haven't even developed all those aspects. My co-worker was indirectly suggesting I should spend my time developing those skills, and furthermore, find someone who can share my love of music, critical reasoning, academics, and art.
This was a prime example of stopping to smell the roses. I wonder what happened to that in this world sometimes. Appreciation is a lost art. Rarely do I see someone at the museum truly focused on a painting or a sculpture or a photograph. Most just walk around slowly, walk out, and say they went to the museum. It takes time, reading, thinking, and connecting with the work of art to appreciate it. I'm not saying I do that, but it's something I need to improve about myself.
