Citizenship

A good global citizen.

That is what I aim to be, and that is what I aim to bring to every person, and especially every student I come into contact with. Today, my students have been flung from the ivory tower of reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic and into the dazzling reality of participating in their future as gatherings in this peaceful nation have gained momentum and, sadly, turned violent in some areas.

For a good global citizen, there are great decisions to be made. Participation is a vital step, but it is only meaningful if it is in line with the principles we aspire to. The good of all will always depend on peace and stability.

I pray that my beloved students, and this nation that has been so good to me, will act in accordance with their highest beliefs. Participation, yes. Prosperity, yes, when we contribute to it, it gradually follows. Peace, above all.

The universal Arabic greeting is As-Salaamu Aleikum. May the Peace be upon you.

May it be upon us all. 

Arts Therapy

The week that was has been hard to shake. Work, usually my anchor, has presented me with what is probably the most important realization in my professional life thus far: an aching confrontation with the reality of what I do. (Check the end of this post for my conundrum.)

Putting my world back together again since this conceptual shake-up has been messy. What made the world look right again was the Georgian Legend performance by SAMAIA, hosted in Salalah’s imposing Al Murouj Theatre by the Oman Ministry of Tourism. (Thanks to secretsalalah and Dhofari Gucci for the headsup!) In what is, after all, a small town, any live performance is quite an occasion. This one was world class and truly moving. Costumes, choreography, audience involvement, all were great, but I have become an instant adherent of composer Chambuka Amiranashvili. Read more about his work on the hypnotic Georgian Chakrulo polyphonic chant, supported by UNESCO’s World Heritage Project.

A little reminder that the arts can cure many ills. Even though I have a lot of thinking to do.

Conundrum:

Q: What is the purpose of public education internationally?

A: Maintaining the status quo.

Q: What is the purpose of my work in the world?

A: …?

Step Away

If you have ever seen an artist working on a painting or sculpture, you will know that moment where they emerge from working closely and intensely to step away and look at the work from a distance. That is the moment when the artist regains perspective, ensuring that the totality of the result is still what it was originally intended to be. Stepping away to regain perspective is one technique that all of us can learn from artists.

Just like an artist has to do fine, detailed, time-consuming work on the different parts of a composition, we have to spend time on the details of any project. This can be absorbing and exhilarating, and of course it is very necessary. However, it can draw our attention away from the bigger picture. When you “can’t see the forest for the trees” it is time to step back and regain perspective.

This is my first post in three weeks. Although this is not best practice in the (remnants of) the blogosphere, the time away was most valuable. I crawled out of my tech den into the bright sunshine of the real world and can now return to my keyboard with fresh eyes. A look at the world outside has shown me what new directions to take. And time with people – wonderful, diverse and ever-unpredictable people – reminded me that the glue of the Web is flesh and blood. Like the artist, I have stepped back, and can continue with clearer perspective.

Image: Artist by di_the_huntress at flickr.com