NEW DIRECTION

⚪️🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵🟣⚫️ NEW DIRECTION Ed. No. 104 - PUT IT IN ITS PLACE

Title: "The Peoples Forum”(2020)

An Artwork about the pain of the bureaucracy we have created in life.

Artist: Neville Williams ©️Arts Law Australia

Size: 93cm (W) x 93cm (H) x 7.5cm (D)

Media: Collage, foil, acrylic on canvas framed with a cream mount

behind perspex within a natural Tasmanian Oak wood box frame.

$3,000

To read a synopsis of this artwork and see more

of this artist’s work go to:- NevilleWilliamsArt

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PUT IT IN ITS PLACE

The other day I woke and inside my head I was singing of all things “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from the classic musical “The Sound of Music”. And it wouldn’t go away. The mind is a very tricky and most distracting thing. I’m not party yet to why we all have this Pulcinello inside our heads. I guess it’s to balance the Pierrot in our hearts? Huh?

I still don’t get it.

The song mentioned is a moving aspirational/inspirational piece both in Oscar Hammerstein’s lyrics and Richard Rodgers music. The constant repetition of it by the mind though turns it into something different.

This earworm did though trigger in me memories of the experiences in my life since we returned from the isolation of Covid. During this time I along with the rest of the planet have truly faced a shitstorm of change, confusion, anger, resentment and fear.

Personally I couldn’t begin to tell you of my own horrible experiences over this period.

They do though seem to come packaged in the most diverse slow moving but unstoppable freight train of challenges possible.

It has all been, at least for me, tiring.

Some people seem to thrive on change. Not me.

I like to know what is happening to me and to be if not in charge at least have my finger on the pulse. This world takes so much from us if we don’t know ourselves.

Apparently I could know myself a whole lot better!

All ‘too muchie’ to describe here but I do want to share with you how I dealt with a singular major Mt. Everest predicament that reared its ugly head in this post Covid backwash.

This was my mountain of all mountains, the Everest of teeth grinding angst, the problem that hits you so hard between the eyes that it knocks you for six. The sort of challenge that has you floored for knowing how to take even the first step in dealing with it. How do you negotiate with the impossible? Something you wouldn’t wish on even your worst enemy.

I’m not going to be specific but will say the I HAD to deal with a mega bureaucracy over a mega mistake made by that bureaucracy (one button wasn’t pressed) that literally became over six years the Himalayas goliath.

It was big.

The thing that I would like to pass onto you is that I was fortunate enough to receive some very useful advice just when I needed to hear it that not only helped me survive this bastard of an experience but had the matter eventually resolved.

The advice I received was when you are faced with a mountain of a problem don’t try and climb the mountain. The mountain will win. Go on a journey whether it’s a walk around the mountain or perhaps you can hop on a comfortable passenger train and enjoy the view as you circumnavigate the intransigent barrier. You might even stop intermittently along the way get off the train and go and have a latte.

Boy O boy was I challenged with this most unwelcome situation.

I am still trying to wash out of my system any remaining frustration and anger I developed going through this meat grinder. I mean why?

Why all of the bureaucracy? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

I did not want it and never want to face anything like it again.

What I have come to realise is that bureaucracy is a manifestation of fear put in place by us humans to keep people away from something like a guarded territory. Or for that matter a separating force between anything to do with clear communications and connection. On the surface it can look all so benign but in reality it is just a horrible de-energising thing that can even make you sick.

The important thing when faced with a shitstorm is to put it in context.

You are alive and your life and your well-being are the number one priorities.

This world will find the most unscrupulous ways to piss us off.

And sometimes I think this life is all a game between the God of Light and the Shadow of Darkness with us being caught up as the meat in the sandwich. The trick is learning how to play the game fairly, honestly with joy but it is oh so testing at times. I think(?) we are living in the fog of a surface fantasy. That’s why so much feels so wrong. But we do need to learn how to dig for what is real.

If we better explored our inner life we would place these things that seem like Mt. Everest in their proper perspective and wouldn’t experience the roller coaster of emotion and pain.

Don’t bother climbing ev’ry mountain cause trying to do that will kill you. Put the cryptic in its place and go and have that latte and make the space to smell the flowers. It’ll all eventually get resolved with a little effort one step after the other.

Needless to say that I have no patience, not anymore, with self serving bureaucracy no matter in what form it comes packaged.

When you get burnt you learn. Keep watch. - Neville ☺︎