Friday, June 08, 2007

Surprised by Joy




I am indeed surprised by joy. I had planned to do a monochromatic painting or at most with only 3 colors. As it turned out, there are splashes of green and yellow and red on the foliage surrounding the waterfall. Earlier, I have also not visualised the cascading water and the splashings against the rocks. All these are what we call 'happy accidents'.

I imagine the universe too, being created in a random fashion. Everything just happens. Perhaps there is no grand design in life after all.

This is confounding to many people. There is perhaps no justice and justification to whatever we are doing.

There are occasions for joy, for example marriage. But what about the ones who are stuck in the most miserable corner on earth. Is there any meaning to life for the unemployed, the cancer patient fighting a losing battle, the parents who have a terminally ill child, the prisoner who is facing a death sentence?

But the meaning itself will reveal itself as complete at the very end of life. In the meantime, we have to look retrospectively and to the future for the sequence of events, however tragic it may be, that comes our way and determine what meaning they might carry. It is these little events in life that will make up the big picture one day.

I have to look up on the details of the objects I put on my painting so that , in the end, I am able to transform this final composition into a personal accomplishment of joy.

Just trying to cover a large aspect of life in a few words.....