I saw a photograph today that served me as a tranquilizer in a havoc I put myself in. A black-and-white photo showing a film set and actors taking a break between scenes.
Time frame could be end of 1950’s or sometime in the 60’s.
What is it that provided such a sense of inner peace? They were sitting on folding chairs, resting, yet that’s was all they were doing! No talking on a mobile phone, no texting messages, no taking pictures of the set with a mobile and sending them to facebook friends (because information has to be sent on time – instant!), none browsing through piles of newspapers and magazines to check if there is something about them and their work in it, no PR person with a laptop replying to a bunch of emails…
No dispersion of focus and energy. All present and immersed in what’s in front of them at that moment. All focused on one current creation. One at a time.
They may have called a friend, wrote a letter, developed that film once they got home and watched the photograph emerge, slowly…
… There is a lot of talk about acceleration of time these days, but isn’t the real challenge what we actually do with any time we have. So far it seems we are just putting in more and more things to immerse ourselves in, to ponder upon, to do during a day and at the end the actual 24 hours seem so short.
Even though the previously mentioned photograph was made way before I was even born, it made me feel so cosy today and even though the larger percentage of my work is done with a help of electronic devices, internet and many modern gadgets that help us do our research, connect, learn, I still sometimes wonder would there be more peace in our minds and our surroundings if there was less noise. The information that reaches us and disturbs us and leaves us powerless because there is nothing we can do to make things better – that is also noise. Noise that keeps amygdala on alert and leaves little to imagination what happens to our mind and body when such a condition becomes regular.
Anyway… It comes to the same conclusion: some changes are favoured, some are not – for some. All is in a move and another change may be for the better and then maybe not – for some. For some and for some time.
Change or anything else for that matter means nothing until we personally give meaning to it and define how it affects our lives as the meaning I gave to that photograph served me as a reminder to slow down the flooding of thought processes and helped me in regaining balance today.
I wonder if the photographer who made it ever thought his work would be in that way precious for someone, someday…
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