Sadness and disappointment was all I could this feel this morning after learning of the attack by Israel upon the Gaza flotilla for humanitarian aid. What motivates us to do what we do, and for whom do we do such things? In part as a meditation for myself, I produced a piece last Fall that I entitled "For Our Children."
The story: I was scouting out a park location for an upcoming when I bumped into Janet and Paul Tooby. They were setting up for their afternoon picnic in support of The World March for Peace and Nonviolence. By that time The March had already begun earlier that month in New Zealand and was to end at Punta de Vacas, Aconcagua, Argentina on January 2010. I liked them and their cause, so I promised to return with my camera to record the day's events to help their promotion of The March.
I had not heard of The March until that day. In my interview with Paul, I was surprised to learn that there was little awareness of The March in the United States as compared to the rest of the world. Not that there was absolutely no recognition by communities throughout the U.S., but from a media standpoint it didn't seem to warrant much coverage.
The picnic was only modestly attended. I wanted to think that the blustery weather turned people away and not that "peace" had become somehow unfashionable. And yet the mood was buoyant and the sense of fun, family & peace-creating were there.
I really liked how Janet expressed her desire for peace. So even if one person chooses to think this way, there will always be the possibility of overcoming any self-centered mindset.
© Richard Aquino, 2010
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