Let's imagine that we all live in a world of darkness. Everyone is totally comfortable because they are all so used to it. They have never known anything else and don't even want to. There are some that talk about a powerful energy force called 'light', but since no one has seen it, no one believes it and no one wants to believe it either. People have always been afraid of the unknown and of change. They like what they have, even if it sucks beyond belief. The familiar has an almost magical ability to comfort them.
The human mind has the ability to adapt and adjust so brilliantly that now everyone in this make-believe world actually like or believe that they like living in the dark. As for the people who talk about the light, their words are dismissed as rumors or ramblings of madmen, of mystics and other loony folk.
Then one day as you were minding your own business, living your life, doing your thing.. suddenly and unexpectedly, you experienced 'light'. I mean you saw it - no one told you about, you didn't read in a book nor did you watch a documentary on the possible existence of it on TV or online but in fact, you experienced it for yourself.. what then?! Even if that was just for a microsecond, you still saw it and even if you never see it again and go back to your regular world of desolate darkness, will your life ever be the same again??
Because now you know! Your whole world will become completely different even though nothing in the actual world has really changed. If you now try to live by the ways and laws followed by the rest of your planet's inhabitants, can you? You could try and force yourself to and maybe even do it, but will you ever be truly truly happy on the inside living in that world of 'No Light' while the knowledge of the Truth burns bright inside of you??? I think not.
5/7/10
9/21/09
Let's test our metal.. and never settle.
I have been thinking a lot about my career and 'what next'. The internship is almost over and I am glad. My company has an excellent idea on its hands - pioneering new eco friendly textile technologies and materials, respecting fair trade and at the same time making beautiful clothes as a creative and cultural expression. I was so inspired by the concept that I came to Norway, a whole new country where everything and everyone was alien to me, but it was worth it. Isn't it all about passion anyway? And following dreams? However, the execution of this 'dream' is less than satisfactory. The fashion industry isn't one that commonly celebrates moral values and the human condition in general. Neither do the Oil/Petroleum or Finance industries, but the fashion guys tend to be exceptionally superficial and fake - no denying that. I got into fashion not for the glitzy glamor, parties and the lifestyle (makes more sense to stay in Italy or move to Paris for that) which so often defines the typical fashion company and its folk. But because to me fashion is a part of culture and culture is nothing but people. I always believed that I had much to learn in Scandinavia because what I had heard was that people here (in general) are more open minded, more tolerant, more aware of the world's issues, more willing to help and make a difference because they are less judgemental than most people in most other parts of the world. Of course there are exceptions and assholes everywhere. But the average Joe here has a more 'real' world view than anywhere else.. and I did experience what I expected, in fact much more.
This is how I see it: people here have the freedom and opportunity to follow whatever lies in their hearts, they can study whatever interests them and march to the beat of their own drums. Plus the society is so grounded in reality and places importance on 'real' things like respect for all people, humility, fairness and lack of prejudice and judgement. The result is an empowered youth that is in search of meaning. But there aren't many places where this meaning can be found, which leaves a bast majority of young people confused... maybe even clueless with what to do with their lives. The people I met here - in the varying levels of interaction I have had with all of them - have inspired me and changed the way I look at the world. I see tremendous talent and potential in so many people but they aren't doing much to harness it. They want to but don't know where and how to.
My decision to get into fashion was a means to an end, a goal - a goal of adding value to people's lives and making a positive difference in as many people's lives as possible. That was the same goal that I had intended with medicine. One could criticize me and say 'this girl can't seem to make up her mind' but the truth is that I never changed my mind ever. The means is secondary; it can be achieved in hospitals in rural south India, with fashion in Italy or while serving coffee in coffee shops in Oslo. People can be reached in anyplace and by any means - it depends on the people in the organization concerned and what their intentions and desires are.
The company may have a different concept at its core but its run like any other random company where everything else, but its people and the people it works with, matters. We are all here on Earth to do one thing and that is to express who we really are and who we choose to be in every single moment of our lives. This cannot be done without one another. Relationships and communication are the fabric of our existence and yet more often than not people disrespect that, disregard that, abuse that.
We spend most of our waking hours working. All those hours are going to pass anyway, then why not pass them doing something we are passionate about. Why do only a very select few get the chance to work with what they love? Why are most people okay with sucky jobs? My friend told me that I am an idealist and it is not practical to want great people at work. Maybe if I am lucky, there might be 1 or 2 but more certain than that is the presence of sucky people. Why does it have to be like that??
Why can't there be a company that really values its people and the people it works for (clients/customers)? A company that is founded on respect, compassion, enhancing lives, making a positive difference and love for the human condition?? If you can successfully achieve these goals, of course money will come. But why does an obsession with sales and profit have to butcher the company's soul? True most companies have no soul nor do the people who run it. Why can't there be a company with a soul, with a conscience??? I believe that it is possible and if it doesn't exist, it can be created. It has been done with great success in America's Silicon valley with companies like Google and Facebook but that is the IT industry and IT skills aren't for everyone. So what about the average Joe? Why can't he (or she) have the chance to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves? Everyone the world over wants the same things - to care and be cared for, to live lives infused with passion and meaning, to be respected and valued, to believe that they can and are making a contribution, a difference in whatever little (or big) way they can.
I want to do that - bring great people together to work toward a great goal, a great dream. I don't say this in any arrogance or because I want to live out some perverted power trip. It is definitely a bold thing to say and probably sounds all fancy-shmancy but its not just talk and its not about me. It is a dream I dream not for myself alone but for every single person involved - a group effort, a celebration of community. It is about doing this together, being in this together.
This is how I see it: people here have the freedom and opportunity to follow whatever lies in their hearts, they can study whatever interests them and march to the beat of their own drums. Plus the society is so grounded in reality and places importance on 'real' things like respect for all people, humility, fairness and lack of prejudice and judgement. The result is an empowered youth that is in search of meaning. But there aren't many places where this meaning can be found, which leaves a bast majority of young people confused... maybe even clueless with what to do with their lives. The people I met here - in the varying levels of interaction I have had with all of them - have inspired me and changed the way I look at the world. I see tremendous talent and potential in so many people but they aren't doing much to harness it. They want to but don't know where and how to.
My decision to get into fashion was a means to an end, a goal - a goal of adding value to people's lives and making a positive difference in as many people's lives as possible. That was the same goal that I had intended with medicine. One could criticize me and say 'this girl can't seem to make up her mind' but the truth is that I never changed my mind ever. The means is secondary; it can be achieved in hospitals in rural south India, with fashion in Italy or while serving coffee in coffee shops in Oslo. People can be reached in anyplace and by any means - it depends on the people in the organization concerned and what their intentions and desires are.
The company may have a different concept at its core but its run like any other random company where everything else, but its people and the people it works with, matters. We are all here on Earth to do one thing and that is to express who we really are and who we choose to be in every single moment of our lives. This cannot be done without one another. Relationships and communication are the fabric of our existence and yet more often than not people disrespect that, disregard that, abuse that.
We spend most of our waking hours working. All those hours are going to pass anyway, then why not pass them doing something we are passionate about. Why do only a very select few get the chance to work with what they love? Why are most people okay with sucky jobs? My friend told me that I am an idealist and it is not practical to want great people at work. Maybe if I am lucky, there might be 1 or 2 but more certain than that is the presence of sucky people. Why does it have to be like that??
Why can't there be a company that really values its people and the people it works for (clients/customers)? A company that is founded on respect, compassion, enhancing lives, making a positive difference and love for the human condition?? If you can successfully achieve these goals, of course money will come. But why does an obsession with sales and profit have to butcher the company's soul? True most companies have no soul nor do the people who run it. Why can't there be a company with a soul, with a conscience??? I believe that it is possible and if it doesn't exist, it can be created. It has been done with great success in America's Silicon valley with companies like Google and Facebook but that is the IT industry and IT skills aren't for everyone. So what about the average Joe? Why can't he (or she) have the chance to be a part of something that is bigger than themselves? Everyone the world over wants the same things - to care and be cared for, to live lives infused with passion and meaning, to be respected and valued, to believe that they can and are making a contribution, a difference in whatever little (or big) way they can.
I want to do that - bring great people together to work toward a great goal, a great dream. I don't say this in any arrogance or because I want to live out some perverted power trip. It is definitely a bold thing to say and probably sounds all fancy-shmancy but its not just talk and its not about me. It is a dream I dream not for myself alone but for every single person involved - a group effort, a celebration of community. It is about doing this together, being in this together.
9/12/09
9/5/09
I am writing again. Just thinking that, just saying it to myself makes me so happy. Then what took me years to re-start and why did I stop in the first place? I always believed that it had died and that there was no desire left in me to write. I wanted to but I couldn't make it come back, it was not in my hands.. not in my control.
Inspiration to me is some intangible, special gift that the Universe gives us and each of us expresses it in different ways - through words, through art, through music, through revolutionary ideas and brand new perspectives. It is God communicating with us. But God doesn't do it all the time and he definitely doesn't do it when we want it - is what I had always believed, until recently when I realized that I had been totally wrong. God speaks to us all the time, yes.. all the time, but our own brain chatter drowns out that divine voice. Not to mention our inability and/or unavailability to listen even when we do hear it.
My 25th birthday gift to myself is the decision to start listening, again. They say you can never be a writer unless you think of yourself as one. A writer isn't necessarily someone who makes a living writing or has a degree in journalism or something related; a writer is someone who writes. I write.
I was trying to think of what I could name this blog. I decided to google search the most beautiful words in the English language and to my surprise I discovered - cellar door. There were a bunch of articles explaining this and I was intrigued. Cellar door seemed so ordinary and random! How could anyone think its beautiful ? 'Corazon' (heart in Spanish) or 'dolcezza' (sweetness in Italian) could be possible contenders but 'cellar door'? Apparently, to some non native English speakers the sound of 'l' and "r" makes for a pleasing sound combination, which made me wonder. For people who understand the meaning, the mundanity of it kills it. There is nothing special about the object but think of the sound for a bit - cellar door.. maybe there is something to it after all.
Do we do this sort of thing too often? Do we tend to look at life in one way and one way alone? Are we so hell bent on analyzing the facts and dissecting the evidence that we miss out on the 'real deal'..? We miss out on the romance of it all. I'm not referring to some melodramatic Hollywood-inspired mush nor am I talking about some fairytale featuring Prince Charming and Pixie dust. I mean the romance of life.. life with its breath-taking beauty, its pervasive powerful love that changes lives and changes worlds.
This blog is dedicated to that romance.
Inspiration to me is some intangible, special gift that the Universe gives us and each of us expresses it in different ways - through words, through art, through music, through revolutionary ideas and brand new perspectives. It is God communicating with us. But God doesn't do it all the time and he definitely doesn't do it when we want it - is what I had always believed, until recently when I realized that I had been totally wrong. God speaks to us all the time, yes.. all the time, but our own brain chatter drowns out that divine voice. Not to mention our inability and/or unavailability to listen even when we do hear it.
My 25th birthday gift to myself is the decision to start listening, again. They say you can never be a writer unless you think of yourself as one. A writer isn't necessarily someone who makes a living writing or has a degree in journalism or something related; a writer is someone who writes. I write.
I was trying to think of what I could name this blog. I decided to google search the most beautiful words in the English language and to my surprise I discovered - cellar door. There were a bunch of articles explaining this and I was intrigued. Cellar door seemed so ordinary and random! How could anyone think its beautiful ? 'Corazon' (heart in Spanish) or 'dolcezza' (sweetness in Italian) could be possible contenders but 'cellar door'? Apparently, to some non native English speakers the sound of 'l' and "r" makes for a pleasing sound combination, which made me wonder. For people who understand the meaning, the mundanity of it kills it. There is nothing special about the object but think of the sound for a bit - cellar door.. maybe there is something to it after all.
Do we do this sort of thing too often? Do we tend to look at life in one way and one way alone? Are we so hell bent on analyzing the facts and dissecting the evidence that we miss out on the 'real deal'..? We miss out on the romance of it all. I'm not referring to some melodramatic Hollywood-inspired mush nor am I talking about some fairytale featuring Prince Charming and Pixie dust. I mean the romance of life.. life with its breath-taking beauty, its pervasive powerful love that changes lives and changes worlds.
This blog is dedicated to that romance.
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