Smidgens
The tiles have a series of cracks, a map of years. Years reshape, transform into twists, gnarls, fissures. Without the years, he thinks, the present wouldn’t look real, authentic, contain beauty. The present, always polishing, rebuilding, gentrifying, trying to reface the past. But one can’t forget the past, shouldn’t, even the bad stuff, especially the bad stuff.
Evil is a beauty. You must look at it with careful, discerning eyes, wise eyes, eyes that cry without distorting reality, eyes that know evil can be unstable, eyes that know it can take a bite out of you when you least expect it. Sometimes, you must bite it back…hard.
He places his hand over some cracks, cool, slightly rough, rests… until a spot becomes warm.
This piece speaks so much truth about the life cycle, the ups/downs, engagement and making peace with it. Wonderfully written, Elan!
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Wonderful post. “Evil is beauty. You must…” I deeply affirm this. There is far too much dualistic thinking that in its nature of separation denies this kind of discernment of evil.
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“Whoever fights with monsters should see to it that he does not become a monster in the process. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.”
The problem? No matter how monstrous we may become, neither we nor our allies will ever realize it.
Another way to put it: The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
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Important distinctions.
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In wabi-sabi we trust.
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Wonderful write! “Evil is a beauty. You must look at it with careful, discerning eyes, wise eyes, eyes that cry without distorting reality, eyes that know evil can be unstable, eyes that know it can take a bite out of you when you least expect it. Sometimes, you must bite it back…hard.” and so true, but sometimes the tears cloud your vision. It takes time to see through.
Thank you for sharing.
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