Continuing On
This collage is full of activity, full of meaning. It hits you like a truck. There is so much going on, it’s hard to sort everything out and figure out what is going on. It’s beautiful and chaotic at the same time. There is a message in there, somewhere if you can find it. Images of cameras, cats, pearls, rugs, people, etc… are juxtaposed together to make a whole new piece of art. Collages reflect a fundamental truth about life on Earth, one we can do well to learn and remember now and forever. This lesson is about how we can resolve conflicts and move on.
Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s painting “Mend” is perhaps one of the best examples of this idea. This painting depicts a person whose face is distorted and malformed, put back together with pieces that did not originally belong. Like when all things are damaged, the mending may be a bit ugly, may be imperfect, but it shall suffice. It must suffice for us to carry on. the aspects that did not originally belong, must now belong to the whole in order to survive. They must now work together to give form and function. the collage is put together by a myriad of cutouts. they didn’t originally belong to the picture, but now must belong in order to give some sort of reason to the painting.
Whenever it is that we face conflict, we must mend our wounds, mend our differences in the aftermath of that trial and tribulation. What wrongs we have committed must be rectified. It may be ugly and uncomfortable, but to continue, we must do so anyway. The background of the painting is full of green, resembling leaves. This can be interpreted in two ways: as nature, or as the chaos of the jungle. In the first case, it is natural to mend, natural to heal and move on. In the second case, we need to join together, be whole and unified to stand against outside struggles. To mend is is in our nature, and essential to success. We will have a greater whole, a greater being and existence as a result.
Sometimes however, the wrongs are beyond making right. Therefore, the only recourse is to simply leave it in the past and start anew, except this time, there will be no such offense committed. Many people have realized that being hung up on a misdeed in years past will not facilitate healing, will not bring unity. The only thing left to do is for all involved to move on together, and try again.
The late Senator Daniel Inouye embodied the ethos of continuing onward and leaving the past behind. As a Japanese-American himself, he spoke against the idea of granting reparations to Japanese-Americans who had suffered from the policy of internment during WWII. He knew that there was no point in determining repayment for the wrong that had been committed. How can you assign a worth to human suffering? All that was left for America to do was to apologize and commit to doing better, which America has so far.
The same logic could be applied to the recent protests for racial justice. Indeed, African-Americans had suffered for centuries as a result of racism. And certainly, there still is racism present today. But currently, we have made great strides in the cause for equality and justice. The law now criminalizes racism and punishes offenders.
And yet, we still have violence flaring up from both sides. This will not bring peace nor equality. It comes to a time where both parties must drop their grievances and come together in unity and brotherhood. The United States has already done much to repay the wrongs committed by racist individuals. Conditions for African-Americans are still less than ideal, but in the future, we will have a fair and just society if we are willing and able to move on from the issue of race.
People are naturally capable of forgiveness. Grudges are taught and consume a lot of energy. This is energy that we could put to good use elsewhere. Instead of building walls around ourselves, we must build bridges to other people. All for a brighter future and to uplift everyone on Earth.
This is a revision of a previous article I wrote, titled “Mend SQUIDD.”
This collage is full of confusion and contradiction. It’s beautiful and chaotic at the same time. There is a message in there, somewhere if you can find it. Different images of completely different topics are juxtaposed together to make a whole new piece of art. Collages reflect a fundamental truth about life on Earth, one we can do well to learn and remember now and forever. This lesson is about how we can resolve conflicts and move on.
Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s painting “Mend” is perhaps one of the best examples of this idea. This painting depicts a person whose face is distorted and malformed, put back together with pieces that did not originally belong. Like when all things are damaged, the mending may be a bit ugly, may be imperfect, but it shall suffice. It must suffice for us to carry on. the aspects that did not originally belong, must now belong to the whole in order to survive. They must now work together to give form and function. the collage is put together by a myriad of cutouts. they didn’t originally belong to the picture, but now must belong in order to give some sort of reason to the painting.
Whenever it is that we face conflict, we must mend our wounds, mend our differences in the aftermath of that trial and tribulation. What wrongs we have committed must be rectified. It may be ugly and uncomfortable, but to continue, we must do so anyway. The background of the painting is full of green, resembling leaves. This can be interpreted in two ways: as nature, or as the chaos of the jungle. In the first case, it is natural to mend, natural to heal and move on. In the second case, we need to join together, be whole and unified to stand against outside struggles. To mend is is in our nature, and essential to success. We will have a greater whole, a greater being and existence as a result.
