“Learn from your first mistake and keep going after it… it’s going to be different next time.“
Easy words to share, but very difficult to follow, but as they are delivered by artist Carolyna, today’s stranger… now 365 friend of 365, I feel a peace in knowing she follows her advice.
I only meet with her for a few minutes, yet as we chat, there is a common thread of perspective. Viewpoints that reach far beyond art and dive under the skin in examining what make us tick a species human. Sure Carolyna, wears the coat of the creative. And, as a very skilled ceramic artisan, speaks a dialogue of the same account. But what she speaks of is relevant to the global issues that are painfully ransacking the Earth’s population; thoughts that can provoke us to survey our outlooks (whether conservative or radical) on how, what and why we contribute to the world around us.
Albert Einstein quoted,  “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” a theory that led him to great achievement in his life– as well as uncountable contributions to the betterment of the mankind.
“Don’t mind-fuck yourself and tell yourself this time it is going to be different,” Carolyna states in building upon her opening comment. A change of vocabulary, but in a way, so aligned with the magnificent Mr. Einstein.
“There is a lot wrong with the world…” Carolyna expands, “…and a lot of things we can’t just change. Like we can’t force people to have empathy towards each other or animals or something like that.”
Carolyna continues her dialogue, but as she does, I have to admit that her expression of empathy catches me so profoundly that is become difficult to not wander my mind as we chat.
Per Mirriam-Websters Dictionary
em·pa·thy – noun (ˈem-pə-thē): the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions : the ability to share someone else’s feelings.
Many a time we speak of issues, politics, religion, race and an endless list of reasons for the condition of world affairs. Billions of dollars are spent on programs and initiatives. Most of which somehow seem to often widen the already fractured gaps in society. Yes, as Carolyna states, there are a lot of things in the world that we can’t change; but what of the things that we can?
Sure, I am a hopeless optimist, have my bad days as we all do, but all in all I try to keep my eyes open. Yet, after meeting so many amazing strangers… all so diverse, all with something to say, and all with the same blood as I– I have witnessed first hand that there is more than enough good to go around. At is center I’ve noticed a common thread… You got it… Empathy.

Carolyna challenges us, “I guess the more love we expose people to– the higher hope they have of changing. And that might change the world in the future. Like, if we give more people opportunity to express themselves, we become more like individual beings vs. a cluster-fuck of people. I don’t know… maybe that might help us find ourselves and we might be better human beings in the future.”

I ask. “What do you mean by express ourselves…? Verbally? Artistically? Soulfully?”
“However your way of expressing yourself may be…” She responds, “…Some people can’t express themselves vocally or verbally. They have to blog or something, through music or poetry. Some people fight… whatever it may be… just do it.”
“Some people fight?” that throws me for a little loop. Yet in reflection, I think I understand what Carolyna is speaking of– Simply this… the fight for what’s right in humanity… not so much for what’s there to own.
As so well described by Gaetiao, our Sicilian friend of Day 218: “We Need to Show More Open Hand Than the Fist.”
Carolyna… Gaetiao, thank you for your perspectives, looks like you have inspired us to arms. But this battle is really not a war as we know it… for as we write our orders and ready our weapons, we are called to adjust our tactics… The new war is upon us and our attack plans are clear. At the center are two basic commands… Proceed with empathy and strike out with the open hand.
Talk soon my friends,
Richard