Joy in the Dance— At West End Gallery
With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow—I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.
–Confucius, Analects
This has been perhaps the longest week in recent history. It’s hard to believe but it was a mere five days ago that the world seemed on a dark and downward trajectory for many people, me included. There were only glimmers of visible hope.
I know that I was dour and surly this past weekend. Downcast and lifeless. I am often like that after an opening as I have noted here before in the past. But coupled with the political energy it seemed almost interminable.
But late Sunday afternoon, President Biden withdrew from the race for president and within hours it felt as though there had been a seismic shift in this country. And in me, as well. The energy levels that have gathered behind and carried Vice-President Kamala Harris in these last four days — my god, it’s only been four days! — have been astounding.
A friend who well remembers JFK’s campaign in 1960 felt that the Harris emergence had that same sort of youthful excitement and energy, fueled by optimism and inclusion rather than the fear and division offered by the other side.
I couldn’t agree more. Her candidacy offers a stark contrast to her opponent in almost every aspect– forward looking versus going backwards, freedom versus control/autocracy, unity versus chaos, youthful diversity and change versus the same gaggle of rich old white men, etc.
Light versus darkness.
I definitely feel lighter after these endless few days, almost giddy at times, in so many ways, as though the floating clouds of unrighteousness Confucius mentions have been blown away. I am using the painting above, Joy in the Dance, to illustrate this post because of the joyful giddiness I sense in the trees, And I also like the analogy of the river in it serving as a river of righteousness versus clouds representing unrighteousness.
Clouds come and go, blocking out the sun and sometimes bringing terrible storms, but the river is always there.
And so long as the river is there, so are we.
Here’s a song I have played a few times over the years. It was written and originally performed by Steve Van Zandt (Miami Steve in the E Street Band, Little Steven as the leader of the Disciples of Soul, Silvio Dante on the Sopranos, and one of the prime movers of the popular movement that helped end apartheid in South Africa) and has been a staple for decades for both Eddie Vedder and Jackson Browne, both of whom regularly perform it. This is an acoustic version from Eddie Vedder from back in 2000. It speaks to the usurping of patriotic symbols and language by those on the right at times when they have been offering policies and legislation that seem antithetical to the idea of America that many of us hold as our North Star. The song also uses the river of righteousness as its primary symbol. Seems about right.
Let that river keep running…
The painting shown, Joy in the Dance, 24″ by 8′ on canvas, is part of Persistent Rhythm, my solo show now hanging at the West End Gallery.
Redtree Times 