Thoughts for The New Year

When I went to visit a museum this past week, Eretz Israel, which focuses on the history and culture of the Land of Israel, I stumbled upon an exhibit,  the winners of the 2009 World Press Photo Competition. The photos, divided into several categories, captured my attention because of their beauty, subject matter and  depiction of the interdependent relationship of nature and humankind.

The above photograph, taken by Fu Yongjun of China, shows “a peach tree beside West Lake in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang province, eastern China.  The lake is one of China’s most noted natural resorts and features on the back of the 1 Yuan bill.”

The beauty of Fu Yongjun’s work, which won 2nd place in the Nature Stories category, is that all of the photos were taken at the same location. To observe how this landscape changes throughout the seasons is a subtly breathtaking mini-exhibition in its own right.

The photo above by Yasuyoshi Chiba, the winner of  People In The News category, grabbed  me because of how the textured, muted landscape contrasts so vividly with the people walking down the hill. Imagine my surprise when I looked more closely and read this description: “Warriors clash with members of the Kalenjin tribe using bows and arrows, in western Kenya in March. Old rivalries resurfaced between the tribes in the aftermath of Kenya’s disputed general elections, held the previous December. Unlike the rioting in the rest of the country, conflicts were strictly codified according to age-old traditions. Archery played a crucial role in these battles, with archers firing salvos at each other in daily contests, seldom engaging in close combat.

What did I take away with me from this exhibition? Here are my thoughts.

Whether in war torn areas of the world,

as shown in these 2 photos by Li Jiejun of China, whose photo of the Falling Soldier took 3rd prize stories at the 2009 World Photo Competition

In Assisi, Italy, captivated by a breathtaking view…

Stumbling upon a vertical garden on a hidden street in Tel Aviv…

Meandering through a grove of blooming rhododendrons in a garden abutting the Pacific Ocean…

Visiting a spring garden in Philadelphia…

Or shopping at a market filled with fresh fruits and vegetables…

Wherever we happen to land, it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re breathing, we have the opportunity to experience nature’s power and how it is inextricably linked with us. My wish for this coming year, 2010, is that we take the time to see, smell, touch, hear and feel this pulsating force: so that eventually all of humankind will live a more conscious existence, one filled with grace, appreciation, humility and abundance.