One of the wonderful phenomena to watch in Shanghai parks and on its riverside in the early morning, is the congregation of retired men sending their well cared for and brilliantly crafted kites high into the city sky. They do this for long hours watching the extensions of their souls soar into worlds unknown, higher and higher above the noise of the city where all is calm and harmonious, into a state of freedom where they too one day wish to be…
We live on this planet in close proximity (relatively) and with great reliance on this huge wonderful burning star we call our sun. The center of our solar system, it rises every morning with no fail, completely reliable, warming us, providing us with light and energy, giving us life as it marries with our beautiful planet’s resources. After a quiet period of rest and sleep from 2005 to 2010, our sun has awakened and is emitting powerful flares and electromagnetic storms that can travel through space at a staggering speed of 5 million kilometers per hour. If any of these flares were to hit planet earth (and often they do), they can in the very least disrupt GPS signals, radio signals and power grids. And yet, so many of us are living oblivious to the fascination of this phenomenon and are not at all moved to investigate it or follow its trends. But I find that incredible happenings like solar storms can help shrink our daily nagging concerns and bring the mysteries of life to a whole new level of interestingness. We are part of this universe and its issues should trigger our interest in the very least.
A very strange phenomenon I have encountered repeatedly is with the fear islanders have of the sea or it might be a great awe of the mysterious waters. I keep finding out that locals that live near the sea or ocean never really go into it with the exception of fishermen and sailors. Even in Lebanon, my grandmother who lived all her life 15 minutes away from the shore of the mediterranean, had never set foot in its waters before she passed away. It is also said that the fishermen of the Isle of Aran near the Irish coast, never learn how to swim as they claim it would be much better to die faster by drowning in case they ever fall from their boats.
photo taken: local fishermen on the shores of Boracay~ Philippines