EXPERIENCE

Once upon a time, I visited Polynesia... and, on the island, it is customary to sunbathe topless - whether male or female.  A Barbie-doll like French woman was reclining near the pool, capturing ogles from those unaccustomed to such sites.  And when she dropped her hanky, a gentleman handed it to her - to be taunted by his buddies about the "trouble" he would get from his wife for doing this.  She was also poolside; she turned to the hecklers and said, "He's not in trouble for I'm not threatened by this." 

I contemplated the subjectivity of beauty and of perceived danger from comparison. Admiration for the strength the wife showed and fascination for the glam of the French woman left me craving to know more about different points of view - a chance to share stories over beverages. 

If I'm ok with me, I do not need to fear comparison to others ... Merci.

OBSERVATION

My sketchbook has a few color-pencil scribbles of the Tahitian Islands, yet there is so much color I did not capture.  It is best stated in the observation of the maser painter Paul Gauguin: "The landscape with its clear warm color dazzled me, yet it was so simple to paint. Why should I hesitate to pour all this gold, all this joyous sunlight on my canvas?"  I hesitated because I did not wish to spend so much time with my nose in my sketchbook, but instead to take in the sights - perhaps to draw from memory...

ADVICE

Always remember the compliments you received and forget about the rude remarks.

TILT (This I Learned Today)

The full moon and the new moon mean good fortune.  Ancients revered the moon as the ultimate symbol of good luck and built Stonehenge to predict its movements and draw upon its power. The great armies of Sparta believed so strongly in lunar power that they refused to march into battle before the moon was full. In Gaelic, the traditional language of Ireland, the word for “full moon” is the basis of the word which actually means “good fortune.”   Perhaps we should wish upon the moon...  especially when it is full or new.

AND A COUPLE OTHER THINGS

Back to Bora Bora - probably one of the most renowned islands. James Michener called Bora Bora's lagoon the most beautiful lagoon in the world.  A volcanic island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands in the South Pacific, French Polynesia, it is a mountainous island, with Mt. Otemanu (2,379 ft/725 m) the highest peak. Copra, oranges, and vanilla are produced on the island whose major source of commerce is tourism.  Check it out on line www.tahitilegends.com ... or in person.