The Return of April Advocacy and Our New Theme
So this month starts with a quick 2 cents about today and a looking glass into the future.
Today is Gandhi's birthday- I'm told often to write only about what I know often, and I find that Gandhi and the struggle of his people (and my ancestors) make my list of things I think I know. But I realize that, with knowledge of trivia growing, I still don't know some really important things about Gandhi: perhaps a personal detail here and there, his favorite color or his pet peeve. But that's historical figures for you, and in lieu of knowing the man I get to step in his shadows and peer down the path his feet took him down. The way is clear.
An interesting note to make is that Gandhi wasn't always as "virtuous" as he would have you think in his later years. Upon reading his biography, I was delighted to know that he, too, was a human at his most basic form: he, too, went through the convulsions of the brain that seem to come with adolescence, and he even took up drinking and smoking at a point before he found his life's ultimate calling, a definite purpose for him. It's the power of advocacy for a cause, something so powerful that it perhaps transcends the abilities of a mere person and gives them the opportunity to be, for a time, superhuman. Gandhi had both a spiritual and political advocacy, and the rivers of his purpose ran cleanly side-by-side; he wanted independence, but as peaceful an independence as possible. He wanted to provide the Indian people with hope for a better future, make their lives better, sow the seeds of community and togetherness in the largest democracy on earth. We are hardly harmonious today, as a local and global community, but that's just the nature of man- something Gandhi also celebrated in his altogether fascinating life. If you're feeling a resurgence of April advocacy, so do we!
Just a note to everyone reading- change is championed by the strong-willed but soft at heart. Gandhi's rivers ran parallel but were at the same time simultaneously feeding off of each other; compassion and ambition can swim together quite well!
We hoped today would be a day of reflection, but as always it's the start of the month. And what we always do on the first few days of the month holds here, as well. Our theme is: THE SHEEP'S CLOTHING: A COMPLIATION OF MASKS. It's more of a collaborative project- photography, visual arts, and writings are HIGHLY encouraged! We're looking for you to create a mini-exposee on anything you'd like, and we'll post our standouts right here on our page! Keep updated for the excitement that will ensue as this month gets underway!
