Dance It Out – It’s Friday!

Playing this happy song over and over again lately. Enjoy!

Replacing President’s Portraits

Beautiful photographs around Tunisian cities of ordinary citizens, hanging in places where pictures of rulers once hung.

Check it out here.

Dreams for Granted

I saw short film by an Iranian lady recently. She went around and asked people of all ages what they wished for.

The little kids were bursting with excitement as they wished for new Barbies, remote-controlled cars and being queens of countries. The youth wished for new cars, freedom to have boy/girlfriends, freedom of expression and frankly – a new government.

Surprisingly people in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s didn’t have many wishes. Many said it’s useless to hope for something, when nothing changes anyways.

Elderly people wished their kids would get married so that they could die in peace. And Iranians from children to retired age all looked forward to the coming Savior.

The older the people, the more cynical they were. The young ones still had hope and passion. That is exactly why the situation in the Middle East and North Africa is so interesting. All those countries have populations that are very young. The potential for change is explosive.

The Girl’s Got Spunk

So the Coen brothers do have a soft spot, after all. True Grit, a great western about a 14-year old girl chasing her father’s killer with a Texas Ranger and an aging bounty hunter. The spunky 14-year-old girl puts all the grown men to their place. She’s capable and determined, but she’s also just a girl. Therefore she needs the old guys to get the job done.

There is a soft spot men have for women, there is that instinct to protect. Many of us women are spunky and the great ideas of the times say, I don’t need no male protection, I am just fine, thank you very much. But somewhere, deep inside, it feels good. It feels good to be protected, looked after. Sooner or later we see, we can’t manage  by ourselves, because no one can.

The Feminist movement is quite advanced in Finland. The President, the Prime Minister and the majority of the Cabinet are women. Still women complain about how this or that isn’t fair enough. I think the problem is, that nothing will ever be enough. It’s a much deeper issue of the heart, of identity.

When we as women refuse to take help, protection, chivalry from men, because we are so independent, we rob men of something integral – a place where they feel needed. And at the same time we expose ourselves to circumstances that are beyond us. Set ourselves up for failure.

So this 14-year-old went and asked for help that she knew she needed. I wish we all could be smart as she was.

 

 

 

 

The King Within

Most good leaders never seek to be leaders. They aren’t only hesitant, but they refuse the job offer.

Such was the case of Moses of old as was Britain’s king George VI. Both of those two stuttered by the way, yet were placed in positions that required public speaking – lots of it. 

The film King’s Speech is a great film in the traditional sense. Good story, good acting, a sense of humor and enough seriousness to move you. The future king’s speech therapist sees in Bertie (who becomes King George VI) what he doesn’t see in himself. He sees the guts the man has, when he himself is blind to it.

Isn’t it so true, that some of the most gifted, beautiful, intelligent, passionate people are oblivious to their talent? Isn’t it so frustrating to stand by that person and see the potential they aren’t using?

Probably the secret great men and women hold is that of a champion. Someone who is in the background, cheering them on, believing in them. (As they say, behind every great man, there is a great woman.) It really is a tough job to be in the spotlight, and who can manage that well – alone? Probably no one.

This king had his speech therapist and his wife. Moses had his brother. And the rest of us need to be championed too. And need to champion others. Inside all of us there is plenty of potential that isn’t in use. We are held back by fears, feelings of inadequacy, lies we believe in, past failures  and so on. The king (or queen) within needs to be called out. He/she’s been in hiding long enough.

Ancient Art – Whiffs of Another World

The boys grew up in England in the 60’s. Both lost their faith in God and one burned his Bible. The Bible-burning one came back to faith later on, while the other has become one of today’s most famous Atheists. The Atheist one, Christopher Hitchens has written a book you may have heard of, titled God Is Not Great.

Peter Hitchens describes how he was in full rebellion against everything, including the Christian faith. After all, in the sixties people were enlightened enough not to need silly old myths, such as God, they had science after all, the reason behind all things.

Peter started his journey back towards God in his 30’s. (I find this journey quite amazing.) He begun to see the European, grand cathedrals (dispersed everywhere) with new eyes. The people of old weren’t obviously hindered by their faith after all, but rather enhanced by it to be able to design such grand buildings. This challenged his preconceived notion of Christianity as a suffocating force.

An old piece of art hit him hard as he faced his own mortality. The 15th century painting of the Last Judgement by Rogier van der Weyden spoke to him about religion being not something of the past, but very present.  He understood that the naked people fleeing towards the fire of Hell were of his own generation and that he most certainly was among the damned. This notion lead him towards the Church, leading him to be married in a church and admitting he actually liked  Christmas.  His long journey towards God has brought him to place where he has even debated his brother over faith vs. atheism.

It’s amazing how two brothers can come to two completely different conclusions. And be so convinced of them.

What’s more amazing, is how an ancient painting can open up such gaping holes in ones heart, that suddenly there is room for faith to build a home. Mysterious are the ways of God.

Read article.

Price for Filming in Afghanistan: Actress Has Legs Cut Off

Passionate people are inspiring people. An Afghan-American lady has managed the nearly impossible and shot a feature film, The Black Tulip, in Afghanistan. She endured death threats, her crew quitting on her, her main actress having her legs cut off by militants and so on.

You have to have conviction, persistence, boldness and a crazy streak to go to such lengths for a film. And I love people like this. Passionate people, who’ll take no for an answer don’t grow on easy street. Sonia Nassery Cole fled Afghanistan and as a young girl wrote to Ronald Reagan and got invited for a dinner at the White House. This is exceptional of course. This woman has passionate determination because she has a cause to fight for. She knows that her countrymen and -women see what she does and chances are, they might get inspired. Without inspiration and hope no one will stand up to change a country.

I haven’t seen the movie and don’t know if it’s any good, but  just the pure determination and passion of this woman inspires me. The impossible is possible, you just need a bit of faith.

A Pakistani Girl Writes Poems for Change

Embedded video from CNN Video

A Pakistani girl writes poems to fight the Taleban. She seems to be quite a brave 11-year old. When you live in circumstances where freedom cannot be taken for granted, people like this rise up. The above news story is fluffy human interest (especially the “Yes, we can”-quotes) , but you get the point. Let her inspire you.

Gorgeous Photographs

One of my favorite art forms is photography. The New York Times Magazine published photos of current celebrities, by the Italian photographer Paolo Pellegrin. They are beautiful.

You can enjoy the photographic beauty here.