One of the Art Forms of New Orleans I Am Fascinated With

I love visiting the city of my husband's birth, it is a very old, history filled, and beautiful place.  He was born and raised in Westwego Louisiana, which is just a "suburb" of New Orleans, but he considers himself a native of New Orleans.  Almost without exception, my husband feels conflicted when he visits this American city which is such an important part of his own life journey, for despite all positive and good that the city is, like any other place there is great poverty, crime, and immorality as well to found along its' streets.  He will often remark that some places speak to him of shadows and darkness.

I find these masks, which are so much a part of the celebration of Madi Gras, to be objects of beauty!  Some of them are frightening in nature, and bring to my mind something evil...  You know, sometimes evil appears as a thing of beauty, and if care and thought are not applied, the good and harmless is not separated from the evil and the harmful.  In every culture, in every country, in every place, both evil and good reside.  It is so important to each of us to recognize the differences in things, and to note whether their beauty lies in that which is evil, or that which is good.

Almost everyone is familiar with the tradition of the parades of Madi Gras including a practice of baring a woman's breasts in exchange of being thrown very cheap plastic beads.  Now I don't think that anyone who is a thinking person who respects women agrees that this tradition is anything but base and crude.  It is something which insults women, degrades them, and teaches our children and young people low values.  However, I have been to the Mardi Gras celebration many times, and never observed this practice....

There is a reason for that, I choose not to frequent the places of the city where evil makes its' home.  If you frequent Bourbon Street in New Orleans, you can expect to find that low practice and tradition, just as in any city, town, region, or place, you can find evil if you seek it out.

You can also experience all that is beauty, creativity, and from the place in the human soul which honors the Creator.  As we each live our lives it is important to recognize that most people, most places, most organizations, most ideas and ideals, most politicians, most leaders, most religions and most countries wear masks at times.  They present themselves to the world as they would like to appear, rather than as they truly are.  It is up to the individual to observe, look into, and consider carefully all decisions concerning their true motives and intentions.  Our world will truly be only what we take the time and care to make it.  So, today I present photos of the beautiful works of art found in the masks of New Orleans, and hope to spark consideration of my ideas concerning our obligations as individuals who reside in a world of both good and evil, which will be so until our God returns to forever rid His Universe of evil and evil doers.

A Life Well Lived

Some time back, I had the chance privilege of meeting and coming to love as dear friends the widow and children of one of Afghanistan's finest sons, Mohammed Daud Daud.  He was assassinated by vile men on May 28, 2011, but when a man of this statue is killed by his enemies, the enemies are the ones who fail.  For those among us who live in the knowledge of the honor and courage of the man who stood firmly until the end for those he loved and the highest ideals of humanity, he only shines brighter, his words are remembered even more vividly, and what he stood for is lifted higher, when the enemy destroys.

 So it is with General Daud, whose life and ideals live on, only being etched in the minds and hearts of the people of Afghanistan and the world more deeply.  His life calls more clearly to those left behind, especially the youth of Afghanistan, urging that they live above the common man.  His life calls to all and urges significant living, devotion to honor, and bravery to face evil, never flinching.

In a world so hungry for the examples of lives spent in such meaningful living, that their light shines on, even in death and beyond, Mohammed Daud Daud remains a light on a hill.  The truth of his life remains to inspire, make hearts brave, and strengthen the resolve of those who would follow his example.

As I woke this morning, my mind was on his widow and children, and I considered how much they mean to me, and how fortunate I am to have come to know them and of the life of Mohammed Daud Daud.  With this consideration, came a sense of my own responsibility concerning this blessing.  It is not right that I know what I have learned from the lives of he and his family, without doing my best to share the light in which he lived, and they do still.  So I am recording and sharing his story for those in my own sphere of influence, and I trust it will further the influence of such a life so well lived.  This day, the life of Mohammed Daud Daud will spur me to higher living, to greater commitment, and to more diligence toward the things which are really important at the end of the day.  I am going to record stories of his life, as told to me by the woman he so deeply loved and cherished, in the days ahead in this blog, knowing that whoever finds them will be inspired to greater living.  As always, in my prayers I will ask for the strengthening and care of the family he left behind.  

I can think of no better place to start than with these words:

 
"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly."