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| I loved Apocolypto for it's depiction of human society and perhaps human nature. I thought it was very intresting seeing humans trying to control the uncontrollable nature, bargaining with it, using human lives as the currency of exchange between themselves and the Gods. I think it is innate within us to desire control. Is our folly the fact that we have not accepted the uncontrollable to be what it is?
Maybe human sacrafice is governed by the belief in thermodynamics, which first law, Conservation of Energy says we cannot create nor destroy. Therefore we used the Gods to convert energy from human life into sun and rain.
When I watched that movie, I thought about the greatness of belonging to a species in which society is essential. The beginning is a story of daily life: from work, to love, to family, to laughter, and the revival of our ancestory through telling of stories.
But society has its maladies. Chaos is seen when a ruling class overpowers another. They paint their captures blue to set them apart from themselves. The new blue creatures become objects of amusement.
It was something to think about, how humans can treat each other so wretchedly as to ransack their homes, rape their bodies, tear out their beating hearts and throw their corpses tumbling down stone steps.
It seems like something of a dark, distant, ignorant past.
Then I think, how much wiser have we become? Aren't we still painting each other blue? | | |
| the touch the tingles the twitch the twists of soul the taming of hearts the telling of truths the thump of hearts beating the rythm of life lifting lifeless limbs to live again | | |
| Seperation walking through life, embarking on a new path split from those I knew walking along with someone new two sets of foot prints to one day become one perhaps best to live the path as if paved for only two feet alone independent | | |
| This morning I was ready to prepare breakfast, and I thought about Yaggi San. I had a flashback of sitting in her dining room and sharing tea with morsels of various dishes. A soft light shines through the windows, a black piano sits in the corner with a toy cat wearing red heels,and clear plastic container of dried anchovies by the door. Yaggi San smiles richly, her eyes squint with her grin. And I sit there and hear her conversation with Masato. It flows like the cherry blossom petals of that season, drifting lightly and harmoniously in the breeze. I can't understand Japanese, but I can feel the life she communicates through her words. It is amazing that although she has passed away she still touches so much. I want to visit her again. In a way, I am, when I revisit the memories of that time in Spring, sitting in her home and sharing breakfast. | | |
| I recently saw the movie Journey of the Fall, a story about our Vietnamese boat people. I felt the pain in my stomach and tears wanting to come
out at the thought that these are what my parents and
the people in the community have gone through. I find
strength in the trajedies I saw in that movie because
I understand more fully now how much the human spirit
can endure if it holds on to will and faith,
...that WE, as second generations, could have been the
FOBs on that boat,
... and that WE, as second generation owe it to
ourselves and the Vietnamaese people before us to fully live as
Vietnamese American human beings, to love and serve
our community and humankind so that we may carry on
that enduring strength of spirit...
Some second generations act "high and mighty" using FOB as a derogratory
term, are embarrased of their Vietnamese heritage,and don't care to undertand it. They're caught up in American culture and forget there is value in their parents world views.
But us second generations will not forget the boat people, and that FOB stands for a person with a strong and enduring spirit in the face of trajedy. To understand that is to truly love a part of us that often times is undervalued by a society that does not fit us.
As second generation we stand between the rifts of
American and Vietnamese culture. We can choose not to pick one side
or the other, but build a bridge to stand between it.
WE TOO have that same enduring spirit of our parents
and the Vietnamese people before us. WE too, proudly,
are FOBs. | | |
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