Sunday, December 25, 2005

Summer Christmas Midnight Catholic Mass

Beneath the Andes Mountains, a warm 77ยบ F day, 8 pm, 2.000 people under the starless sky. The Spanish and Chilean folk songs sounding of gaiety and warmth. Silence and listening. Closeness at those nearby. It would seem this spirit would embrace the world. Not enough chairs to go around, the younger giving their seats to the elderly. And suddenly, it would seem that the road to truth is mystery. And a warm thanks for that love, that myth, pours over the crowd. What a bite of peace, of common peace. An endless canon.

Friday, December 23, 2005

Population slowdown and polygamy

Singapore Lee Kuan Yew has said that monogamy is an Occidental invention and that polygamy should be the rule. Probably, as a way to correct Asia's descending birth rates. On the other hand, it is so tempting to say that the human race --just as our brother primates--, has been essentially polygamous throughout most of its 200.000 years. And, to be sure, monogamous men and women are usually having a hard time keeping their for life exclusive sexual contract. So I start to daydream about the pleasures of having two or three wives. And suddenly the danger of such an enterprise, the psychological cost of it appears. But I would like to try a polygamous family life. And am alert as to Lee Kuan Yew's personal course and love life.

Diversity and cohesion

Beside the swimming pool
After being a reader and generally afraid to commit my thoughts to a particular idea, since ideas rub each other and change each other and force its thinkers to declare themselves wrong--what a horrible experience, to proclaim an idea and then submit one's head to public scorn-- I find this way to intellectual bravery.
So, hiding behind a surname, I can dare to try out ideas, evaluate thoughts, interpret reality. And this writing forces me to some kind of cohesion, rigor, searching. So here I go. At 63, an essayer.