An Exercise In Gratitude
How great would it be if each and every performance, each and every presentation, each and every interaction and encounter between two or more whatever beings would start with gratitude.
I’m not talking about the hollow and individualistic – at times opportunistic – “housekeeping” of thanking sponsors and organizers, and audience members in rigorous order of “relevance”, “importance” or “prestige”. But a louder, messier, collective ritual of …
To begin, let’s all stand up and applaud!
How would it change what follows? And what difference would it make, beyond?
I created this page ahead of any other, to exercise in this kind of gratitude: gratitude to begin with.
But the pretense of linearity, and of developing things in-between “beginnings” and “endings”, seems very far from the human condition – especially mine! – so: open-ended gratitude it is!
(in reverse order of appearance)
- Thanks to the Gwo Bean Collective: for opening, holding and taking care of the space and the community. For friendships, support and inspiration. For hosting my 34th birthday party, and my 147 Art Residency … full moon to full moon.
- To all the loving, social and political communities and collectives I had and have the honor to participate and contribute to.
- To all the Sisterhoods and Queersterhoods I am part of.
- To all the villages it took and takes to raise me.
- To the oceans, lakes, rivers, soil, rocks and fires that I cross and carry within me.
- To all the trees I climb and hug, the flowers I caress or stomp or rip, the seeds I plant and water.
- To the dog that taught me how to walk, and all the animals, human or otherwise.
- To my marvelous feminine body and queer spirit, my limits, my mistakes, my fears, my procrastination, my traumas, my sharp edges and loose ends.
- My Janitors – note: the similarly sounding “genitore” in Italian means “parent” – who dreamed of me first, then had me in a body, then gave me nightmares, then let me go, than held on to me, and who now dream and belong with me.
- To ancestors and elders.
- To the fragments of past lives that collided in The Source, and formed the patchwork of souls I carry and keep stitching on, and that I’ll be glad to return.
- To The Source, that I picture as a luminous lake of collective consciousness, where every “one” and “thing” comes from, is connected to, and goes to.
[last update 04/02/2023 – Hong Kong]
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