Well, I’d say artistic talent can’t really be defined. It all really is up to interpretation. Not at all artists are good with material matter, rather some of the greatest tend to be poets and philosophers, at least in my opinion. What might be artistic to some, might not suit others. Much like a certain painter’s works, I ceased to understand what was so remarkable about them, although I can’t really recall who it was.

What a great feeling and insight this must have brought you despite your sadness for her departure.

This too is how I’ve imagined a funeral would be like, “How profound it was. How your mind just stops fussing over minor grievances, petty issues. Any petty prejudices you might have with family or friends who are present at the funeral.” Unfortunately though, when I attended my grandfather’s burial of his ashes (10 years after his death), my grandmother thought it was the best time to tell me that I needed to go on a diet and lose some excess weight, that my face looked swollen and that I simply wasn’t attractive that way. Now for me, that ruined it all. There I was, to support her, and there she was again, judging me. Not to mention that all my cousins, aunts, and uncles, were all in separate groups, avoiding those they hold grudges against. I was dumbfounded as to why they couldn’t for one second look past themselves. Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that it was 10 years after his death, but still, it shouldn’t have been that way.

My aunt died about 2 years ago, and it was the same thing after she died. They tried to make it all about themselves. And they wonder why I don’t spend any time around them.

Yes, life really is short and precious. It’s something I find myself telling my brother quite often.

For a while, I really was worried about rising up and being successful, of course not by my standards. But by the standards a lot of people have. However, thank you for that piece of advice. The more time we waste trying to climb that ladder, that we don’t even really want, the more we make ourselves miserable, the more we lose who we really are. By then, we just become who others expect us to be, and we lose sight of who we really are and what really matters.

Jack, your original post on this thread reminded me of a poem by William Blake:
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour…

I believe your artistic sensitivity is your gift – for you to see and feel such moments often!!

Dear Jack:

You have topped your previous hilariousness- you have become, in my mind, the most hilarious human on the face of the earth. This is beyond… I must print this. You know you can make this kind of joke without the website shutting down only because most of WW2 People are no longer with us… this would have been dangerous in the past.

Hilarious beyond funny. Hitler being more than his current situation, forgiving himself and the world, feeling empathy for the Hitler child inside him, and the last words, hail Jack, I better go to bed and relax in the dark, this is too funny.

anita