I looked through a window of an old school building today and found it beautiful. There was no longer a roof covering the room. Chunks of dirt, wood, and animal poo were on the floor and bricks were exposed behind a once painted wall. The sunlight cast warm rays in diagonal stripes into the space. It made me think of photographs I've seen that capture the beauty of old buildings, faded, cracked, and crumbling. I'm sure there are also photographers who capture "the new", but for the most part, I get a sense that we find beauty in age, in brokeness, in the faded, in the weathered, torn, and imperfect. Why?
I think about this in relation to the situation in Sudan. People in Juba in particular are starting over, returning and trying to rebuild their lives after years living displaced in Sudan or refugee camps in neighboring countries during the civil war. Life hasn't been perfect here, people have weathered the storms of war, they have suffered hardships, and been exposed to great loss. Their stories are sad, yet they still have hopes and dreams and plans for the future. They are broken, torn, and beautiful at the same time.
Maybe my analogy doesn't quite fit, but I hope it kind of makes sense.
It is probably also appropriate that there are a few new leaves growing on the bramble/bush in front of the window. There is still room for new life/growth...
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed your photos and thoughts - hope the rest of your trip goes very well.
ReplyDeletelove, Uncle Clyde and Grandma