Post date: Dec 29, 2011 9:18:11 PM
This is the last piece of art you will be receiving from me this year. I have one more in this series, but am holding it to start the upcoming New Year. Today's piece is titled "Pursuing The Golden Goose". It is 12 1/2" long x 5 1/2" wide x 14" high. I put out several invitations/requests for others to write a missive about it. However, for various reasons couldn't get anyone to bail me out. Find it rather amusing that people often have no problem expressing their views/opinions on political, social, sports, entertainment or other common day to day issues, but run or clam up when you they are posed with "what do you see, what does it remind you of and how do you really feel about it?". Is strange that the world is resigning itself to playing it safe and saying little or nothing without checking out the latest polling percentages to see where they stand and the correct "spin" answer to avoid being involved in a real communicative exchange.
Back to the piece of art at hand. Had a wonderful and special experience a few weeks back. A friend I hadn't seen in close to 25 years and only reconnected with in the past year came by himself to visit with me in Las Vegas for four days. We of course went down "memory lane", recalling meeting at the University of Oklahoma, our continued friendship when he returned home to New Jersey and I moved to NY, our professional careers over the years and of course friends, family, travel and unusual experiences over the years. The best part of his visit was that he reconfirmed what a "true friend" is. Though many years had past, it seemed like only yesterday that we were dining together or watching a game in a sports bar. Individually we had changed physically, due to age, but the values and ideologies were pretty much in tact. Our differences or likes held also. As we had always done, we laughed and made the most of our time together. They say that when we pass on from this life, that we can count our "true friends" on one hand. He will be one that I will definitely count.
When he left, I was rearranging my art and looking at this piece, it caused me to reflect once again on our relationship, and my relationships with a few others I will count when that time comes. We all have pursued the golden goose over the years. It is an ever changing creature that takes many forms. Great risks are often taken to try and capture it. Too often we find that it isn't as golden as we originally perceived before being captured. As we age our energy and needs for their golden eggs seem to dwindle. Sitting in the sun we sometimes recall the the chases and wonder what happened to all those geese and their entourage that made our life difficult at times, but rewarding at other times. Even the goose gets tired of being chased. Hopefully in life we all get the chance to put out a little water and feed and have the goose join us in basking in the sunshine and go down "memory lane". The brightest and greatest gift contained in a golden goose's egg is the gift of "friendship". You can't see it or touch it. You can only feel it's warmth and joy inside of you when you have been fortunate to receive and experience it. Am thankful for the many eggs I have been fortunate to receive.
May each of you have a Happy New Year and may the upcoming year bring you happiness,and may it be one of the best years of your life.
JOHN MICHAEL
(To see photos of the above art piece "Pursuing The Golden Goose", go to https://sites.google.com/site/jmdodigartphotos )