I was thinking for a short spell the other day about the atrocities in the world. What set me off was something simple, but something that nonetheless set my mind whirling with anger. So, my son-in-law decided he’d take his bike to go to Best Buy to purchase a new cable for his smartphone. He was in the store probably what, 5 – 10 minutes max, and when he comes out, he finds that his bike has been stolen. The bike had been locked with a chain, and it was during daylight hours. Sometime during that few minutes, someone comes along in that time and off with the bike they go. I can imagine that they were probably carrying bolt cutters for just such an occasion. The bike’s an old thing that’s not worth a lot, but still, he ends up having to walk home. This incident is not long after the building where I live has been broken into for about the twentieth time since Denise and I moved in. They like to break into the storage lockups that tenants have at the end of their parking stalls in the underground garage. When this kind of thing happens, I just feel violated for everyone involved and for the world in general. I think, how does this happen? Why is this happening so often? There seems to be so many people out there that will just screw you in a flash, without thought. Then I started to think about all the atrocities in the world that have happened, and I think “how does the world even still exist?” There’s been so much crap! And then, like I’ve said so often, I feel that there are definitely more good people than bad in the world, it’s just that the bad really, really shows – like cancer under a microscope. Well, I’m not sure what I’m saying other than that latter part of these mixed feelings gives me hope. But still, as I said, I just can’t believe we haven’t wiped ourselves out with all the crap.
Abstract 052025, seen again below, was my artistic attempt to visualize this mix of good and bad.
Abstract 052025 – Created by Don Cheke
The colorful areas reveal a patchwork of experience with a terrain not much different than the face of the earth. The brighter colors represent a typical happy human existence with the shades varying from very happy to a less than happy state or existence, during times of personal struggle, and the like. Although there does not appear to be many bright white spots or sparks, these represent moments of extreme, or pure joy. I am sure we have all had some of those joyous times in our lives. The black spots or sparks represents the crimes and atrocities I mentioned earlier. They appear like that cancer I mentioned earlier. Although there are numerous black sparks, we can see that they don’t cover the world, we can still see the beauty that shines from all that is good in our world. In essence, it shows that we can be happy, and we can continue to have the beautiful world that we live in. There are enough good people to ensure that is the case.
Below is a second version. I added meandering black lines to indicate the highways of life. I think I like the simplicity of the earlier version best, but I like this one too. That said, I thought I would share both. Which do you prefer?
Abstract 052025 – Alternate – Created by Don Cheke
To sum up, I think we as a people must surely be doing something mostly right, and that these isolated incidents or even the big atrocities that hurt us all, that make us feel violated, don’t drag us all down to never get up again. Somehow, the human spirit, the good human spirit, overcomes all of this. As a testament to this human spirit and drive, we live and see it in our beautiful surroundings, which miraculously still seems to thrive, in spite of the cancer.
Note that I called this blog post The Rose Garden, as my wife, Denise, reminded me of that during a discussion about life and marriage. She said that marriage was like a rose garden with its beauty and the occasional thorn. I thought that was so true, and apt for the discussion above, since those crimes and atrocities are indeed, the thorns. Don’t let them pierce too deep, if you can help it.
Donald B. Cheke – May 26, 2025
Hi Don, I understand that you are so angry about the stupidity of these bad people. I would be like you, luckily I am living on a country side that is quite peacefull.
But the as the anger is available as well, I try to keep my nerves calm because getting angry would not change anything except making more angryness.
Regarding roses, I always say that they have thorns to prevent from being stolen. Only they do not hurt if you give them to somebody.
Those are wise words Leo, thanks for taking time to read the blog post and to comment.