Earth Day 2010
By Susan Ellis of keylifejourneys
Although there was a cool edge to the wind, the sun shone in Toronto this week. Spring has been evident by the bursting forth of blooms. What a joy it was to walk through High Park on Monday and share with many others the rapture of cherry blossom and the first out door ice cream of the season. The most mature trees were planted in 1959 as a gift from Tokyo to Toronto.
So many babies in strollers, adults with fancy cameras and people looking up at pink hued white petals superimposed on a clear blue sky. Even the noisy ducks and geese on the Grenadier Pond seemed to be responding to all the human activity.
Earth Day was on Thursday and I happened to have a meeting in one of the financial towers on Bay Street in the Brookfield Place. Towering glass cathedrals cover the walkways between the office towers, polished marble and sunshine prevails. But there, in a commercial world, was a moment of peace in the Allen Lambert Galleria.. Set in the middle of a walkway on the shining marble was a reflective pond with live foliage around it. Over it a wooden frame from which hung strings with cylindrical brass bases. When at rest the brass rested below the surface of the water. But activated by sound, the strings were set in motion. The twisting helix drew the cylinder out of the water. The kinetic machine was called VOTA: Meniscus created by Mitchell F. Chan and Brad Hindson of Studio -F Minus of Toronto and Chicago.
Commemorating Earth Day reminds us of the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural environment. For every action there is a reaction. Many people reacted to the structure. I watched those rushing business people who paused and became still. They allowed themselves to be mesmerized by the twisting strings and lifting and falling weights. They could see the reflections of those stilled persons at the other side of the pond. They stopped to listen to the unobtrusive vocals and music being played which stimulated the movements. They knew their own voices would cause the instillation to react. Maybe it is in these still moments of heightened consciousness that we can learn to take responsibility for the role we play in the song and dance of the universe. We are not observers, but co-creators.
Although there was a cool edge to the wind, the sun shone in Toronto this week. Spring has been evident by the bursting forth of blooms. What a joy it was to walk through High Park on Monday and share with many others the rapture of cherry blossom and the first out door ice cream of the season. The most mature trees were planted in 1959 as a gift from Tokyo to Toronto.
So many babies in strollers, adults with fancy cameras and people looking up at pink hued white petals superimposed on a clear blue sky. Even the noisy ducks and geese on the Grenadier Pond seemed to be responding to all the human activity.
Earth Day was on Thursday and I happened to have a meeting in one of the financial towers on Bay Street in the Brookfield Place. Towering glass cathedrals cover the walkways between the office towers, polished marble and sunshine prevails. But there, in a commercial world, was a moment of peace in the Allen Lambert Galleria.. Set in the middle of a walkway on the shining marble was a reflective pond with live foliage around it. Over it a wooden frame from which hung strings with cylindrical brass bases. When at rest the brass rested below the surface of the water. But activated by sound, the strings were set in motion. The twisting helix drew the cylinder out of the water. The kinetic machine was called VOTA: Meniscus created by Mitchell F. Chan and Brad Hindson of Studio -F Minus of Toronto and Chicago.
Commemorating Earth Day reminds us of the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural environment. For every action there is a reaction. Many people reacted to the structure. I watched those rushing business people who paused and became still. They allowed themselves to be mesmerized by the twisting strings and lifting and falling weights. They could see the reflections of those stilled persons at the other side of the pond. They stopped to listen to the unobtrusive vocals and music being played which stimulated the movements. They knew their own voices would cause the instillation to react. Maybe it is in these still moments of heightened consciousness that we can learn to take responsibility for the role we play in the song and dance of the universe. We are not observers, but co-creators.
Posted by Key Life Journey's Blog at 4/23/2010 11:09 PM 
Categories: opinions and thoughts
Tags: Earth Day
Categories: opinions and thoughts
Tags: Earth Day
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