Where you sit depends on where you stand-Perspective

We sat down to have a sundowner at the end of a long day. My colleague, also an artist asked about my current ideas. We waffled over this and over that until we came to a particular painting I had done.

" You know, its all a matter of perspective." She started. "With your painting, Bloody Immigrants, I get to think of a story I once heard. A friend of mine was a journalist in a war torn area. One day, accompanied by a local, they came across a stray bitch that had a litter. The dog was in their way so the local gave one of the puppies a hefty boot. The creature went flying in the air. When asked why he had done so, he replied, these dogs eat the remains of our friends killed in combat." I took a sip of my beer, or so I thought I did, but in fact, I was shocked into silence by the story. I gave no response for a while.

We had been talking about how immigrants are usually portrayed in a bad light by the press. In my perspective of the situation, it was unfair. This was a grave divorce from the reality of the situation- Where you sit depends on where you stand. Through this discussion, I got to realize that there are always two sides to the coin, sometimes three. There is the victim and the victimized, and in most cases, those affected by the overall outcome of events. In my myopic view, I had only considered the position of the poor immigrant and not those who had been victims to the situation.

"I get it", finally I settle from my shock," It is all a matter of perspective, this being informed by what you have personally gone through." The coming moments were pregnant with the weight of this realization. Looking around, I saw perspectives and experiences, respected, trod on, ignored, unknown as the night in the bar progressed.

My mind darted back to the painting. An inner voice approved it as a painting that could speak of both worlds. Bloody immigrants who have been ravaged by the trials of being in their situation. Bloody immigrants because they had caused harm to another. It was all a matter of perspective. I concluded the discussion by softly affirming my new learnt truth, “ Where you sit depends on where you stand”