Beauty and truth

It's only Thursday and I am restored from a wonderful weekend filled with love.  For someone who is now at that phase of life where only one "thing" per day can be done easily it was something else to have the day filled with all seven to nine of us. I am still feasting on the rich substance of conversation; food and drink too. I am reminded of one of my grandmother's letters describing an infrequent visit from her sister Dora. "We had several spells of hugging and kissing."

In addition to those "spells"  aesthetics was a recurring theme of conversation. Those who have been reading along know I have been musing on this capacity that evidence supports extends back into pre-history, and I believe is not species specific to man. We know the Neanderthals created forms of art in association with their burial rituals.  (And, believe me; Mmselle. Claudette has the sense.  Show her a freshly made bed and she poses and  melts into purrs.)

The association of beautiful creations as an aspect of burial rituals is common knowledge. Less well known is how important it is to theoretical scientists. The elegance of a theory confirms the likelihood of validity.  Emotions are aesthetics also. How dissonant it is to see the flat affect of the emotionally dysfunctional describing an event of powerful import.  It is a way of avoiding the truth that emotion will confirm.  There is such a thing as just being too cool.

The powerful association with truth cannot be better described than by Keats. Link to a work of art I find most intriguing in its evolutionary implications. It depicts life as I think most seek,  as depicted by the great landscape painters of the past.  Same themes and hopes. New technology.

And how can I not be reminded of the vibrant incredibly talented Francine.  It almost seems the gods were jealous and took her before she achieved fully her  innovative goals  in the integration the performing arts with the truths of human life and the messages of justice.

Reading of her life,  I am humbled that she always found time for lunch and conversation.

No wonder the ancients put so much into creating burial art that would endure. When one grasps the beauty, the truth, of the moment we just have to try to preserve it.