Dear Amy....from M.I.A. and Big Boi on NME

27 by _M_I_A_

From Dear Adi : Sunday, July 24, 2011

AMY WINEHOUSE

Dear Adi

I suppose the death of Amy Winehouse is sad, but I expected it. Didn’t she bring it on herself with her addiction issues? 

– Not Surprised

Dear Not Surprised,

"All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated... As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who 
am brought so near the door by this sickness.... 
No man is an island, entire of itself... 
any man's death diminishes me, 
because I am involved in mankind; 
and therefore never send to know for whom 
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." John Donne (1572-1631)

The above quotation is a familiar one to many

and often it is thought to mean

that we do not live in isolation

but it goes much deeper than this truth

We humans are the many points of light

that come together to create the living fractal

and so not only do we not know a solitary 
existence 
because our hearts

yearn for connection

we literally cannot separate ourselves from 
our fellow travellers

even if we try

for each one of us exists

as a point of reference for the self examination

of the other

and this is both the great gift

and greatest challenge

The "artist" knows this

for the act of creating visual art, theatre

music, poetry, dance

these very gestures exist as forms of 
communication between souls

expressions of what one feels

which may then resonate with what another receives

We are moved by the offerings of an artist

because they remind us of ourselves

and make this reminder beautiful or powerful to behold

The "addict" is one who reaches toward bliss

with such a passionate desire

that it eclipses other concerns

and it is often the star child

the pure heart

who remembers this divine sensation 
most clearly

and so in the struggle to face the pain

of this base material realm

it can be the most sensitive souls

the most truthful and creative beings

who most deeply lose their way

This sight is frightening to those

who have found their own style of coping

by keeping tight reins of control

and they dare not feel compassion

they dare not tell the truth to themselves

that there

in the grace of God

go I

and so instead

they claim self-righteousness

as a flag

and they plant it into the hearts of 

anyone

who will listen 
in the hope

that the louder they speak

the better chance there is

of drowning out

their own inner voices 

the ones that whisper

of hypocrisy and fear

Know that

there is no Judgement Day

but there will come a day

when judgement will end

and this will be achieved

through the courage of those who dare to live

outside the structures of society

who dare to risk loss of reputation and censure

with the rising awareness

that all that matters is the truth

compassion

and freedom

and within these tenets will be found

the perfect bliss of human vulnerability

without risk

and without shame

To the artists

the addicts

the rebels

and the activists

To the lovers and free thinkers

the risk takers who publicly fail

To those labeled by psychiatrists

shunned by moralists

policed by ignorance

and governed by a hunger for personal power

To the untold numbers who live each day

incarcerated as a result of unconsciousness and fear

and to the many who choose to leave

when this world becomes too great to bear…

You are loved

you are understood

and your passion is valued without measure

for there is nothing but beauty in each heart

when seen through the eyes

of divine Love

Let us each look upon one another

as reflection only

each of us

one of the many pieces of the great Self

that is learning to trust

and let us dare to tell the whole truth

about ourselves first

before ever we utter a word of blame 

toward another

In this way the kingdom of bliss will be found

even here

upon this plane of unutterable beauty

and indescribable pain

It is why

we are here.

love,

Adi