Corporate Social Review Magazine 3rd & 4th QUARTER 2012 | Page 140

Sam Alwyn ART REVIEW [email protected] www.samaylwin.com www.?ickr.com/photos/samwyn Compassion “Work is love made visible...for if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.” The prophet, Kahlil Gibran. Before I lade my son down in the clear plastic tub that was his hospital bed, the nurse had come to see if there was anything I needed and I smiled “I'm ?ne thank you”. Before I screamed him out of my belly I danced a painting called “the promise” into life. Packets and packets of seeds I scattered into the wet paint. They became stars, planets, all existence in all time, all opportunity, all life waiting to germinate, and man in his cities calling the spirit of creation into being. Before he was bathed and cleaned and dressed I was asked if he could be placed on my chest. And in those few minutes that he breathed in this world I was transported back 9 years and 6000 miles to the birth of my daughter who was similarly placed on my chest by the doctor who'd got there seconds before she arrived, and left seconds later. Neglected from the time I entered the delivery ward to the time that I left, lying in the mess of childbirth, my mother ?nally took matters into her own hands and helped me up and walked me out. 138 An unfortunate occurrence one would hope. I'd chosen to give birth in a state hospital because I wanted to believe in the new South Africa to celebrate this change I placed my trust in the states ability to provide safe and appropriate care, ignored all the concerned voices around me suggesting I go to a private hospital and opted to believe that the power of compassion was greater than one's spending power and opted to experience birth the way the greater majority would. Now, as my son and I are monitored and cared f?"??F?P???W'2gFW"FV?fW'??B6VV?2???76?&?RF?B6??WF???r??P??BWfV??V?VB?B?v?FW"?bF?W6Rv???v?V?@???R?b?7F?'???v??FW"?bF?W?F?????bF?V?"v?&?2??W?&W76????b6??76?????v??FW"&?WBF?R?Gv?fW0?GW&??r'F?V?B?B?bF?W??B??R???B?b6W'f?6Rf?"F?P?v??FW2?B??Rf?"F?R&?6?2?B?bF?W?&^??&V7B??F?V? ?7F???2F?F???7W7V7BF?BF?W&R&R???V?F??B7F?&?W0?v?W&R66?????&V??26??76???7&VFVB7VffW&??r???v??FW"&?WBF?RWF??72?b7?7FV?v?W&RF?RV?G??`?W76V?F??6W'f?6W2&R&V??B????Rw2????6??7G&V?wF????v??FW"&?WBF?RV??Rv??'&?Vv?B&?WBF?R??7@?&?f?V?B6??vR??v?fW&??6R6????r&6?26W'f?6RF??&Rv??B????b??R?fRF?R&?v?BfVR?F?W6RF???w26??V?B&P?WV?f?"??V??R&V6W6R&Vf?&R??R&VBF??2???RvW&P?F?Rw&VFW7BW?&W76????b??fR??6??6VB????W"??F?W'0?6?W7B???4?%?$DR4?4??$Ud?Up???