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.
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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???