Living History  

I recently visited an art exhibit entitled "The Life and Death of Buildings."  It was a fascinating narrative of photography, painting and sculpture that captured the essence of buildings around the world over many centuries.  From the mundane to the magnificent, these structures were described as living artifacts rather than collections of carefully placed bricks and mortar.  In Feng Shui, we recognize the buildings we occupy as valuable partners on our journey, so I was moved to read, "A building is a thing. Rooted to the ground, shaped by human hands and by time, in turn it shapes lives - sometimes for generations or even in one civilization after another."

We know that our modern home and office buildings provide not only shelter from the elements, but a sense of purpose and belonging that early hunter gatherers may have longed for.  It is worth remembering that while these buildings help to imprint and create memories for us, they retain the energy of our activities in those places as well.  Long after the laborers have packed away their tools, we continue to create a unique structure.  The history of a building is updated every day that we celebrate, work, gather, share and enjoy our time there.

This holiday season, spend a moment in gratitude for the buildings that surround you and honor your part in their living history.

Wishing you good ch'i and a very happy Thanksgiving,

Diane Gallin, CFSC