Baby Faces

[this is a response to a friend's whose wife is struggling with some depression after having her first child]


Dear Pasquale,

hope all is going well

a thought occurred about the Japanese culture

i believe that in certain ways being closed disconnected protective and distant
may have been raised to the level of an art form
i think think is the reason they tell us that a westerner
can never truly understand the depth of the Japanese mind

certainly if their culture made an art of being open connected vulnerable and intimate
then understanding would be greatly enhanced

when one thinks about the degree to which women and children
are controlled subordinated and humiliated
it is easy to understand why

the reason that i love Christ is because i hear a voice in my soul telling me
that i am to be open so i embrace his teaching and spirit
and intimacy becomes the end of my life and relationships

some look upon my openness with disdain thinking it to be a form of weakness
Miuki's openness may be triggering a subconsious response of anxiety
because she may be feeling uncomfortable with her deepest feelings and emotions
even in the Sicilian culture there is some of that - perhaps in all cultures
i think my family made arrogance an art form
and in the same manner everyone was shut down
my own mother definitely had a huge anxiety problem when i came around
because she must have found herself opening up ... safe as it may have seemed ...
and she had difficulties with her feelings since she had been trained to shut down
and worse ... living in feelings of shutting down rather than in feelings of opening up.

that said, i hope that you will consider these ideas and get back to me

i'd be blessed to hear your opinion,

Jeseppi

ps

how do you like the faces ... be frank!