This is a great story. A story that supports and gives hope to the many individuals in the world seeking change, but who sometimes, like myself, wonder and doubt that their work is having any affect; especially, on those hugh and seemingly immovable government or corporate bodies.
On Monday, as I sat in the bull’s eye middle of the large pastured circle on the Windgrove headland (whose circumference is marked by 300 she-oak trees), I took a mirror and, using the sun’s rays, flashed an ocean going cruise liner some 20 kilometres/15 miles away.
It turned and headed straight towards me.
Wow!! A tiny beam of light was powerful enough to have a 200 meter/ 650 foot, 14 stories tall passenger ship change directions. It took me completely by surprise.
Half an hour later the ship came as close as it could to Windgrove without running into Wedge Island; its massive size an impressive sight as it sailed past. Before turning and heading back out to sea, with three long blasts from the ship’s horn followed by one short, the captain signalled a “thank you and good-bye”.
(I later found out that for the captain to alter his planned course to New Zealand he had to get special permission from the Hobart Port Authority.)
Needless to say, I felt elated. As though the mouse was able to bring the elephant to his doorstep. As though the mountain had been moved with just a thought.
And, I also felt that a significant, if not profound, connection had been made between myself and a few of the people on board The World.
Let’s unwind the story a bit.
At 44,000 tons, The World is the largest, privately owned cruise liner circling the globe. It’s passengers purchase apartments on the ship complete with kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms similar to any land based condominium arrangement with the major difference being that the view out the ship’s “picture” windows constantly change.
Obviously, the people on board The World are enormously wealthy. Being multinational, multicultural and highly educated, they are also enormously aware of the world’s problems and more than willing and capable of helping others. (One of the apartment owners is the Iranian-American woman, Anousheh Ansari, who just spent $20 million to be the first woman tourist and the first Muslim to fly into space.)
Last week, two Americans from the ship, Lincoln and Suzy Boehm, came out to Windgrove for a visit. They did so because years earlier they had been made aware of Windgrove’s focus on peace and the environment (as well as my individual studio sculpture work) while viewing the SBS Global Village documentary on Windgrove.
We walked the Peace Path. We talked about art, the environment and politics. We made a connection. Hours later, they left excited, not solely because they had fallen in love with one of my sculptures, but because they had sensed and were moved by all that comprises Windgrove.
From the landscape, to the eternal flame, to the wind, to the towering Spiral, to the benches, to the floating eagles, to the piercing light breaking through clouds, to the home brewed coffee, to the 6,000 planted trees and to the messy, somewhat disorganised studio I work in, Lincoln and Suzy had experienced the magic of a place where art and ecology, Chinese medicine and Buddhist philosophy come together in a dialogue for peace.
After giving an impressive tour of “their home”, over dinner the next night the Boehms mentioned that the ship would be sailing out of Hobart at noon on Monday. When Monday rolled around, I sent an email to them stating that, even though they might not see me, I would be in the middle of the circle waving good-bye.
Unbeknownst to me, Lincoln and Suzy on Monday morning had carried my sculpture to the bridge of the boat and, with several fellow passengers gathered around, they explained to them and to the captain what Windgrove was all about and how the two people living there were devoting their lives, in their own individual small ways, to world peace. All eyes scanned the coastline looking for the circle.
Sitting on the “dashboard” of the captain’s bridge, the spiral sculpture must have beamed a talisman’s energy for when the little light from the circle at Windgrove flickered across the expanse of Storm Bay and into the ship’s bridge something happened to those who witnessed it for, as I was told later, a great cheer went up from the boat.
What else would have caused this ship to change course if not the coming together of several hearts and minds all yearning for peace to prevail on this earth?
And herein lies the meaning of this story. With all their global travels and certain knowledge and grasp of the complex inner workings of the political and corporate landscape, it is impressive that a simple concept like Windgrove can move and excite such people.
And perhaps motivate?
Who knows? Perhaps the whole direction of their lives might have been altered by a simple flame emanating from a single, small source. Perhaps the eternal flame that burns at Windgrove caused something that was lying dormant to be rekindled in these talented people and will motivate them to be of even greater service to the world’s poor, to the world’s environment and to seek change for a better, more just world. I’m certain Suzy and Lincoln will continue their good work.
That Monday afternoon I stood in the middle of the circle and waved my own “thank you and good-bye”. I felt terribly proud of living in Tasmania and being one of the creators here at Windgrove. I also felt, in no small way, linked to the rest of the world with its global network of activists and philanthropic supporters. Such a family. Such awesome power.
What a day.
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