UK 2.0: UWE Graduation Ceremony

On the 13th of November, a very wet and windy afternoon (with gale force wind to follow), we had our graduation ceremony in the Bristol Cathedral, a site of worship that was a millennium old. The fact that the ceremony, a conclusion of another chapter in my life was held in 'my Father's House' made it all the more meaningful for me.

The ceremony was swift and over in less than 2 hours and many faces whom I've not seen since our classes ended dispersed all too soon. It was a real joy to see them again and a thank you to all who made my 20 months in UK so special. All the best, dear friends.

And to my beloved tutors, I would love to be able to contribute back to another generation as you have made a difference in ours.

And above all, a big thank you to my parents who made all these possible in the very first place. This is a real gift and may the path I take from here on bless your hearts.

And so ends this adventure while a new one begins.

With recent news on the incredible amount of over-stayer and the possibility or being even harder to enter UK in the future, I will always treasure this. I certainly wish to see many of you again, especially at a time when we will have much good news and stories to share with each other.

If I may use Naria as an analogy, my 20 months there would be 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe', just perhaps minus the witch and all the chapters of the book, save for the last, which is the golden age of Narnia. Things has gone very well, and I can say with confidence that I have done what I can and made the most of that opportunity. I have no regrets if I will not return, though I would dearly love to. Now, I have made my 'Prince Caspian' trip. If I will return on Aslan's leave to that enchanted land will largely depends on which of the Friends or Pevensies I am. For now, my purpose is in another land and place. But always and forever, Bristol (and to an extend, UK as a whole) will always have a special place in my heart.

God bless you, everyone whom I have had the good fortune to cross path with, and made a mark in my tale - God bless you all!

Thanks, Vivian for the pictures! :)

Of Being Interesting

Sir, what book do you recommend?

Sketchbook, the best book in the world

Yes, indeed how my hands itch and yearn to pick up a pencil and scribble away. But deeper inside than drawing for drawing’s sake, I come to face another more important question.

What are you interested in?
What are you interested in, well I mean besides drawing?
Because if you are not interested in anything, the work you do are not going to be interesting. And people won’t want to watch boring things.

What am I interested in? What turns me on? These are the deeper question that underlies the expression. Perhaps it is true that one can never express for the sake of expressing. There needs to be more.

‘I am interested in entertaining people, in bringing pleasure, particularly laughter, to others, rather than being concerned with ‘expressing’ myself with obscure creative impressions.’ ~ Walt Disney

What is the difference between indulging in expressing myself and blessing the audience? The focus is different. One is done mindful of people. One is done solely for self-gratification. Yet it is also true that like minded people will also relish by your self-gratifications.

Sometimes I do wonder, can an artist who is only interested in comics Only, ever be a great comic artist? Will a dork only interested in fantasy ever be able to create good fantasy? Perhaps, but will fantasy be based on fantasy based on fantasy many times removed from reality ultimately loses its touch and connection with human? Will fiction born of fiction be its own demise? Perhaps there has got to be that vital link of human connection in an artist’s works that makes them truly great.

Originality – not that it is something that we can seek directly. We can’t be original for original’s sake, can we? But to birth something new, to add something to the existing landscape, an artist will need something deeper within. Many wonderful works that I love, be it in films, images, words or music, one core ingredient is that I can relate to it, that I can somehow care about it.

What makes me interesting? Can I really be different, a difference that count?

‘How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been: how gloriously different are the saints.’ ~ Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

Perhaps herein lays the answer. I have to recognize the Giver, Sustainer, Author and Finisher of all things. All the gifts that I have comes from Him, all the trainings, opportunities and experience as well as all the wonderful people in my life are a gift from him. I can be where I am today because of His generosity. And to be different, to be the head and not the tail is all have to do with his favor. I can only be different – to be great if I can put it that way by abiding in Him. How can I be fruitful save to remain in Him? To walk with Him, to be close to Him, to be attentive and sensitive to Him, that is what it takes to make me interesting – a Fellowship with the Divine.

Help me therefore to surrender all these to You.
For it is only in You that I can reach my fullest potential.
For it is only in You that I can touch my destiny.
For it is only in You that these make any differences in Eternity.