Aging

                                                             watercolor by Amarie

The advances made in medicine, in terms of diagnostics, medications, and care, have allowed most individuals in the current generation to age in optimal physical and mental conditions. They are greatly pleased to be able to continue their lives in an almost normal manner, to participate in enriching activities, to benefit from rewarding social relationships, and to witness the growth in age and wisdom of their descendants. The evolution of aging is a natural phenomenon, and each bodily change constitutes an essential step in this journey. Changes such as wrinkling of the skin, the graying of the hair, and the alteration of the silhouette are inherent transformations of life. It is necessary to learn to embrace these changes rather than reject them. Wrinkles should not be seen as imperfections but rather as witnesses to the various emotions experienced, whether joyful, loving, or painful. The face, as a sculptural reproduction of life, bears the indelible marks of all emotions expressed upon it, thus testifying to our experiences like an open book. Each feature of the skin, each silver hair, and each scar are witnesses to moments of modest triumphs and his capacity for resilience.

At every stage of life, from early childhood to old age, our body demonstrates an impressive physical and mental capacity to perform feats, recover, and rebuild incredibly quickly. It is entirely possible to train and develop athletic skills even at an advanced age. By committing to regular practice, it's possible to improve physical performance, endurance, and athletic achievements. This body, through its ability to successfully meet numerous challenges, allows for unforgettable experiences and aging in good conditions.

A person's worth is not limited to their appearance but rather depends on their personality, core values, actions, and how they interact with others and the world around them. It is important not to be too hard on oneself when evaluating our actions in performances. Instead of being too hard on oneself, it is preferable to replace these self-evaluations with positive, reassuring, comforting, and kind words.

One must be attentive to surrounding oneself with people who value, regardless of their social class, race, origin, language, culture, or religion. The most important thing is to focus on healthy and positive relationships, where incessant criticism is absent and where one is appreciated without judgment or criticism, considering qualities, flaws, values, beliefs and accepting them in their entirety. Aging is a period of life during which individuals gradually accumulate experience, wisdom, and depth. It is a phase of life where individuals can learn, grow, and develop a richer and more nuanced perspective through the various experiences lived over the years. Despite these inevitable physical changes, the spark of life inhabits them; this mysterious and immutable inner strength remains eternal, testifying to the vitality and resilience of the human being. It is important to adopt a calm and thoughtful approach to the natural process of aging. The latter should not be seen as a final stage but rather as the beginning of a journey towards deeper self-acceptance imbued with serenity and strength more intense than ever.

 

Insects food for future

 

What are the reasons behind the persistence of pesticide use and deforestation? I’m torturing myself with that question. The United Nations predicts that by 2050, the world's population will have grown to 9.7 billion. The developing countries will bear the brunt of this demographic boom. In these countries, increasing food production by at least 80% is essential to meet this demographic growth; doing so will lead to an increase in production, the number of crops, and the number of harvests per year. 

What is the procedure to follow? It's feasible to choose between cutting down primary forests, as seen in Brazil, Africa, and Borneo, with well-documented climate consequences, or using pesticides to reduce significant harvest losses. Without directly intervening in demography by becoming aware of the necessity to restrict human development, it would also be necessary to minimize the use of pesticides in agriculture in all cases. Now that we know it's feasible to make food without using toxic compounds, we can shift our focus to making foods from insects or legumes like beans, flageolets, and peas, which are rich in protein.

For reasons related to health, ecology, and economy, the practice of eating insects (entomophagy) has lately gained international attention. One of the most pressing issues facing the world today is ensuring a sustainable food supply. A variety of edible bug species can contribute significantly to ending food poverty due to their high protein, fat, mineral, vitamin, and fiber content. Entomophagy has many benefits, such as reducing environmental contamination, increasing the value of waste, and increasing the feed-conversion efficiency of insects. They can also be reared on organic side streams. Flying a beehive produces far less ammonia and greenhouse emissions and uses far less water and land than growing cattle. It would appear that the nutritional value of insects as a food source is on par with, or perhaps higher than, that of meat and poultry. One possible environmentally friendly way to produce food is through insect farming. Eating insects could help end global hunger since they are nutrient-dense and packed with calories. Eating insects could be a huge boon to the world's economy and environment in the future due to the abundance of beneficial micronutrients and high-quality protein they contain. Bugs could be a great food source in the West, but getting people to eat them is still a big challenge.

Friendship

                                                                  Watercolor by Amarie

Among all human emotions, it is friendship that holds the top spot in my heart. In my opinion, friendship surpasses love in depth, sincerity, and solidity, as it is based on a mutual bond of affection that is not conditioned by kinship or sexual attraction. It is a beautiful chemistry between two individuals, nourished by a deep mutual understanding and enriched by the discovery of passions and common interests. Friendship rarely rests on physical or mental affinities. It often rests on an alignment of shared beliefs. It can begin with a dance of mutual aid, a symphony of attentive listening, a ballet of exchanging advice, an orchestra of support, a choir of kind critiques, or a tableau of admiration. Friendship is like a breath of fresh air, a refuge where one can share passions, open up with complete trust, and regain self-esteem when it has been lost. Friendship is like a plant that grows over the seasons; it is cultivated with care, and it blooms, bringing warmth and light to our lives. A friendship is like a source of inspiration that opens the doors to discovery for us. True accomplices stand by our side to weather the storms and celebrate during moments of joy. Friends are like magical lanterns that illuminate our lives, offering us new perspectives and valuable advice from someone who understands us, respects us, and sometimes even cherishes us.

Demography surpasses

                               

                             collage by Amarie, sewing buttons representing flow of humans

In 1850, the population barely reached three billion. A hundred years later, in 1950, we had reached 4 billion. Which at the time represented an achievement that was welcomed with joy because it was a human victory, an immense progress : overcoming diseases, preventing premature deaths, correcting flaws with increasingly effective medicine, and extending life and its quality. We paid little attention to the flip side of the coin : annihilating natural selection and simultaneously depleting our genetic heritage. We knew very well that this galloping demography would be an exponential function that would explode one day like an atomic bomb. Thus, in less than 72 years, we have doubled our numbers to reach 8 billion. Today, we are unable to manage this growth and ensure the survival of food, drinking water, hygiene, breathable air, housing, clothing, medicine, care, and so on for all living beings (plants, animals, and humans) on the planet. We loudly proclaim that we must live more simply, recycle, and consume sparingly, but only a minority adheres to this, while we should collectively change our way of living. What a disaster it was to try to civilize the "savage" peoples living in harmony with nature. They have almost all disappeared, forgetting that they are capable of surviving in complete self-sufficiency without the polluting artifices of the modern world. Some claim that things will resolve themselves : famines, epidemics, decline in male virility, pollution, increased death from climate change, floods, more frequent natural disasters, etc. That the earth has already experienced disasters and has always recovered from them. It's not very encouraging to have to go through disasters before getting humans to act! The global population has experienced explosive growth over the centuries. Here are some key points summarizing its evolution.

Historical growth : In 1800, the world population was estimated to be between 813 million and 1.125 billion inhabitants. In 1900, it was approximately 1.55 to 1.76 billion. In 2000, it had reached approximately 6.1 billion.

Situation : In November 2022, the world's population had surpassed the 8 billion mark.

Future projections : According to the United Nations, the global population is expected to reach approximately 9.7 billion by 2050 and could approach 11 billion by 2100.

Distribution by continent : In 2022, Asia housed approximately 55.6 % of the world's population, followed by sub-Saharan Africa with 14.5 %, and Europe and North America with 14.1 %.

Character

The term "caractérielle" refers to an irascible person with a difficult temperament, constantly dissatisfied and incessantly complaining, frequently blaming others. It is a vulnerable, unpredictable, excessive, and irritable individual who can one day display a big smile and the next day sulk the entire day for no apparent reason. The slightest annoyance affects her mood, and she cannot control her emotions. Impulsively, they display exaggerated and inappropriate reactions to normal circumstances. Her selfish propensity drives her to repeat this behavior: the more she "unleashes" on others, the more it allows her to vent her anger. Indeed, she establishes her authority through this climate of fear: as long as no one dares to challenge her, she sees no need to question herself!

 It is not a pathological disorder but a behavioral disorder. An individual with a character disorder can be perceived as a moderately neurotic person. This behavior is frequently a defense mechanism stemming from childhood. Severe, exigent, and perfectionist parents may have served as a model even when they gave plenty of encouragement carefully because their immense need for compliments was insatiable. But it is mainly the lack of self-esteem, a high level of stress and anxiety, difficulties in regulating one's emotions, as well as a propensity for melancholy, even depression, that can paradoxically justify this attitude of defensive withdrawal. This behavior does not always manifest uniformly and presents in various degrees. The person can be simply irritable and moody but can also adopt a distinctly more toxic attitude. Authoritarian and contemptuous, they can also be insulting, aggressive, or even violent towards their close circle, who then feel as if they are living in a true daily hell. We are almost in the presence of a tormentor seeking a victim, instilling terror around them.

The person with a difficult character, even in their most tolerable and livable manifestations, reveals the worst side of their personality. Bitter, impatient, and negative, it was impossible to engage in a conversation with her or to be heard. Her relationships with her loved ones, whether family or professional, are often extremely tense. What is most difficult to endure, aside from the incessant criticism, is that the individual spreads an underlying bad mood to those around them. This creates an atmosphere of misunderstandings, injustices, and tensions. The moment is no longer conducive to resting or rejoicing. The tensions are constant and the conflicts frequent if the loved ones are ready to react. Opposite pitfall: others learn to withdraw to avoid provoking the temperamental one to avoid inciting their anger. They soften their words and speak with caution to communicate in a nuanced manner. At work, we adopt a discreet attitude to prevent the crisis. We wait for the storm to pass at home. We inevitably end up getting tired in the absence of rebellion. Coexisting with a person of difficult character proves particularly complex in the long term. Encouraging the individual to see a therapist appears to be the only viable solution. It is indeed difficult, without external assistance, to make someone aware of the toxicity of their behavior.

The person with a difficult character is in a state of denial. For her, it is others who are the problem. When the individual becomes aware of their identity and the influence of their actions on others, change becomes possible. Once the causes are identified, the effect diminishes quickly. The goal of therapy is to show the individual that this negative mood represents an insidious poison, both for others and for themselves. She can identify an approach to assert herself in a more constructive way.

Three recommendations to consider

1. Don't let your emotions take over in the face of this sudden anger that appears without warning. Breathe deeply and cut the conversation short by stating a simple observation: "It's a shame you feel that way." It's your opinion; I respect it but don't share it, and I leave the room to take a deep breath.

2. Avoid getting involved in the game of a person with a difficult temperament: the more you try to prove your point of view, the more it exacerbates their anger. If this person is not a close acquaintance, distance yourself from them. Otherwise, learn to distance yourself from their remarks without trying to oppose them.

3. Do not allow their behavior to influence yours! Responding to their bad mood with a similar attitude is a mistake, as it perpetuates the negative spiral. Instead, oppose her with humor to show her that it is possible to express things differently.

Silence

                                                    Lonely tree, collage and oil painting

                                                                          Amarie

Silence can be a deliverance. After my studies at university, I started working on the Belgian coast with a colleague, overwhelmed by a season in full swing. He was a cheerful individual, consistently in a positive mood, yet possessed an abundance of words. He did not stop for an entire day, being able to last hours of conversation without getting tired. Some talkative customers came to keep him company for a while, to sit in the chemists' shop, to have a chat, and to tell the latest jokes of the moment. Often he would embellish them with new items, making them funnier or more salacious to try to debauch me and make me blush under the pretext of opening my pure, ignorant, inexperienced ears to the real world. He passionately believed that my education, which was too serious for his taste, was to be perfected. Of course, working in this environment could be terribly frustrating because you did not have the opportunity to place a single word. At the end of the day, you had your head foggy with all his gossip, sensible, demented, and absurd verbiage. I would have given a fortune for him to be silent for even ten minutes to regain my senses and my concentration. Our days were already incredibly stressful due to the extra work, and a moment of silence would have been most beneficial. Silence allows us to replenish our energy. It lowers blood pressure, decreases stress and hormone levels, decreases anxiety, and promotes neuron growth. Afterwards, to de-stress from such tiring days by drawing and painting, silence promoted my creativity and serenity.

On the other hand, silence can become unpleasant, painful, and poisonous when one waits for an explanation or the outcome of a project. Sentences, ideas, and questions that we expect answers, replies, and retorts never manage to hatch. The more time passes, the more the silence weighs on us, and the more painful, unagreeable, and frustrating it becomes. By dint of waiting, hoping, and wishing, we get disappointed; we drop in bitter disgust; we have disturbing dissatisfaction; and even a certain anger holds you by the throat.

Silence is the act of being peaceful, listening to, and saying nothing to reflect in ourselves and abandon prejudices. Silence is a way to communicate when feelings are difficult to express and there is a fear of being misunderstood. This can help avoid misunderstandings and conflicts on topics that are not worth discussing. Words spoken in anger can be regretted and cause deep, ineffaceable harm. It is often said that words are silver and silence is golden. Speech is considered less noble than silence because it can lead to confusion, error, or conflicts, while silence allows for listening, observing, and feeling. Silence can thus serve as a basis for achieving inner peace and mastery of one's thoughts.

It took time to understand that there is a lack of emotional education in some individuals to express their feelings. Not knowing how to manage emotions such as anger and sadness, they take refuge in silence. I am convinced that it is a hundred times better than enduring their repressed feelings that explode without control.

Spiritual life and bouddhisme

In our Western societies, many topics were considered taboo in social exchanges: the revelation of one's religious practices or beliefs, affiliation with a political party, discussion of one's intimate life and sexual orientations, disclosure of one's salary, budget, or investment income, etc. It was inappropriate to discuss these subjects with others due to their untimely nature and the risk of conflict.

The Western world, primarily composed of followers of the Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish faiths, is gradually witnessing the decline of these beliefs in favor of other denominations. The main catalyst for the decline of the influence of the Catholic Church was the Second Vatican Council, which took place from 1962 to 1965. Supposed to bring modernization to the church, this initiative nevertheless led to a sudden break in religious practice. This change has led to a completely different perception of worship, now less considered an indispensable social and moral duty. Most believers do not completely abandon their faith but set aside the practices taught for decades, and part of their convictions is brutally shattered. Recently, the church has been shaken by sexual conflicts, and numerous dubious practices within its institutions have come to light. Which only poisoned an already very precarious situation.

What stands out to me now is that the three predominant religions - Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam - coexisted in Palestine, yet they are now the source of enduring conflict. Every faith possesses a distinct location in Jerusalem. The Temple Mount, also known as Mount Moriah, holds religious significance for the Jewish people. According to the Bible, Solomon's temple contained the Tablets of the Law and the Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Sepulchre is venerated by Christians as it contains the tomb of Jesus Christ, where he is thought to have been interred following his crucifixion. The Temple Mount, situated in the same location as the Al-Aqsa Mosque, is the third most sacred site for Muslims, following Mecca and Medina. This is the location where the prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended on a winged horse to encounter Allah. Would it not be fitting to compare these three faiths and coexist in a state of universal tranquility? Historically, numerous religions have instigated protracted and violent conflicts; why not pursue a spiritual existence that honors humanity and nature and ensures tranquility?

The Buddhist monks are engaged in tranquil meditation, immersed in prayer and intense contemplation on the nature of their existence. This practice is frequently regarded as a philosophy, a religion, and a lifestyle simultaneously. Philosophy provides profound contemplation on the essence of existence, suffering, and the journey toward awakening or enlightenment. The Buddha imparted teachings like the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, which serve as frameworks for ethical living and deep comprehension of reality. It qualifies as a religion due to its fulfillment of conventional religious functions, including rites and ceremonies. It encompasses ideas regarding reincarnation, karma, and spiritual entities like the Buddha and the bodhisattvas. Ultimately, it constitutes a way of life because of its pronounced focus on daily practice and personal growth. Meditation, compassion, ethics, and wisdom are elements incorporated into the daily routines of practitioners. Buddhism, as a lifestyle, can serve as a source of happiness, well-being, and joy. This faith originated in India between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and has persisted through the millennia to the present day. In nations where Buddhism has established itself, it coexists harmoniously with other faiths: Confucianism (Southeast Asia), Taoism (China), Shinto (Japan), and Bön (Tibet). Buddhism remains fundamentally a philosophical, mythical, and ritualistic framework. It does not depend on supernatural revelation, a creator deity, or sacred texts, which enhances its durability over time.