lessons from a GeiSHa

Geisha.
A word, that without the connotations actually means an artist; a walking work of art, a woman and a lady, wrapped in one.

Last night I watched ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’; and it was indeed a movie worthy of its given praises. I love the intricacy of both the movie and the portrayed. The image of a geisha and the life she lives; is not just a walking work of art, but a walking teacher of life. The idea of perfection, composure, details, decorum, aesthetics, ethics, sex, chastity, freedom, will, self; and this list will line up too long if I name all the lessons that a geisha brings with her kimono.

I have never admired geishas behind their make up and kimono before. I never realized that their stories are but stories of life beyond sex and beauty. I particularly am bedazzled by two points from the movie.
First, the rhetorics about self worth; after watching the movie, it made me think and rethink my worth. It made me clarify whether I am conforming or am I really living. A geisha is a work of art, a walking work of art; living and yet conforming. It made me think, and rethink.
The second point is detail, details at that.
A geisha is intricacy, a fuss and a glam all rolled into one beautiful piece of commodity. A geisha is a scent less blue rose that blooms amongst red fragrant roses. She, though, is perfection.
Watching a life portrayed in a moving picture is an exaggeration; but to portray a geisha is to portray ten of thousands of a thousand emotions, millions of secrets about sex and the society, about femme and the dogs, about beauty and fairness; portraying a geisha is portraying a lady that no any actress can do. My point is the portrayal, although very intricate is not at all the summation of a geisha. Details, details, details.
I will dwell more on the second point, details and intricacy. A geisha, reminded me to have eyes for details and a sense of intricacy at all things. Late this afternoon while doing my laundry I was reminded of this, to be mindful as the geisha thought me to. I just had my iPod ruined, had it left on my shorts’ pocket and soaked inside the washing machine. Superficial indeed but it only goes back to the thought that indeed I need to look at things with better eyes. Lately I have been losing focus, loosing those eyes for details and intricacy in my life. I used to hear good things; used to feel good but I guess I became too naïve that I started to loose grip of the things I should have held tighter. But the time wasted and things compromised are enough; I am sober now. I need to focus on the details of my own story now. Just like a geisha pushing the bounds in wearing the most fitted kimono, I would do my best to put on my best act. I used to stand in the lime light but the glory faded as I left the things I should have been attending to, unattended.


I swear to my self I would not just own another iPod or simply maintain the scholarship I almost lost; this time I promise that the only thing that would guide me through regaining the glory I once had is magis+