It remains a mystery to me why we, as human beings, seem to operate in cycles — repeating the same mistakes, even when history has taught us otherwise.
While studying Korean Aesthetics at university, we examined the evolution of artistic expression across centuries. One observation I found both interesting and paradoxical is that during difficult times, art tends to fall out of proportion and becomes disharmonious.
In contrast, rising societies invest their resources in beauty – in architecture, in gardens, in cultural works.
Perhaps in times of hardship, beauty appears as superficial or even superfluous.
Yet, I would argue the opposite.
It is precisely when life becomes difficult that we should look for beauty — and add it to our lives.
If we take the time to open our eyes to our surroundings, we may notice that beauty is everywhere.
And despite our circumstances, it remains possible to contribute to it: through the way we care for ourselves and our environment, and through the way we present ourselves and interact with the world.
An act of kindness.
An act of service.
An act of generosity.
Beauty holds a redemptive power. It offers us a glimpse of what reality could look like if we gave ourselves the chance to pursue and create it.
echoes and insight 
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