Looking Up, Looking Out, Looking In

I caught up with one of my best friends Rosa who just came to Melbourne today. We had a great time sharing and disagreeing with each other (it's really interesting that we click so much and are so similar in some ways, but certainly very different in our beliefs about various things). As we drove past Federation Square, Rosa asked me what's on in there, and embarrassingly I had NO idea (embarrassing as I always claim to be a Southbank / Fed Square "ambassador" lol, guess I should resume my 'arts dates' - regular visits of the place). So as soon as I got home, I had a look at the website and found out that the Melbourne International Arts Festival is coming up in less than 3 months. WOW! I am really looking forward to it!

Some of the festival hightlights are here. If you are an overseas reader who likes arts and are thinking of visiting Melbourne, October would be a great time as apparently this festival acts like a lightning rod so that you wouldn't be able to see this work in Melbourne at any other time than at festival time.

Of particular interest to me is the theme of Arts in the age of anxiety and Australian children's imaginations, "Looking Up, Looking Out, Looking In" - which depicts the imaginings, hopes and wishes above, around and in the Federation Square. Sounds really interesting and meaningful!

Well the expressions "Looking Up, Looking Out, Looking In" always have special meanings in my faith and spirituality. To me, looking up is to fix my eyes on God, who is watching over me; looking out reminds me of my outward journey, which is the reaching out and caring for others around me; looking in is the reflection and contemplation of my own inward journey and my inner self . Only when I look up to God, I can look out to others and look in to examine my inner self in love. John says that God became flesh and blood to become man in Jesus Christ. I am on a journey - a journey of receiving and giving. Freely freely I receive from God, freely freely I should give! I really want to take God's light out and demonstrate God's love! I choose to daily look up to Christ, look out to those around me and look inside myself in God's strength.

So what does "Looking Up, Looking Out, Looking In" mean to you?

By the way, for those of you in Melbourne (or coming to Melbourne from overseas) in October, perhaps we can go to the Melbourne International Arts Festival together and catch up at my place. If you are interested, please let me know. I am keen to have a bloggers / artists get-together during that time.