Map Memory Library

Recently, over several days, I have spent time in the past. I often think of the past or memories like a personal library. It is something that periodically, we need to visit. While there we need to wander the aisles, pick up a book, and read a few lines. At the end of our visit, we walk away refreshed. But most importantly, we walk away with a kind of map, showing us how points in the past are consistent with current directions. It always surprises me to realize how whole my experience in life has been; how things I experienced earlier, maybe years ago, were laying dormant, for me to pick up and complete, once I found the missing piece. Yesterday was such a day of finding.

In 1997 I met artist Jan Berdyszak. I have written about him and that experience several times. It was 2 brief encounters, first in Poland, and later in Pittsburgh. I was looking at his work yesterday, and I realized, that the first experience, the visual interface, is intriguing. But it is not loud, nor does it offer all that it contains easily. The works meaning is layered, and you have to delve further, into what is not said, to understand it fully. Jan is a philosopher, above all.

After viewing my work, and listening to me, he once told me I should look into the ancient language, Glagolitsa. He mentioned it in the context of computer programming. I looked into it a bit, and was mostly fascinated by the visual forms of the alphabet and that Jan had mentioned, that it was made of ones and zeroes. At the time when he told me about it, there was very little I could find out about it. But yesterday, I found out much more. And now I understand, more about the value in the direction given by Jan, so many years ago. He has been one of my best teachers, by his example, and by his insights, and I am grateful.