OUR CANVAS OUR PAINTING
A beautiful painting is hanging on the wall. A group of art students stop by it, admiring the creativity and brilliance of the artist. A couple walk by, the wife explains to her husband how a painting could lift up the mood of their living room urging him to buy it. The gallery owner stands by the front door with the artist inviting people in with a smile and refreshments. All is good until…
A tall man wearing a smart suite, sleek hair and well groomed. The glasses resting on his nose emits the essence of an educated person. He walks in ignores the smile and grabs a glass of lemonade, takes a sip disgusted by the way it tasted he banged it on the waiters tray. The tall man walks in, stops in front of the painting hanging on the wall. He looks at it in disgust and says the strokes are reckless, the colors are incoherent. the man leaves the gallery. Next day news headline reads “Critic finds mistake in famous painting”. The focus of the town then shifted from admiring the painting to looking closely and with major effort for any mistakes to be in the front page of the towns’ media coverage.
This story made me think of the UAE, the constant negative coverage by a group of people, they complain about everything, but neglect to see the big picture, they neglect to see the beautiful picture.
The basic needs of any human being are Shelter, food, health and security. The UAE has provided this to everyone by different housing programs, free basic foods, and free medical benefits.
Education is also important and the leaders of the UAE have recognized the need for free education from primary level all the way to university, this has never been seen in any other place around the globe.
Security is another main need for any human being, security for yourself and your family. Fortunately for us in the UAE, this has been a priority to our leaders and only through security can a nation state flourish.
Co-existence and tolerance is a word we hear a lot around us, we listen to people talk about being tolerant and accepting others. Take a walk anywhere in the UAE and this is exactly what you will see. People from over 200 countries are all here living, working and “co-existing”. Different people, means different culture and different religion. Although the UAE is a Muslim Nation State it has never denied the foreigners from engaging in any cultural event that they have participated in, neither denied them the right to choose and practice their own belief as long as there is no harm in their practice.
The above mentioned are just some of the points that we should think about, the list goes longer but stopping and thinking of the basics is the best way to fully understand the bliss that we are in. The UAE is our canvas, the leaders and we the people have been painting it since 1971, it is a work in progress and will still be, only through collective efforts we will be able to eliminate haters and enjoy the beauty that lays within this special ongoing art project.
