Thursday 12 August 2010

In the palm of his hands

In days gone by, people cupped soil and new growth in the palms of their hands. It was a protective gesture, an encouragment for life to thrive, to continue.

Adults cupped the faces of children in their hands, as a gesture of love, and connection. Embedded in our consciousness, is the upturned face of the next generation receiving the collected wisdom of the ages.

Nowadays, we cup communication devices in the palms of our hands, whether they be mobile phones which are connected to the internet by wireless, or whether they be an i-pod capable of random shuffling thousands of pieces of music for our continual delight. We connect to others through the ether.

A member of the Theme Thursday community.

26 comments:

Brian Miller said...

i guess in some ways we are still connected...though the touch of another still wins for me...happy tt!

PJ said...

The lighting makes this hand portrait as telling as anything a face might have to say.

Luis Gomez said...

We keep on connecting ourselves through our hands. Beautiful picture!

Lesley said...

the hands tell a story...

Arija said...

How very true with a few exceptions like m and quite a two generations of my offspring who are still personally connected to the earth rather than just to the ethers and still bring be a new-laid egg cupped in their hands.

Julie said...

Ooo ... I like the image of the new-laid egg cupped ... that is most evocative.

RLM Cooper said...

Very true. I often have a Kindle in my hands - or my cellphone.

Me said...

Interesting how things change...and in some ways we are now more connected, while in others...not so much.

Nice take on the theme, happy TT!
-C

PS - thanks for your very kind words on mine, as well. Much appreciated.

steveroni said...

I was always a "Don't touch me, and I maybe won't HIT you!"

But now i enjoy--even have a need for--the supportive, the loving touch, which says, "we will do these things together, and get through it all but slightly scathed...

Thanks for visiting...I like these places I'm seeing today--new to me!
PEACE!

Peter said...

Almost spiritual - I think the universal unconscious is Jungian.

Francisca said...

Nice take on the TT, Julia... but I like to think we can have it all.

[And no, I don't climb coconut palms... my vertigo would not let me! :-D ]

Shiju Sugunan said...

Nice picture and an excellent write up.

Leeuna said...

Love the thought process in this piece. It's good that we can all stay connected, but the feel of palms on the face is somehow so much more comforting. Happy TT.

tony said...

We Put Our Hands Together in Prayer to a new God.

Austin said...

Enjoyed this one, still connected but in different ways, though it doesn't feel the same sometimes!

Thanks!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I like the lighting in the photo ... was it a chance shot or set up?

Julie said...

Well, it is my son. He is a whiz with gadgets. He was showing me how he installed a GPS on his phone and lots of other little apps. I sort of played Abbott to his Conroy.

Not set up. He was fiddling and I stood and walked around the table at a distance of about 5 paces and took 17 shots. I then chose the one with the best effect.

jabblog said...

This is a lovely composition. Technology takes over when we're apart.

Marie said...

Perfect photo and perfect choice for the Theme Thursday.

Claudia said...

interesting thoughts Julie - i have an iPhone and yep - connect - but also and maybe more love to connect by a real touch...

so you live in Sydney - i was staying there on business and fell in love with this city - and have just written a "reflection on sydney" on my blog three days ago...

Meri said...

It seems sad to me that we connect through devices rather than face to face, soul to soul.

Unknown said...

We all are connected through something in our hands. Lovely piece. Happy TT

Jilly said...

A beautiful photograph and let's hope he cups his daughter's face in his hands, as well as his music device. I like to think of the Internet as the way we, these days, lean over the garden fence and chat to our neighbours. Far away yet we are near...

Julie said...

That is an analogy that I like, Jilly.

PattiKen said...

Lovely. The hands tell so much about who a person is.

TheChieftess said...

A beautiful photo Julie!!! Although, I have to admit...At first, I thought the white reflection on the end of the device was a cigarette!!! Beautiful lighting!!!