Why are we so fascinated by things which are “lost”? Nowadays, we have access to YouTube and I find it very interesting to watch the videos which deal with the ancient world and the recent discoveries the archaeologists have made. Perhaps, as human beings we are (secretly) focused on finding treasure and most of us have certainly entertained hopes of finding something of value.
Many movies employ the “lost city”-concept as the backdrop for the story line. If we do a “lost city” Google image search, we will be surprised by the photos we will see; we are immediately transported to a world of mystery. Most of us love certainty and stability, but I think we may be willing to trade our comfort for an adventure (that promises to lead to a discovery of some kind). Just imagine being part of a team that eventually solves a mystery and unearths the most beautiful jewelry humankind has ever seen?
In the Bible we have quite a few parables which talk about “lost” items and “lost” people and then the “misery” is juxtaposed with the joy of being “found” or having found what was lost. All of us must have experienced the joy of finding something that was lost, for example a wedding band or a set of keys. Currently we are universally “mourning” the loss of our freedom; we are all hoping that the cure for the Covid-19 virus will be found soon.
On a more serious note, we often feel “lost” ourselves and we imagine going somewhere to regain a measure of the “old self” that somehow disappeared. Why do we sometimes say we feel lost? According to David DiSalvo’s online article, “8 Reasons why people feel lost in their lives”, published 19 September, 2012, there are a few obvious reasons. I will list only four and provide the link below. Here are the ones I picked:
· We do not have time to fuel our passion.
· We cannot see the purpose of our task.
· We lack social support.
· We are influenced by the media which creates false expectations.
If you have time, read the article, become informed and may you “find” a way to unearth your own hidden treasures (if it applies to you). There are still a few things we can do to feel anchored.
In my early twenties I made this oil painting on board which I called, “The lost city.” At that stage I was fascinated by the cubist movement.
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