Splash
SPLASH
Test. splash
Run. splash
Music. splash
Trump. splash
These are examples of the random-seeming words produced by Julius Popp’s word waterfall entitled bit.fall.
I admit it was ambitious to go to an art museum with our nine-month-old son. We felt entitled to at least one adult centric excursion. After all, it was our nine-year wedding anniversary.
The MONA in Hobart did not disappoint. Well, at least the third we got to enjoy before our bub dictated otherwise.
The museum is entirely underground. Three stories carved out of solid rock. Bit.fall was the most impactful for me. (Perhaps because it is the first one in the exhibit, and every art piece thereafter I was placating our son.)
Words are created using water which appear for a moment until they splash with a cracking echo into the drains below. The words are temporary. You process them with brevity of thought and then it is on to the next word. It is hypnotic and a major waste of time but that is the artist’s point.
Bit.fall encapsulates the constant barrage of distraction within our digital age. Our phones herald new messages, meet ups, and Facebook posts with catchy sounds, and once hooked, we become victim to the plethora of ‘link bait’ stalking us on nearly every web page.
I see an ad, a word, a picture, news feed or a status update.
I view.
I consume. My phone vibrates.
I move on. Splash
Although these distractions waste my precious time, I feel I have lost something far more important – Focus.
Matthew 8:23-27 is a well-known but amazing story of how Jesus commanded the stormy seas to be calm. The storm caused the disciples’ fear that ultimately revealed their lack of faith. Their distraction was a storm. They lost their focus.
In addition to storms, the modern world is bathed in distractions. Where once we may have watched the occasional TV show, we are now drowning in a sea of personalised content.
It is not that news, YouTube, status updates are bad or even sinful but they are common snares that detract from experiencing the abundance of life. I have found personally that it robs me of my ability to think deeply and reflect.
In a feeble but sincere attempt to reclaim my focus and thoughts, I have deleted the Facebook app from my phone. I have to sign on using my computer (pre 2007 style). This is just enough effort for me to forget to check it at all. I have also unsubscribed to a number of email subscriptions this week.
These minor changes have given me more time to reflect on important matters and my focus is slowly coming back. I still get distracted and admit I struggle to concentrate.
I am comforted by the fact that despite the disciples’ lack of faith, Jesus still calmed the stormy seas. There are no prerequisites for God to rescue us whatever our snare.
On that thought, I would like to finish on the serenity of Psalm 107:28-31 instead of a distracting splash.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
