File:The dirty bike.jpg

"The dirty bike" , by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas, 80 x 100 cm

Through worldwide manipulations, our respectable 'Bike' loses its credibility and becomes the subject of controversial interpretations. Its involvement in dubious affairs and scandals of corruption damaged its good reputation indeed.

Our poor bike becomes so, a 'dirty bike.'

We may wonder why so many people fail to look after their bikes and at the same time, neglect to watch where they are driving to and where they are coming from. They forget to check the past and to explore the presence, as to avoid the pitfalls and the hazards on the bumpy roads. Why people let themselves guide by vanity or greed and have their bike driven into the wall of disgrace and humiliation may be for many a mystery.

While walking down the memory lane, we may discover in the remains of our early days, surprising little details that have been eclipsed under the mantle of forgetfulness or inattention.

Those loose shreds in our remembrance can highlight the importance of the fundamentals that steer our daily lives. But they may also entice us to crack the particular value that we impart to trivial matters or quirky actions. Then, we are capable of discerning the uprightness and the truth behind the appearances.

We may feel the world is slipping out of our hands and recognize that the core of our conceived blueprint is escaping us. Let us challenge, then, a point of resilience and get out of the weeds, clear our mind and figure out "who is who" in our lives, and gauge what is valuable in our mind.

If our thoughts are slumping down into a muddling pie of oblivion, we must empower our minds to go beyond vain details or useless conventions. Scanning the reach on the horizon and challenging our imagination can allow us to recognize the essentials of our human condition and achieve harmony in our lives.

When our bike eschews mental extinction and vanity, it will follow a sparkling clean course.

Phenomenon: Vanity and Corruption