Modern family: Addition

Foundational thought in momentary peace

After completing regional Olympiad exams; as planned, I alongwith my dad, visited the scenery of San Francisco. San Francisco truly is a city of beauty and wonder, where every corner offers a new perspective and a new delight.

- The iconic red Golden Gate bridge that spans the bay, connecting the city to the Marin Headlands. It is a marvel of engineering and a symbol of San Francisco’s spirit. From the bridge, you can see the skyline of the city, the green hills of Marin, and the blue waters of the Pacific. The bridge is especially stunning at sunrise and sunset, when the light paints it in golden hues.

As I stood on the edge of the bay, I felt the refreshing breeze on my face and the sun on my skin and rush of ' feel good' harmones made me quite pleasant and comforting.  Glancing at the majestic red bridge that spans the horizon, it feels like it connects two worlds. Marveling at the engineering and the beauty of this iconic structure, it's not that I'm surprised in my mind due to potential or achievement of mankind or puzzled by the fact that how did they built it or what principles concerning dimensions of engineering, physics or technology are employed in it as I in my mind know the laws and techniques involved but as you physically confront it or feel it; new insights and philosophical intricacies are very likely to emerge and overwhelm you.

You watch the cars and bikes zoom by. You see the boats and ships sailing under the bridge, and the seagulls flying over it. You hear the horns and the waves, and the laughter of the people. You are bound to feel a sense of awe and wonder in all it's likelihood as you witness the bridge in all its glory.

Apart from being a marvel of engineering and a symbol of San Francisco’s spirit, but it's also be a site of protest and activism. In 1976, a group of Native Americans occupied the bridge for several hours, demanding the return of their ancestral lands. They unfurled banners that read “Red Power at the Golden Gate” and “We Want Alcatraz”.

- A sprawling oasis of nature in the heart of the city, The Golden Gate Park. Walking through the green oasis of nature, surrounded by trees and flowers, I smelled the fresh and fragrant air, and hear the birds and the water running. The park is a haven for wildlife and people alike, offering a variety of activities and attractions not only gardens and lakes but also museums and monuments which you can readily explore. You can stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden adorned with serene and elegant Design, admire the flowers, colorful and exotic plants at the Conservatory of Flowers, or enjoy the art at the de Young Museum build using modern & artistic architecture. The park is also home to the California Academy of Sciences with it's dome and aquarium, where you can explore the wonders of the natural world.
You feel a sense of curiosity and joy, as you discover the park in all its diversity.

Apart from sprawling oasis of nature, it is also a gathering place for hippies, radicals, and artists or people of counterculture movement. You might see people playing music, dancing, meditating, or doing drugs in the park. Several religious denominations or school of thoughts of major religions can also be seen doing their work of attracting followers especially religions foreign to this land eg. Hare krishna practiceners of Hinduism, Therveda and/or Zen Buddhists of Buddhism, Muslims etc.

- Twin Peaks, two hills that rise above the city, I climb up the hills all the way obviously with proper safety and tour guide and stood above the city, feeling the sweat on my brow and the wind in my hair. When you reach the top and look around, you would see the panoramic view of San Francisco and beyond. From the peaks, you can see the bay, the ocean, the islands, and the bridges. You can also spot landmarks like Coit Tower, Alcatraz, and the Transamerica Pyramid. You can also see the neighborhoods, like the Mission, the Castro, and the Haight. The peaks are a great place to watch the fog roll in and out, creating a dramatic contrast between the city and the sky. All of this fills you with sense of adventure and wonder.

Apart from offering panoramic views of the city and beyond, it's also a hotspot for crime and violence. In the same year 1977, a serial killer known as the “Doodler” stabbed and killed at least five gay men on the hills. The killer is yet to be caught, and the case remains unsolved.

- Crissy Field, a former military airfield that has been transformed into a recreational area along the waterfront. I stroll along the waterfront, feeling the sand on my feet and the spray on my face. Crissy Field is a popular spot for walking, biking, picnicking, and kite flying. It offers spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay, and the city. You can also see the historic Fort Point, a brick fortress that dates back to the Civil War era. Crissy Field is a place where you can enjoy the fresh air and the scenic beauty of San Francisco. You might see some of the old hangars and runways, as well as some of the planes that were used in World War II and the Korean War. You might also see some of the graffiti and murals that were painted by local artists.

After riding myself in the realm of intangible wonders, I returned to reality and sat on the ground. From the perspective of my future development and growth and taking lessons from history from both this and previous world eg. Examples, from fate, difficulty and deeds of John D. Rockefeller to John Morgan Jr. etc From frequent lawsuits and congressional hearing of various CEOs in my previous life be it Bill gates, Jack Welch, James Dimon or Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos or Sunder pichai etc. for various things like unfair market practices or monopoly/monopolistic nature of growth and development of their companies and/or tax frauds or manipulation of elections, data privacy etc. etc. list goes on and on ; truth and false mixed and indistinguishable from each other.

These things were made Big fuss/show about either due to not being able to sufficiently satiate greed and hunger of conspirators, spearheaders or instigated by Old rich elites of their country or some other behind the scenes operators and their operations. Meanwhile few real powerhouses can easily benefit from both Prosperity and doom. These explains the fact that it's not about being right or wrong; it's about your power and status; it's about whether you are Big enough, powerful enough, entrenched, expanded and intertwined enough in the very fabric and existence of the country that it's very hard or almost impossible to avoid your existence or confront you head on and thus earning you seat on the table to play the game or be in lower hierarchy where you will face challenges one after another, waves after waves to be washed ultimately or be subservient to varying degrees to those at the top at various occasions and inflection points of the upcoming future and struggling exchanging blows again and again until be died out or rooted in lower rungs of the pyramid.