"HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING"

I have always found that old Baptist spiritual to be hauntingly beautiful .

 My life flows on in endless song;

Above earth's lamentation,

 I hear the sweet, tho' far-off hymn

That hails a new creation;

Thro' all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul--

How can I keep from singing.

Yes , there is the clamor tumult and strife. It seems like we have never been with out it.

The wails of the poor. 

The screams of the injured.

 The fear of the dying.

The resignation of the conquered.

And at the very  same moments there are spectacular morning sunrises and sunsets that take my breath away.

There are fireworks that seem to spontaneously erupt behind the gingerbread pink church, I am watching comfortably from the corner window of the office.

The hot air balloon that drifts by on a Saturday morning. The sounds of music from all corners of the city floating by on evening breezes. The sight of a decorated donkey carrying tequila through the streets with a crowd of people following with tiny tasting glasses dangling from their necks. Giant puppets dancing in the setting sun, people with large paper stars raised on poles high above their heads, twirling as a brass band leads them into the town square. The sun is setting and back lights the stars as they come into my view.
Dancers dresses as indigenous tribes of Mexico , In their colorful costumes and huge head feather head dresses dance to the pounding beats of huge drums . In the background to all this is the gingerbread pink church ringing its bell towers by men pulling on long thick ropes.
The cacophony of sound is amazing. A biking group is watching it all. The Mariachi bands are playing, and the town clown is making balloon "animals" for young ones. People with huge lens cameras are everywhere. Amid the sound, color, and movement the beggar woman sits with her babies, while "older" children are working the crowd with their most filthy clothes and saddest looks they can come up with while asking for money for the two Chiclets gum pack they are offering.The older women just sit with hands outstretched. The usuals are all about as well. The over abundance of balloon sellers, cripples,and women selling embroidery. What appears to be a special occasion is not all that unusual in this town. There seems to be a major festival with a varying cast of characters and always an unfathomable mix of symbols every other fin de semana (weekend) 

Yet

somewhere in the world

war is raging

and there is tumult and strife unimaginable in this surrealistic space

But my heart fills with color, sound, and happy smiles. 

How can I keep from singing?
check out the photo album of this post.
http://www.wikialbums.com/publicalbums.aspx?album=12310513022913299110106282181477920164115612993181868329