We Are All Artists
Each one of us is incredibly powerful, and the way we show up in our lives – good or bad – has an indelible impact on the lives of the community around us.
The way each one of us makes our mark on the world – good and bad – is breathtaking.
Right now, there are incredible humans giving their time and energy to solve problems and create solutions. Neonatal specialists perform surgery on tiny human hearts. Social workers brave impossibly awful situations to (hopefully) create a better way forward. State representatives work hard to create bills that may never see the light of day, advocating for the diverse sea of people they represent.
Some artists create symphonies that sweep us away, while others plant and water seedling in cracked buckets and repurposed containers, creating life and beauty in neglected streets.
Each one of us is incredibly powerful, and the way we show up in our lives – good or bad – has an indelible impact on the lives of the community around us.
The world is both a wild and wonderful place right now. There are so many people creating beauty, innovation, and positive change. But there also those who actively cultivate hostility and fear – all in the pursuit of improving their own bottom line. I don't know if it's sinister or just selfish. What I do know is that what we pay attention to shapes us.
And this too, is art.
Not all art seems valuable. The podcast that highlights the ridiculous may seem frivolous, but its direct positive impact on my mental health as I belly-laugh away the stress of the day makes it another form of therapy.
The kindness shown to and by the convenience store cashier creates its own kind of beauty. Educators and caregivers directly affect the lives of millions of vulnerable humans, sometimes in the most beautiful ways. Janitorial workers and trash collectors, whose work is at best mundane, make our world more beautiful – another kind of art.
It's art when I hug my teenage children, giving them a tangible expression of how much I care. It's art when I call my elected officials and advocate for the needs of my community, like common-sense gun laws and better funding for our schools so that teachers can have a living wage.
The list could truly go on forever – The pastor who comforts the family who grieves, the neighbor who shows up with a bag of apples from the tree in their yard, the PICU nurse who goes above and beyond to make sure her patient gets the very best care – All of this is art.
We are the artists. And we get to choose the type of art we consume, elevate, and create. Each one of us has the power to make the world a better place.
What kind of art are you called to create?