The Persistence of Works

Earlier today, my son and I were discussing a couple of legendary music artists who are sadly no longer with us. We talked about how they retain their titles/nicknames even in death and how they still "are" (as opposed to "were") the authors of their songs. Each time someone plays one of their recordings, those artists "are" once again.

The same is true for the written words of authors long gone. Whenever their essays, plays, novels, poems, or short stories get read, they live again and speak to us anew. Our daily work departs with us, but our works--our creative endeavors in art, writing, and music--live on for centuries. That's quite remarkable in an age where opinions are thrown about like confetti on talk radio and in social media but are often forgotten within days. The words and ideas we choose to commit to persistent forms of media are the ones that endure to entertain, inform, and influence the minds of generations not yet born.

Be careful what you publish, record, sculpt, or paint. It may end up being your time capsule to the future.