THE CALM WITHIN THE STORM
I can recall times in my life when I would go into what passed for my office and wrote at length until such time as I realized: I had not had lunch; I had not gone to the bathroom; and it was now time for dinner. We shouldn’t wish our lives away or hope that time passes more quickly than it does. But I do recognize exactly what transpires in those special times.
The same can be true of, for example, making sausages. I prep the meat grinder, cut up the chicken thighs, make the spice blend, soak the casings, and set up the work area. It is a step-by-step process which I feel quite comfortable doing. And whether it takes an hour or three, I do not ever consider the passage of time, only the process itself. Therein lies the fascination.
On a larger scale, the same can be said for the world at large. I am aware of writers and artists of the past who have used their works as protests or social commentary. They are within their rights to do so. Perhaps they feel that is the only weapon against intolerance, prejudice, and injustice. After all, use the best tools you possess.
Success will also allow them to have a bigger soapbox on which to stand, more people to reach, and perhaps more impact on such change. For those artists, the process is designed to yield something greater.
For the rest of us, our art is the one place we find refuge. If I make sausages or bread or pastries, I and my loved ones have something delectable to eat. It takes a significantly longer time to write a novel, edit it, pitch it to your publisher, go through THAT editing process — well, you get the point.
What is really significant is that I can “disappear” into the world of my own creativity and find both enrichment and strength. I can connect with something greater than mere political and social discourse in hopes of reaching out to others. Your creative efforts will have impact upon others. They may not be the ones you intended but to have touched someone by your creativity is a pure blessing.
When the day-to-day minutiae of life becomes overwhelming, creatives and all artists have the means to find the calm within that storm and dredge up something with color and vibrance and hope. If you as an artist do not consider yourself an activist, continue to do what you do. You will most certainly be someone else’s inspiration.
