I am very passionate about art and want to connect with artists from diverse walks of life and artistic explorations because I simply love it. It is my life. In doing so, I try really hard to be supportive of other artists because I am genuinely interested in their well-being so that they can continue to make art, even despite (or perhaps because of) adverse circumstances.
That said, I find that a lot of people, not artists but in general, take advantage. I don't think that all of them intend to; a vast majority aren't even aware of their doing so and are just too self-focused to see their impacts on others for whatever reason. But it is sorrowing to me nonetheless. This was sort of summed up in a recent discussion I had with my husband in which he pointed out that I have to choose whether to let other people walk all over me or to be another asshole myself. But that is not a choice I want to have to make, because I find it disheartening that every option accepts "asshole-ness" as a given.
It is just my nature to want to help, but I find it unfortunate that being cast in a "nurturing" role isn't more appreciated or valued. A lot of people seem to treat me as though I am myself unimportant, like my existence is always tied to a supporting role in the shadows and that I am personally not important enough to get my own chance at the spotlight or to even deserve to be so supported or nurtured myself. But I cannot change my empathy, and to me it reflects upon the Golden Rule of treating others as you wish to be treated. Overall I would like to see more people supporting each other so I strive to live my life by example.
Perhaps I'm too much of an idealist, but I would rather live in a world where we look out for one another and support one another and leave the "asshole-ness" behind us. So work with me on this. Go out of your way to notice or do something outside of your routine. Say something nice to a stranger. Open a door for someone. Call or visit a friend or family member to let them know you care... Engage in making a difference!
Even a simple act of kindness can be a ray of sunshine in another person's life. If it seems like you can't make a difference just remind yourself that every action counts, for better or for worse and no matter how insignificant it may at first seem. Most everyone is familiar with the starfish parable in some way, though few are aware that it was adapted from a book by Loren Eiseley, but please feel free to check out one version here.
The Starfish Story: http://muttcats.com/starfish.htm
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2 comments:
that's interesting abou the Star Thrower. Also interesting about holding onto compassion throughout the cycles of life, retaining it in the next. i often wonder if artists are some special kind of hyper-sensetive beings in the Universe. And yes you are very much an idealist- but those are good ideas in the choice of dark vs. light we encounter every minute of our lives
Thank you Colin. I agree that artists tend to be hyper-sensitive. Every one is different and we are all acutely aware of differing things, but I think it's part of what fuels the drive to create. Someday I hope to be perceived as less of an idealist simply because the world has changed to where some of the lofty ideas I hold dear have been made manifest so they are genuinely real and not solely ideas anymore. But I guess that thought is kind of idealist unto itself...
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