Inspiration Fridays! Into The Abyss
Into The Abyss
Sometimes, when I find myself standing on the precipice gazing out into the abyss, the only thoughts my mind will entertain are: I want to go home, I need a nap, or at least a snack. I could really use a Snickers right now.
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey.” – Wendell Berry
Sometimes a blank canvas looks like a brick wall. It’s our job to bravely throw ourselves at it like the Jackson Pollock of crash test dummies. All of that possibility can be overwhelming. Where do I go from here? These kinds of questions can go on forever. And that’s just a canvas. The unknown can feel big. The big multiplies when we pair it with our unrealized hopes and dreams. This is what makes art feel scary.
We’re making marks on paper. We are squishing clay between our fingers. We’re mixing colors on a tray. How can any of this be intimidating?
It’s intimidating because we are creating something that has never been created before. We’re trying something new and we don’t know what we’re doing. It becomes even scarier when we, often unknowingly, tie our value to the value of the piece. If this isn’t a success then I’m not a success.
When I respond to the call to create, I’m never disappointed.
Creativity is a gift. Sure, a beautiful painting is wonderful to look at. But before that painting ever finds its way to the wall, we get the privilege of creating it. This is where the magic is. Gathering up our courage, giving ourselves the room to be ourselves. Make that first mark. This is when we get to discover who we are. It’s the crash test dummy in reverse. Beauty emerging from the chaos.
Just a heads up, who you are is beautiful. Creativity is beautiful. So what gives you pause? I would guess it’s that vacuous space between the unknown and taking action. It’s easy to fill that space with responsibilities, naps, and snacks. But in my experience, the most profoundly rewarding thing that we can give to ourselves and the world is the permission to create.