humanity's greatest gift

Listening to a songwriter and her song, in which she told the story of a life ended by drug abuse, and yet didn't tell it--- at least not like a news story or a melodram--- it dawned on me that while we are surrounded by panicky news stories and horrible economic predictions, a failing infrastructure and ongoing global mistreatment of those without power, we are daily surrounded by the translation of life, both beautiful and poignant, surreal and comedic, by artists.

Those artists, working in their medium of choice, and there is a lot of choice out there, show us what to look for, how to see beyond the hype of the style-makers and opinion creators.  They help us find the beauty in the saddest situations, and the awesomeness of the most simple.

I do not consider religion our greatest gift, although that feeling, that indescribable exaltation and wordless understanding that mystics and artists seem to give us glimpses of, is what most religions started with.  The dogma, rules, and endless studying of holy writings obviously did not come from that feeling.  (that is a whole, different obsession by a whole different personality type).

I do consider that artists, real artists, are much more common than the news and museums and classrooms would have us believe.  I think maybe we are all artists at heart and have only to let go and reconnect with that part of ourselves.  I have seen essays by 7th grade students that were art, I have seen million dollar sculptures sold to citiies that had nothing to say, although the name of the pieces frequently have amazing imagery.  I have tasted desserts that were art, and smelled perfume that was art.  I have seen quilts that amazed me to the point of speechlessness, ceramic pots glazed into a wonder of the galaxy, and photo's taken by simple people with simple cameras that made my heart melt--not from sappy sentimentality but from their identification of a scene of such intense contrasts, dramatic lighting, and simplicity that it made me want to go there, to be there and see through the  eyes of the photographer.

I have heard chants that lifted me to other realms with no identifiable words.  I have heard poems that left me understanding the feelings of people that I shared almost no life experiences with, and in that understanding I had no choice but to love them. I have seen dances that changed my mood and paintings that filled my soul with questions about my own place in the universe.

There are connoisseurs of almost everything that could be considered art.  But we can all learn to appreciate art.  The first step is to slow down.  The next is to stop worrying about what someone else, what society, what our religion, what our friends would think about that art, and experience it for ourselves.

And while all art is beautiful, much that is art is not pretty or sweet or nice.  William Blake's "flea" is far from pretty, but his poem "tyger,tyger" is one of the most powerful glimpses into that same mind that can be experienced.  That same mind.

People are complicated.  Few people are all prettiness, sweetness, and  nicety.  They are complicated.  Like a good Cabernet, like an amazing orchestra-piece. like a wonderful pie, like a Van Gogh painting. Sometimes complicated like graffiti or like the sound of rain with a violin and piano.  So slowing down, savoring the nuances of a sight, a sound, a taste, a smell, can be the difference between recognizing something life-changing and just having another ordinary day.

I guess that means art requires two people, at least two people to be art, at least one to create it and at least one to perceive it.  The creating only changes the person doing the creating, and it does change that person.  The act of making something beautiful and meaningful and new leaves a mark on the soul of the person  that is creating.  The perceiving, though, can leave a mark on an endless number of people.  And each person will perceive through their own eyes, ears, nose, taste, and even touch.  Our senses may allow us to interact with the world, but our minds, our pasts, our beliefs, allow us to interpret those perceptions.

I have seen people that hate all classical music, that can't stand the smell of  hay but love the smell of car exhaust, that will eat chocolate only unsweetened, others are more ecclectic, enjoying music from all times and places, exploring music like it is a great mystery, trying chocolate covered insects and raw puffer fish like it is an experiment in living.  There are stories for each of those choices.  There are connections within each of us to various artforms that have become friends to us, rituals, omens, connections to our roots and symbols of our hopes and dreams. 

Therefore, art, the greatest gift from humanity--to humanity.  Keep making what you imagine, real.  Keep creating.  Share your art.