Art, love, truth

Art is so intimately close to love and truth. That realization is perhaps what I am most grateful to have discovered over the past three years. An artist's job is to use their love to occupy your attention for as long as he or she can, and if that artist stumbles upon some helpful truth in the endeavor, well, that's the dream. Perhaps in that desire to connect, to support, to share, to dream, therein lies the unique opportunity we all have to keep each other moving forward.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the things that really matter. Incidentally, intention work as a dancer, singer, and actor has been the ideal catalyst for that kind of thought. What motivates us to do what we do, to be who we are, to keep fighting for what we believe in despite all indications of futility? It must be some ennui, our spirit, our nature, that intangible, inexplicable thing we all have in common, which manages to keep us moving forward no matter the obstacles or stressors.

I want people around me who thrive on their passion, who tell me the truth, even if they know it may not be the popular thing to say. Life is this push pull. The relationships I enjoy most are those when people are committed to something, no matter what that thing is. There are people whose encounters are more like volcanic eruptions, whose love, truth, and art explodes like some incredible drum roll of hundreds of tightly round timpani drums before the cymbal clash that signal majesty in the making.

Sometimes fit between people and people or people and employment or people and life calling  is no good. It becomes obvious and irrevocable. Looks fade. Things fall toward Mexico and/or stop working. What matters is a person's substance and how true they stay to what matters most. When something matters, you fight for it. That's the most important push back sort of affirmation of our existence that we have.

Miguel [Angel Ruiz] has some interesting thoughts on the nature of self love and the nuances of functional relationships. In his philosophical prose piece the Four Agreements, he posits the value of committing to the following, which I think may help lead you where you want to go:

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Take nothing personally
3. Make no assumptions
4. Do your best, always

There are times when I have difficulty with all four, to be perfectly frank. But every day is another day. Also, I am pretty impressed with anyone who endeavors to be better. I like the Ruiz idea that "You don't need to justify your love, you don't need to explain your love, you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master." When you find the right job, the right friendship, the right relationship for you, there's this instinctual knowledge and feeling that it's right. In the mean time you'll be doing all this practice in self love to get yourself ready for the great love of your life.