"Few people know
that they have the power to bless life. We
bless the life in each other far more than we
realize. Many simple, ordinary things that we
do can affect those around us in profound
ways: the unexpected phone call, the brief
touch, the willingness to listen generously,
the warm
smile or wink. We can even bless total
strangers and be blessed by them."
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
She was a vision in pink, dressed in full
regalia in a day and age when denim jeans are
high fashion. Not this "grande dame"! The
uplifted wings on her coiffed hair and the
diamond encrusted oversized Jackie Kennedy
sunglasses perfectly matched her Sunday suit
and frilled shirt. She had obviously taken
great care to present herself well for her
day in town.
Poised on the sidewalk behind her
quad-walker, she kept looking left and right
as each car came to the four-way stop. Some
drivers hesitated and tried to catch her
eye, but when they saw that she did not step
from the curb, they moved on. She seemed to
be indecisive, and that makes people nervous.
At this rate she would still be there when
the sun went down!
I resolved to get this lady to the other
side. When it was safe to do so, I walked
into the intersection and stopped halfway. I
made eye contact with each driver and then
beckoned her to cross. She shook her head and
said, "No. I will take too long and the cars
will get angry. They are busy people, and I
don't want to hold them up."
I reassured her that, since I was the one
standing in the middle of the intersection,
they could be mad at me, and she could take
her time. I would wait until she reached me
and stay until she had all 6 feet on the
other side. She beamed and gracefully made
her way. As she came along side, she stopped
and reached over to take my hand and thank
me. I told her it was my pleasure and wished
her a good day. Truth is, it made mine to see
her relief.
So what has this story got to do with
making
a living making art?
As this all happened in a few minutes,
another parallel thought process was going
on. I realized that many of the artists I
work with are like this woman. These artists
have a lot going for them, and they are ready
to move ahead in their careers. But some look
at what they think it will take, and it
dismays them. They can see where they want to
be, but they don't know how to get there. Or
they see how much work it will take, and they
are not sure if they can handle it. Or they
have come to believe that other people, like
galleries or collectors, are busier and
therefore more important or not interested in
the artist or their work.
So that means that the starting point is all
of your assumptions about what you think
works or does not work in relation to what
you want to do.
To cross the street, you have to move - your
legs or your assistive devices - but you
can't go from here to there without action.
