This is not a blog post about painting a pretty picture. I am not that kind of artist. I don't see the world as a palette of colors, or lighting angles. I have been known to paint the walls of my house to hide the ugly wallpaper but that is a private kind of thing. We rarely have company.
I am talking about creating art, as Seth Godin speaks of it in his book the Icarus Deception. "Have you ever performed a generous, unexpected act? Solved a problem in a new and interesting way? Seen something others don't see? Spoken up when something needed to be said? If just one time you've made a connection, bridged a gap, or done something about an issue you care about, then, yes, you are an artist."
I am an artist and I create art. Yes, to all those questions above. I am all about making connections, looking at problems in new ways, and generously giving of my time and talents to a host of different causes. What I do is not visible to the naked eye. What I do has ripple effects of which I am completely unaware.
Sometimes I judge myself on not making more connections or for doing less with what I have been given. I wonder often if I said the right thing, or if I am competent enough for the work I am doing. Creating art can be messy, and it is okay for it to be a process. For that one person, if I truly care about them, the "right" thing may not be the most important thing. The most important thing is that I truly care.
I may not be able to paint a pretty picture with a paintbrush, or wow people with a beautiful singing voice, my art is in my ability to connect, listen and care. My art is in watching a mama and baby and understanding what it most important to their relationship and offering them a solution that matches that. My art is in connecting two beings in a meaningful way that will take them to new space, whether it is in business or as a family. My art is listening to my kids and helping them to find their own way in this crazy world.
My life is a work of art. Your life is a work of art. What will you create today?