Perspective

I'm leaving for Burning Man in less then two weeks and my to-do list is still incredibly long. But I know in my heart that I will be ready - I always am. I get a little freaked out near deadlines because I am much more comfortable when I am ahead of schedule. Right now I'd say I'm right on target which to me feels late.

However, I am also dealing with an unexpected and unpleasant situation which will most likely not be anywhere near being resolved before I head out. It is really upsetting me. I haven't been sleeping very well.

Last Saturday night there was a big party happening at American Steel. I decided that for 48 hours last weekend I was going to forget about the to-do list, forget about my worries, forget about my fears and Just Let Loose. So, I did. And It Was Great. Really.

But, you know, escapism is terrific while you are escaping. When you find your way back to where you left off, though, you often find that nothing has changed. You don't feel better and, in fact, I felt worse.

I was really upset and depressed on Sunday night about the previously mentioned unexpected and unpleasant situation. "What's going to happen? I don't know how to deal with this? I'm so worried...."

Then on Monday morning I got up and got right to it, the to-do list, that is. One of my tasks was to photograph the final three sculptures that I had placed at the Falkirk Cultural Center over the weekend. Okay, I did sneak a little work in during those mindless 48 hours. You can see all of the images from that installation here.

Anyway, while I was at Falkirk yesterday morning I ran into this girl whom I had met there a couple of weeks earlier. She's homeless and, I think, sleeping in the park at night. The first time we met we had a very nice conversation. She said she really appreciated my art being there, that it helped her spirits. She told me a little about her problems. She was down on her luck but trying to get by. When I offered her a few dollars for a cup of coffee she said, "No. I can't take money from an artist." I was touched.

Seeing her again yesterday made me realize just how great I have it. I have shelter, food, money, a loving family, caring friends, good health. What more could I want? Well, I want to not be dealing with my current stressful situation. But I can handle it. Could I handle sleeping in the park every night? Could I handle going to the soup kitchen for meals? Could I handle not knowing what the day will bring, or the next, or the next? I'm not sure I could.

I didn't have a lot of time to spend with her yesterday so I told her I had to get back to work but before we parted ways she gave me a magazine subscription insert for a publication called American Craft that she had read at the library one day. She said she had thought of me and was hoping to see me again to tell me about it. It was so sweet.

This is why I make my art. This is how I give to others. It doesn't matter if I know them or not. It doesn't matter if I meet them or not. I doesn't matter if I never know how my work affects people. It just matters that it's there for everyone and anyone to enjoy. This is why I am an artist.

I'm Sure You've Heard This One Before of the Day:

I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.