Be the Always in the Midst of Never

There is a lot of despair out there. War. Famine. Terrorism.  Sickness. Foreclosure. Failure. Fired. Laid off.  Death. To read the newspaper or listen to the news today is to risk your mental health. Haven't we all wondered what in the world can save the world?

Or maybe you are just having a bad day.

I'm not enough of a pollyanna to believe that good works, kind gestures, great art or a large influx of money can solve any of these problems.  But I do know that every good thing you do, every time you speak and act authentically, every time you create something beautiful and much that you create that may not be beautiful but is real uplifts a soul, if only you're own.  And, when a soul is uplifted it can deal at least with its own troubles and perhaps with the troubles of another.

That is how it starts. One soul reaching out to another.  And that is one of the reasons that I work at creating art, and one of the reasons that I try to do something everyday that might be good for another.

• knit a warm hat, crochet a blanket, create a warm wool vest and give it to a homeless person, or a charity
• work on a piece of art that reflects an inner feeling I am having, or have had.  If working on it I become it, the art and the feeling, perhaps someday it can do the same for others, make the connection, show them they are not alone
• express more positive remarks than negative.  even if it is my job to guide, correct or help I can do it in a positive way or at least offset the negative with multiple positive statements
• smile
• greet people I pass while walking.  how many people do I see each day?  how wonderful it is when they greet me.  even a 'good morning' or 'good evening' or 'cold isn't it' makes that connection.  oh there may be places where this may not be a good idea, but really, aren't there a lot of places all of us are where a simple greeting costs us nothing and lightens someone's else's day?
• answer that question 'how are you?' with a big smile and a positive message when I can and a simple neutral answer when I can't.  Look right at that person and ask them how they are and respond authentically to it.  (how often is this greeting just so expected that we don't listen to the person's answer?  )
• wear that wearable art, especially when its bright colors.  A lot of people have told me that seeing someone in wearable art, especially in bright colors gives them joy.  there is so much blandness out there.
• complement people.  see a great hat, coat, sweater, outfit.  maybe they made it.  okay, so maybe its not art.  what does it matter?  the art may be in the wearing, the assembly with other clothing, the 'where' they are wearing it, the viewing, the people they are with.  art really is all around us and maybe part of our job is to help other people to see it.
• research, and the contribute to a charity that does good things for people.  put some money in the Salvation Army bucket.  Purchase a water buffalo for a family. 
• support local businesses, especially the small, individually owned.  drink coffee at the independent coffee shop.  buy a craft, a painting, a vegetable from your neighbors.

Some of these things may seem simple to you, like common sense or just the way you should respond to people.  But they are not, for an introvert like me. Those simple person to person things are hard. Hard to remember, hard to do.

But everyone can make art, and everyone can be a little nicely social.  Who knows, your simple gesture may be the thing that lifts another soul, everyone can be the always in the midst of never,