“A Musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be.” – Abraham Maslow
It is September. The beginning of the school year. The Jewish New Year. The time that I generally take stock and ponder the year ahead. It is when I remind myself of WHO I am, what I want to accomplish and FOR ME – it always includes my artistic side. Especially because I tend to forget that part of WHO I am is my “art.”
I buy a beautiful notebook, journal or sketchbook and begin by writing what I want to accomplish in the coming months. I look for changes that I’d like to make. I remind myself about the importance of allowing myself the freedom to chase my dreams and to MAKE THEM A REALITY.
My “art” has changed over the years. I began my artistic life as a dancer. I toured and enjoyed every moment of it….but the reality of my situation was that I ended up as an actress and later as a mom (yes this IS an art), etc. I no longer have the physical capability of dancing like I did when I was in my 20’s, but I still approach my life as a dancer. If you asked me “WHO” I am, I will always tell you that I’m a dancer. It’s just that my stage has changed and evolved. My dance is no longer made of the steps and emotion that I might have found in a Graham, Limon or Tharp choreography.
BUT – I DO and WILL ALWAYS approach life through the eyes (or rather the motion) of a dancer. IT IS WHO I AM.
What is YOUR art? What are you going to do this year to FEED that art, to make it grow, to develop THAT piece of your being that makes you WHOLE?
Join me by taking out your notebook and writing what it is that you want to do with your year (or your life). Take that difficult FIRST step onto YOUR stage. Figure out just WHAT it is that makes you whole and GO FOR IT.
