First of all, this picture is here because I was on the phone with my brother, explaining to him how to post a picture. The best way for me to explain it was to post one myself and tell him what I was doing as I was doing it. I decided to leave the picture here.
It’s me in the New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden.
I figured it’s only appropriate for me to say something about either love or art or both, to go along with the picture.
In English, we have the word “love.” It comes in many forms. The love you have for a family member. For a close friend. For a significant other (and then there’s romantic love and sexual love.) For a faith, religion, or deity. For regular every day things (I love that book.) So many different meanings to tack onto just one word! It can get confusing. For instance, let’s say you have a friend who has romantic feelings for you. You tell him/her you love him/her, but you only mean it as “brotherly love” (kinsmanship, friendship.) Can you see where I’m going with this? It takes some explaining for you to clarify what you mean.
In Greek, there are five different words for love!
There’s στοργή (storge), the family kind of love. This is what I have for my brothers, for my mother and father, my grandparents, the whole lot.
There’s φιλία (philia), “brotherly love.” This is what makes someone want to help his fellow man. This is friendship.
There’s αγάπη (agape), the highest form of love. This is unconditional, all-encompassing love.
There are also ερως (eros) and θέλημα (thelema), sensual desire.
The Greeks aren’t the only ones to have so many words for love.
There are six in Chinese, two in Japanese, two (or three) in Spanish, two in French, two in Ukranian. In fact MOST languages have more than one word for our “love.”
So, what am I proposing? We need more words for “love!” Start coining them now, people!
Now, a word about art.
As we know, art comes in many, many different forms. That’s why we usually say “the Arts.” There are the fine arts (drawing, painting, architecture, literature, etc.) and performing arts (music, theater, dance, etc.)
What defines art is based on two things: the artist, and the observer. There can be as many different interpretations for a song as there are different personalities in the world. Just because it meant one thing to the composer does not make his meaning the ONLY meaning. I may get something completely different from it than the composer and different from the person standing next to me, and that’s ok!
In the same light, what is considered “art” depends on perspective. Someone throws paint onto a canvas and sees art while someone else calls it trash. That’s ok, too! That’s beautiful!
Here’s a thought: who says that art has to be something done for art’s sake? It can be, and should be, at times, but it’s not the ONLY thing that should be art. I cook a dinner for my family. I call that art. I clean my house. I call that art. I successfully sell our last room at the Guest House. I call that art!
Then there’s the art of living! That’s the best one!
What I’m trying to say is art can be and can mean anything and everything, and that’s beautiful!
I read Paul G’s latest blog. In it, he imagined a conversation with the person he used to be and the person he is now. That seemed like a fun exercise in thinking, so I figured I’d give it a shot.
Note: I have no idea what my thought process was like when I was 10, so Little Me has very few lines.
If I could talk to the little girl I was 10 years ago:
Me Now: Hi! You don’t know me yet, but I’m you, in 10 years.
Little Me: So that’s what I’ll look like. Will I be a famous singer?
Me Now: No. Or at least not by age 20. Sorry, kid.
Little Me: Oh.
Me Now: Anyway, I just wanted to give you some pieces of advice that you’ll need. Write these down. Memorize them.
Little Me: This is so cool! Ok, what do you have to tell me?
Me Now: When you’re upset. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Remember how many people love and care about you and want you to be healthy and happy.
You’re going to change your mind a million times about everything. Where you want to live, what kind of job you want, what kind of person you want to be. Don’t worry, it will all come out fine. You’ll wind up being pretty pleased with yourself.
It’s ok to be a kid. Don’t try to grow up so fast, you’ll end up missing some things.
Little Me: Anything else, oh wise one?
Me Now: A few more.
That’s not Febreeze, it’s bleach. Open the bottle and smell it before you spray it onto that hoodie.
Don’t go out past curfew when your brother is having a party.
Don’t walk down the steps to your street on Mt. Washington when it’s icy and you’re wearing heels.
It’s a bad idea to lean backwards on a wobbly stool.
When you jump off of that waterfall in Hawaii, DO NOT LOOK DOWN!!
Little Me: What?
Me Now: You’ll see.
Then I will vanish back to The Now, or maybe I’ll stop by The Future to see how Me 10 Years From Today is doing.
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