I will admit that I have complained several times over the last few weeks.
Lost work.
Lost profit.
Lost content.
Lost creativity.
The list goes on.
This is the reality for those of us in the “luxury service” business- if it ain’t essential, it ain’t happening.
Those of us in this line of work know what we are signing up for, but the disappointment is nonetheless.. well, disappointing.
The fact of the matter is, artists aren’t essential to the daily function of society. We aren’t. We add joy in certain ways, we can stir the soil, and we can even make broad statements that unite those, who under any other circumstances, might never have shared any common ground.
But we are not essential.
In a post-apocalyptic world, we artists would all be forced to adopt a new purpose, to learn a new craft, to contribute in some other way. However, we still have the desire (and the luxury) to experience and appreciate beauty and creativity and because of this- the artist exists.
In the end, I don’t need to be essential.
I really only want the freedom to create, and provide joy for those who can still afford the luxury.
Along with that desire, is the hope that we all stay safe and make wise choices during this time.
I am looking forward to a world post-quarantine. I am trusting that there will be a shift in the paradigm and that the forced slow down brings about an intentional change of pace.
For example, we’ve lived in our neighborhood for nearly 4 years and only just now am I seeing families outside playing, working, and walking.
I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of my 9-5 friends making homemade bread.
The “live at the office” guys planting gardens, and the working moms finally able to enjoy the stay-at-home-mom life.
People who have never expressed a creative desire before are knitting and sewing and painting.
It turns out that makers are everywhere, and it is beautiful and surprising.
I am not naive enough to believe that it’s all butterflies and rainbows, though.
I do see the news, I see the numbers, I am aware of the struggle and the abuse and the danger.
I understand that nothing about this sickness and the lockdowns and the unemployment is good.
This is all terrifying.
Moving forward, things can make a turn for the positive, if we all choose to make it so.
I’ve heard a few of those with a platform make the bold statement that “nothing will ever be normal again”.
That sounds so scary.
But.. maybe that’s not the worst thing in the world.
Maybe a new normal is exactly what we have all needed, for years and years, but we never had the opportunity or the desire to make a change.
If we can all (mostly) work together and stay home, clear traffic on the highways, and inadvertently clean the air, who’s to say we can’t take our first steps back into society after Covid-19 slowly and deliberately? Who says we have to continue the fast paced, grab-and-go, pre-packaged life we lived before this began?
We can re-shape our society.
When the time comes, go back to work- obviously.
Resume Friday night dinners with friends and Saturday afternoon soccer games and Sunday morning church services.
But, keep up the daily walks.
Keep baking bread.
Keep planting gardens.
Keep finger painting and sidewalk chalking and going for afternoon bike rides in the neighborhood.
Keep creating.
Of course it’s difficult to create things.
As Liz Gilbert says, if it wasn’t difficult to create things, everyone would do it. But, I think what this shutdown has shown me is that for a lot of us, the most difficult part of creating is the lack of time and desire. We fill our lives with so much busy work that we have forgotten to allow a little space for joy.
It’s a fact that I’ll probably feel like complaining again before this is over. I am a small business owner, my bank account has taken a hit, and I still have bills to pay. But, complaining is pretty annoying and people really only care about their own issues so it does no good to complain to anyone else since we’re all in the same boat, more or less.
So, the next time I feel like complaining or feeling sorry for myself, I’m going to just shut up and create something.
Anything.
And I’ll be grateful for the opportunity.
Just a video that shows how San Antonio looks when everyone stays home.