When the world seems to be burning, creative works like art, books, and music can give us hope, catharsis, or simple escapism.
"Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." - Robin Williams, The Dead Poets Society
This has been a dark week. Let's face it, it's been a dark few years. I know many creative types who have struggled to maintain output in the face of horrifying media headlines. My plea to all of you who create, whatever it may be — books, music, painting, sculpture — is this: Don't stop.
Your creativity inspires us to keep going in tough times. Your works bring light into dark hours. Maybe it makes us smile and laugh — or allows us a cathartic cry. Maybe it simply gives us a chance to step back from the real world for a moment. There is value to all of this. Your work is needed.
I know firsthand how hard it is to focus on creative pursuits in times of crisis. How pointless they may seem. My writing faltered in 2020. But encouragement from others helped me find my way again. So, if you are struggling to create right now, I hope these words reach you. And I hope you find joy or, at least, comfort in your creativity. Your audience surely will.
Thank you for reading my blog! This is a space where I share personal thoughts — an opportunity for self-expression that has nothing to do with my professional writing. None of the thoughts or opinions expressed in this blog should be construed as anything but my own, nor should they be affiliated with any company or person I contract with or write for.
NOW that that's done... I'd love to hear from you about this blog post in the comments!