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TRANSCRIPT
For me, life has this sneaky habit of adding more. More appointments, calories, expectations, more desires. My ability to say ‘yes’ is prolific for those who know me. A glance at my calendar, and you will see what I mean.
Arthur Brooks shares a piece of wisdom in his new book, Strength to Strength, worth spreading. It was a story about the difference between Western and Eastern art...kinda.
A Blank Canvas?
Ok, close your eyes. Visualize someone about to make art. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
For me, it’s a canvas. A blank canvas on an easel with a paint-splattered human prepared to turn that sea of white into something else. They are probably getting ready to create happy trees.
Brooks shares a story of traveling in China. His guide related this straightforward but impactful analogy.
In the west, art is a blank canvas that you fill up. In the east, art is removing the parts from a piece to create something beautiful.
The Great Accumulators
I hesitate to give you a trite analogy such as “we are the sculptor of our life,” but the more I think about it, the more I think it’s true.
We are born, and over the years, we add. We add skills, possessions, desires, ideas, fears, and talents. We are great accumulators.
If you are like me, maybe not everything you accumulate is useful. At a minimum, the once useful becomes less useful, but I still hold on. Things, relationships, desires, and fears. Some of my reasons are intentional, and I am very self-aware. Others, more unintentional, and I’m clueless.
At some point, we start to realize what matters. We gain clarity and the necessary tools with age, experience, and repetitions - tools to protect and remove.
For me, saying yes is still a massive weakness. At work, at home, and in my head. I see clearly that I am saying yes to what matters by saying no.
If we remove the unnecessary, we find the necessary. And we find ourselves—our beautiful self.
I know I can do most things well, but I can be extraordinary at what matters with focus. Wish me luck. ;).
An Incredible Human, Who Mattered
Before I go, I wanted to share something that happened this week. Early one morning, I found myself binging on some of Robin Williams's best scenes.
I’m unsure what provoked me to start googling him and his lines. That night Princess Buttercup would tell me it was the anniversary of his passing.
Thank you, universe, for reminding me that this world had an incredible human that brought so much joy. Also, thank you for reminding me that we each have hopes, struggles, talents, and dreams.
Let’s help each other with those. As we consider the loss of this incredible human, let’s not forget to check on our humans. So many struggle but don’t share. They think they are alone. They aren’t. Hug your humans.
We are on this journey together. You never know when that hug might mean all the difference in the world. Something to consider as we think about what we add and remove from our lives.
Take care out there…and more importantly - in there.
Credits1
Birdcage. Directed by Mike Nichols, performance by Robin Williams. MGM/UA Distribution Co, 1996.
Patch Adams. Directed by Tom Shadyac, performance by Robin Williams. Universal Pictures, 1998.
We Are Great Accumulators