Friday, January 18, 2008

Pay Attention

As a kid, I wanted to be able to draw more than I wanted anything in the world (almost). And I tried, I really did. No go. It seemed I lacked the eye-hand coordination necessary to create art.

Eventually, I learned it was not a failure of eye-hand coordination, it was a failure of observation. I draw now. Slowly. Imperfectly. But I draw. I compare textures, see how lines intersect, watch where shadows fall. And I draw.

Once upon a time, I thought writing was about organizing words. It turns out that writing is about listening.

Yesterday I received a batch of Bible stories to edit. As written, the stories were stiff and boring, and I was worried about whether I could do anything to really fix them. The stories ran through my head all night. Just before dawn, I heard the first story, heard it in words that would draw in a 4th grader. When I opened my laptop later, all I had to do was type.

The key to drawing, the key to writing turns out to be the same: pay attention. I'm pretty sure it's one of the keys to life, too.

The more I observe my life, the more grateful I become. The more I recognize other people, the more compassionate I become. The more I absorb the natural world, the more passionate I become about it.

Life, our lives, all life. Such miracles. When I stop noticing those miracles, I slide into the darkness. As long as I pay attention, I'm pretty much forced to see the light all around me.

8 comments:

Carrie Wilson Link said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Everything about this! Every. Thing.

I LOVE when all I do is type as I listen. Must get out of my own way and let that happen more often.

love.

The Geezers said...

Great post, j, and a very enlightened one. There are some that say that peace follows simply when you develop the ability to percieve things as they truly are. Simple perception, in other words, is all that's necessary.

Have a great weekend, and rest easily in the hearing.

Go Mama said...

Beautiful observation, J. So true.

kario said...

Perfectly said! Love you.

riversgrace said...

Beautifully put, perfectly articulated.

Listen to the muse, pure presence.

Amber said...

Yes, I am sure it is a key to life. Live on purpose.

:)

Suzy said...

I think this post kinda follows the newest post. It's all about connection and seeing the connection, of which you do all very well my friend.

Love

Suzy

Alijah Fitt said...

I also put painting and writing together in the same box during only the past 2 years. I wished I could write like Alice Hoffman and Margaret Atwood. I would ask myself after devouring another of their novels, "How do they do that"? Finally it clicked, it's the same process. Pull out the details, enhance them, balance, make them realistic, playful, scary, etc. It's all art, no doubt about it.Still wish I could write like them, and you though.