We do not appreciate art because it fulfills a specific purpose well. We appreciate it because the creation is more than what it appears to be on the surface. It is a lens into the mind and heart of the artist and we take great pleasure in diving into a mind that can craft something beautiful or meaningful. More than that, however, we enjoy a piece of work that is not only functional, but conveys a story and a sense of greater purpose.
Through this sense of greater meaning, art elevates our lives beyond the mundane.
We admire beauty and artistry in the world, but it is easy to forget that we ourselves are contributors. We are constantly interacting with the environment around us, and the world is constantly responding not only to what we do but to how we do it. Think about the simple act of closing a door. It can be done gently and sweetly to make sure you don’t wake your sleeping spouse. Or it can be slammed forcefully, angrily, to convey your displeasure as you depart.
We make art with how we dress, how we speak to others, how we move through spaces, and in every other action we take. We become living art when we consciously choose the manner in which we move through the world and aspire to meet a higher standard of beauty, purpose and meaning.
How do you dress and carry yourself? When you move through spaces do you flow elegantly? Do you perform tasks with precision and flair like a magician on a stage? Or maybe with tenderness and care like a mother looking after a young child? Everything we do can be done artfully, with a purpose and an eye towards beauty behind it.
Anyone can sit in a chair slouched and slumped, defeated. But can you sit in a chair like a prince? Anyone can tell a story about something that happened to them. But can you do it with emotion and charisma, evoking a real connection in your listeners?
If you were the audience at the movie of your life and watched yourself pass through the day, what would you see? Would you enjoy the act of watching simply because the main character was too fascinating to resist?
It doesn’t matter what your particular standard looks like. There are as many kinds of art as there are human beings. We all have a different sense of what is meaningful, what is evocative, what is powerful and moving. But we can each aspire to artistry in every thing we do. In the little things as well as the big ones; because picking up a cup of tea or driving down the street to the grocery should not be relegated to the realm of the meaningless.
Each day, each seemingly mundane task, is your blank canvas, your movie set, your symphony orchestra. Paint, direct or conduct it beautifully. Let the depth and vivid colors of your inner artistic vision guide you. Be living art and you will find that every day is a chance to enjoy the art of living.
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