I'll pass on...

I sit here at work on a Friday doing my work and listening to my music – just another day. For all my good qualities and all my faults – for anything I’d like to keep doing or I’d like to change. I want to pass on many things to many people in my life, but as I think of all the family and friends having families – all the kids I know from young adults, teens, kids, and babies – really two things stick out and I’m not the type that would sit someone down and tell them this or give any advice, but I’d like to think through example it would rub off (of course some of my examples I hope they miss or don’t rub off or as I tell my brother – can learn what NOT to do). Anyway, two things, simple easy things that many do naturally, but many fail to appreciate the importance of these two things – Art and Individualism.

I love art, mostly for music, movies, books and tattoos but I also love many other forms of art and surrounding myself with people who love art and can show me new things. My wife is incredibly crafty and creative; we met at a Halloween party hosted by a friend whose life is art. All of my close friends have a passion for some form of art and we share and learn from each other. Be wary of anyone who can’t tell you one type of art that is a passion in their life.

Individualism is the best word I could think of with my somewhat limited vocabulary to describe what I feel is one of my biggest strengths and sometimes one of my biggest weaknesses. Maybe it is akin to a religious idea of personal accountability. Many know or can figure out I’m not the biggest fan of religion, but I love and surround my self with many people who are or are very spiritual, because they come to it for the right reasons and not just because. Religion might be the best example of what I mean by individualism, make up your own mind – don’t let anything in this world make you a sheep. If you want to be believe ____________ believe it, but believe it because it was your thought or at least you thought about all the facts/information and decided this is what I think. This is the tougher of the two things because rarely will someone call you out on art, but there are way too many people who will test if you really want to say I’m pro this or anti that. Arguments over issues is as natural as things get, but being able to say why you feel one way, but with an open enough mind to listen to the opposing view (just in case your wrong or haven’t thought of everything) is independence.

Sadly many in this country (world) are standing on the right and left of the teeter-totter trying to swing things way too far one way or the other, I hope for more people to go back to standing in the center and thinking on their own.

Side note, music is the wildest art because one stupid little song can get your mind wondering in a far off tangent and then you start thinking about things get all emotional or inspired or just thoughtful and write down your thoughts, which for me is comforting, but for those I share them with may be troubling? Of course if they love you and care about you they will just ignore you, because they know how you are… and I am!

Now back to work, I have doctors to make richer, important work right? Remember, not everything one does can be a masterpiece.