You know, it is good to hide your brilliance under a bushel, to be anonymous, to love what you are doing and not to show off. It is good to be kind without a name. That does not make you famous, it does not cause your photograph to appear in the newspapers. Politicians do not come to your door. You are just a creative human being living anonymously, and in that there is richness and great beauty.
Jiddu Krishnamurti
What a beautiful reminder that life is not about fame or fortune; but rather about living a good life.
I sometimes try to capture what living a good life means or looks like; what sphere of influence makes the measure? Is it about breadth - how many people or activities or causes you got involved with? Or is about depth - how much support or care you showed to fewer individuals or causes? Is it about doing good or simply doing no harm? Is it what you do naturally or what you think you should do?
Despite my inability to always sort it out - I think the ongoing quest to live a good life is a good start.
I think the main message for me from this quote is about how it is probably good for us to go quietly about our living of a good life - not trumpeting the successes, not drawing attention to the efforts we have made and not expecting recognition. But also that there is great richness and great beauty in simply being kind without a name, in being a creative human being living anonymously.
Jiddu Krishnamurti
What a beautiful reminder that life is not about fame or fortune; but rather about living a good life.
I sometimes try to capture what living a good life means or looks like; what sphere of influence makes the measure? Is it about breadth - how many people or activities or causes you got involved with? Or is about depth - how much support or care you showed to fewer individuals or causes? Is it about doing good or simply doing no harm? Is it what you do naturally or what you think you should do?
Despite my inability to always sort it out - I think the ongoing quest to live a good life is a good start.
I think the main message for me from this quote is about how it is probably good for us to go quietly about our living of a good life - not trumpeting the successes, not drawing attention to the efforts we have made and not expecting recognition. But also that there is great richness and great beauty in simply being kind without a name, in being a creative human being living anonymously.
Ah, there's the rub. The way of life you describe - doing good, or at least no harm, kindness without a name, being creative but anonymous - is exactly how I would love to live, or always be trying to live! And yet, in order to subsidize a life as a creative being, one has to trumpet one's self and works to draw attention to them, and reduce them to commodities and negotiations, when really all we want is to create, and see our creations out in the world enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteLovely photograph, by the way!
alas, trying to balance the 2 sides of an artist-- between doing the work we want to do as the reward, and trying to get the work out of the studio to a good place- that can be a dilemma sometimes- but love your sentiment.
ReplyDeleteThanks both of you G/TT and Donna.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly that making a living from art doesn't happen if you just sit at home and hope! I think I was pondering more what a good life in general is for me - and perhaps with the application to work/art that my general demeanour and approach to promoting my work isn't grasping, demanding and totally attention-seeking.
I think if we can quietly go about our daily lives doing bits here and there for folk without asking for a reward or recognition then that's a fine thing.
Thanks again for pondering along with me!
~good morning my dear friend...i have been wandering about catching up here in your days...your books above...gorgeous...the very top one is simply beautiful...i think what draws me to your cretaions is the mere simplicity of your work...clean and soothing to the eye!!! a job well done!!!
ReplyDeleteas for this post here...i love when you ponder...one of my favorite things to do and sometimes it gets me in trouble!!! pondering and trying to share with my love...he always laughs and says you are so deep...how one can think like you...i just dont know!!!
i had never heard this quote before i do like it!
as you asked...i think it is what we do naturally that has more meaning and depth then when we are doing because we feel we must...when its our passion that drives us versus our guilt that maybe we haven't given as much of ourselves as we should...our love that spreads without even thinking...silently wrapping it arms arounds others...easing their mings...soothing their soul...quietly giving more than when we try with force...i believe depth and how much we absorb and share sometimes without even realizing what we are doing sharing and or giving to another has a far greater impact on others...
much like how you and barry have been ringing your gong and sending forth healing blessings and positive energy to me...this is something you probable both have done for sometime not thinking twice about adding my name...it is just a way for the both of you yet the impact it has made in my life...knowing that there are and is another that is walking and carrying me in there thoughts has kept my chin and spirits high...i thank you greatly for your gift of friendship and words...you are an inspiration in so many ways...be well and much love light and blessings always shining brightly upon you and yours~
FW - thank you for such a loving and thoughtful response. Giving of ourselves without guilt or 'should' is the truest of gifts and most powerful I would agree. What comes from the heart goes both deep and wide. Go well, go strong.
ReplyDelete