Do You Seek Fame and Fortune?

We all aspire to individuality. We don't want to be a face in the crowd, until being the one standing out from the masses becomes uncomfortable. At that point, some back up and blend with the crowd, while others step forward instead. Some people always want to be in the spotlight - politicians and performers come to mind first - while other people prefer to stand back, not in the shadows, but in the background. These are the people who just want to live their lives as well as possible, pass on their joys and fears to the next generation, and eventually pass quietly to the next phase without leaving too many ripples behind. 

Every action create ripples around us. Those ripples can
intersect with those from other people and change their
directions or perspectives. Action can be a powerful tool. 

There are times, however, when individuality raises its head despite trying to fade into the nooks and crannies. I must admit that I'm not really great at self-promotion. I've been in the spotlight a few times, and it's been nice, but there was always a squirmy feeling of being uncomfortable under such acute examination. The fact it, when you fall from a pedestal instead of a step, it's a longer distance to the ground and it hurts a lot more. 

Getting onto a pedestal isn't always comfortable or easy,
as this delightful sculpture by Marian Weisberg depicts. 

I think that ambition and personal desire for achievement often tends to burn hotter in youth. As I grow older, although I would love to achieve more accolades for this or that (writing, art, general life skills), it's unlikely I'm going to transform the ages with whatever I do in the final decades of my life. I'm no Margaret Mitchell, writing a novel that still resonates more than eighty years later. I'm no Grandma Moses, whose career as a serious artist began when she was 78 years of age. I'm just me. Although I'll write and create until I'm ashes in the wind, I doubt I'll produce anything earthshaking or with lasting ripples through time. 

There is something absolutely charming about the artwork of Grandma
Moses. Depth of field and proportion are lacking, but there is life
there - daily life that jumps off the canvas and into your heart. 

That's actually OK. When I look back in another decade or two and analyze my life, I think I'll be relatively happy with it. I won't look at my personal achievements as much as what I managed to do for others. I've fostered creativity in others, I've entertained people through tales and quips, I've loved a good man, and I've helped others whenever I could. There could be so many worse ways to live a life. 

The skills shown by Grandma Moses in this piece - "A Country
Wedding" - are undeniable. It looks primitive, but in reality, it's
finely detailed, does just what it should to showcase the event,
and the lack of 3-D is a time-honored technique that dates back
to Ancient Egypt. 

I'll wrap today up here, since this post grew legs of its own and went in unexpected directions - all good. Have a truly excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Now, to plug in photos and head off to the gym. Enjoy your day!