what looks like writing on a sunny day

This morning the sun is shining through my window and her beams bring warmth and a gentle "Good Morning" nudge that causes me to smile before I stretch my legs off of the edge of the bed and allow my feet to hover over the small fuzzy pile that was made when I pushed my socks off last night. I need the sun this morning because the light reminds me of the creation story. God created the light and not only was it good but it was separated from the darkness. Both the light and the dark had names but the record shows that the light was given a grade of "good." Today, the light is good and it brings with it Jaha's images, Ohene's music, Charisse's paintings and pottery, Valerie's poetry, Toby's wisdom and wit and Dre's painting. The artists in my life are bearers of this good light and they make my life brighter.

You see, the nicest thing about embracing one's art is that you find your muse in other finely crafted art. All of the artists in my life inspire me and tune my ear to my own muse. My muse calls me to follow the lead of these artists and to sit in my chair and create with words what has not been seen before. She whispers to me and knows that because the light is in them, the good in them speaks to the good in me and I won't be able to resist the her powerful charm. Yes, I will be charmed and intrigued enough to follow the other artists into the space where we all find ourselves from time to time. We go to the place where we can create something like the Master did...making something and being able to sit back and say, "it is good." We have been blessed with the easier part of the work. God has gifted us and continues to inspire us. God created ex nihlio...because...umm...that's all part of God's awesomeness. Out of nothing, God created everything but out of God's "good" creation, we are inspired to see what has not been seen, to draw what lies behind, to speak what need to be heard, to moan what words cannot truly express. Yes, we who are artists are merely listening to the Master's Voice and creating not out of a void but out of the depth of our existence...as God's creation...able to hear and respond to the call to create.

There is a certain freedom in hearing that Voice. It frees me from judging my creations. If I were creating out of my own self...we would be back to those pitiful clay ashtrays made in elementary school art class. Listening to the Master's Voice gives me room to see what has not been seen and to hear what has not been heard and to express what ears want to hear but what has not yet been expressed. Listening to the Master's Voice evicts those controlling, fearful voices that would tell me all too clearly, "You're crazy. There is nothing remotely good about that!" The Master's Voice silences the critics and releases the muse and waits to tell us (because we don't often believe it right away...if ever) that it is in fact...GOOD!

In the Master's hands and under the direction of the Master's voice,  we are free; free to float in the goodness that is life in the Master's studio. This is a good space. This is an abundant space. This is a space where every tool is available and every resource is at the ready. This is a space that feels lonely sometimes but since we are ever interns and never equal to the Master, we take comfort in knowing that we are never alone. The Master is always watching, helping, and waiting for us to see what we should have learned in the last lesson. What looks like writing on a sunny day is really just a little sample of the goodness that comes from a life of apprenticeship with the Master Artist...and it is GOOD!

Shalom!