Myth of the Self-Made

“You must have had
so much will power
to finish your book!”
someone asked.

“No.
I finished it,
because I promised
my kickstarter backers.”
I answered.

“You must have had
so much courage
to leave your comfortable job
to go to art school.”
someone asked.

“No.
I went to art school,
because it was the only ray of hope
I was offered
by a stranger.”
I answered.

Everything I’ve done
that seems difficult
was done
because someone supported me
to do it.

Smile

“I overreacted today.”
said the CEO.

I waited.

“They think
I’m a bad leader.” he continued.

I waited.

“They think
I’m toxic.” he continued.

“I don’t know
why I cannot control this.”
he lamented.

“How could others support you
so that you won’t overreact?”
I asked
finally.

“I don’t know.”
he replied.

“What do you not
want?”
I asked again.

“I want them
to stop saying why my ideas
are bad.”
he said.

“Do you want them
to say your ideas
are good?”
I asked.

“No,
of course not.”
he said.

“What do you want?”
I asked again.

“I…
I just want them
to listen.”
he said,
finally.

Lonely not Isolated

When we see art
we see our loneliness depicted in the art
and in that moment
we realize that we’re not alone
in our loneliness

and somehow we can feel a surge of strength supported

At the end of the day
we are all alone at some level

Unless we hold hands with another person
and die exactly at the same time with them
we will die
alone.

Unless we vow to only make decisions
unless someone else approves of our decisions
we will make decisions
alone.

The question is
are we isolated
in our loneliness
or are we
connected
through our loneliness
or supported in our loneliness