I live in a city. Yet it doesn’t feel like a city sometimes. And that’s exactly one of the things I love about the city…..or at least this city – Savannah, GA.
For instance, here is the view out my bathroom window this morning: the corner of 36th and Whitaker Streets.
And here is that view upon closer inspection.
Light plays an important role in our lives does it not?
In what we see; how we experience a moment; what we feel; and ultimately who we are.
To me, the LIGHT in my life is a spiritual experience. I allow myself to notice the light. I allow the light to guide me. I allow the light in. I allow the light to shine through me. I allow the light to be there for someone else to notice.
At most…..that’s my plan each morning. Sometimes I close the bathroom window and put my sunglasses on! But at least…..there’s a plan.
Yet which light do we notice? Which do we allow ourselves to identify with? Which light do we allow ourselves to become? To BE?
Is it the blue festival light hanging from the lamppost as in the picture at the top of this post; taken at a Blues, Jazz and BBQ festival on River Street in Savannah last weekend?
I was surfing through some of my files and I came across this one I wrote over eight years ago. The file was saved under the title “What I want to be.” I’m going to share it with you today, not because I’m looking for confirmation that I have become or not become what I wanted to be; but rather because it has made me think about the act of creation. My own personal creation theory, so to speak.
Here it is in its entirety followed by my current thoughts on it all:
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Vince Green: Born in Philadelphia in 1958 – A Life to Live
“He Was Always Creating” – A commentary about Jerry Garcia’s life.
Now: As of November 26, 2005, in answer to the question, “What do I want out of the rest of this life?”
I want to help others.
I want to heal others.
I want to create.
I want to create art.
I want to create powerful written words.
I want to create powerful pictures.
I want to create powerful photographs.
I want to create powerful music.
I want to create story.
I want to connect and pull people together.
I want to help people remember who they, are in relation to God (All That Is).
I want to teach.
I want to coach.
I want to mentor.
I want to talk to others.
I want to have fun.
I want to be with other people.
I want to create with other people.
I want to make other people feel good.
I want to smile all the time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Naturally I first asked myself, “Have I accomplished these things?” The immediate insight I came upon was that YES! I have achieved some of them…..but then NO – I have not, really. I have discovered that over most of those eight years the only thing I have accomplished, in fact perfected, is the experience of WANTING.
Look back at each of the things, these goals, I wrote down. Each line item begins with the words “I want to.” Over the years I have definitely become an expert in wanting. I have created for myself a constant condition of wanting something.
Now the dilemma with creating a condition of wanting is it implies, by definition, that there is something I do not have. When I want something I say to myself, “I do not have it.” Even if I do already have some of something and I want more, it implies I had something but now do not.
For instance, I have some money. But I believe I do not have enough so I want more. I have replaced the experience “having money” with the experience of “wanting money.” In this case “more of the money.”
So what have I created? An experience of HAVING (some money)? Or an experience of WANTING (more or enough money)?
You may say, “Vince, what the hell are you talking about? Having, wanting, these are all nuances of language….minor details. What difference does it make?”
To some, maybe no difference at all; to me, it makes all the difference in the world. I believe the divine universal power, the ultimate creator, god, whatever you chose to call it, connects most intimately with us in the details. In the nuances of our existence. In our experiences.
I mean your god doesn’t come up to you and bop you over the head and say “Hey stupid, do this don’t do that!” Does it?
Well maybe on that rare occasion; but for the most part no, the messages come to us quietly, almost un-noticed. In fact it seems we really need to pay close attention to life in order to get anything out of it, would you agree? Otherwise life seems like just one big ball of confusion, eh?
At least that has been my experience…..I’ve done a very good job at creating a big ball of confusion for myself!
Oh god what now by vincegreen111058
So, to get back to my point: If I am going to create myself as a person who helps others – then I must BE that person who helps others (I must HAVE the experience of helping others). And not BE that person who WANTS TO help others.
Helping to create story
Enough creating for now. Hopefully I didn’t just create one of those big balls of confusion for you!
Being new to a city is a beautiful experience. Every day is a different adventure. Every moment fresh. Around each corner – some wonderful surprise.
Last Saturday in my adopted hometown – Savannah, Georgia – the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) held its annual Sidewalk Arts Festival. It is an event held in the grand Forsyth Park. Current, past and potential SCAD students get their own square of sidewalk, a big box of chalk, and the opportunity to create whatever they want in that little piece of real estate.
The results were absolutely amazing. Blew my mind away. Hundreds and hundreds of little works of art, created in just a few hours with chalk and water. All created knowing that the creation would be lost to a power washing first thing Monday morning.
Would you try to create something beautiful knowing that it would be destroyed immediately afterward? If you would, could you do so with any real enthusiasm or passion? I mean, why bother right?
I’m certain you can probably think of a couple reasons you might want to bother.
Yet, have you thought that one reason might be to get closer to your higher power, the God of your understanding? That which you find to be divine. Your creator. Whatever name you choose to call All That Is in this universe.
Maybe you thought that. Probably not.
I have found that I get closest to the divine when I am doing something that I get totally lost in. Something that completely takes me away from the time and place I think I am in. Something that quite literally takes my breath away I am so involved in it – like I forget to breathe.
Now when I was not attuned to thinking in this manner, I experienced these moments as a pause in my mind chatter; a moment of unexplained clarity of sense-of-self; a deep inner peace which I felt like I almost overlooked.
Only when the idea was placed in my head that these were moments of something very special did I begin to pay more attention to them. Not the kind of attention that comes to you before you start something; and not necessarily the kind of attention that comes to you while you’re doing something; but the kind of attention where you notice that you have been somewhere special just on that edge of doing and finishing.
That “AHA!” moment where you know you have been in a deep connection with All That Is in the universe. Ironically found while focusing on just one little thing.
Like a square of sidewalk.
Art, or more specifically the action of art, is a perfect example of this focus. Art is quite simply, the process of creation itself. One of those points where we deeply connect with our own Creator – by doing the very thing a Creator does: Create.
So enjoy these pictures of a few SCAD students connecting with their higher power. Creating beauty.
What would you expect to find on the streets of Savannah, late Easter afternoon? Regardless of what you think you might find, always be open to the unexpected. Always. Wonder abounds.
I was riding my bicycle on what turned out to be a beautiful, beautiful weather day. I’ve included some observations on what wonder can be found when we just open our eyes to the beauty of All That Is out there. At least the wonder I experienced anyway.
What interesting things will you find today? Will you actually look, or just be caught up with what you find between your ears?
Take care and seek peace,
Vince
Ellis Park Wet – by vincegreenJust Another Sunday in the Park – by vincegreenThe Glory and Honor – by vincegreenTime for What – by vincegreenYou Are Not Alone – by vincegreenPure Fun – by vincegreen
The excitement of sharing is by its very nature…..a shared experience, is it not? We love to share.
“Sharing on River Street” by vincegreen
“Look what I found!”
“Look what I did!”
“I made this! Do you like it?”
Of course not all sharing is necessary. No one needs to know what your body did to you after dinner last night. No one needs to know about that pus-filled thing you found this morning. You know what I mean. Right?
But by and large, people do want to know the things you have to share. Why? Because simply put, it’s an energy thing.
It’s all about the energy. More specifically – an exchange of energy. It feels good to release energy that can be beneficial to other people. It also feels good to receive energy that feels good. Sharing can be a very empowering experience.
So go ahead, share something with someone today: a thought, an idea, a bit of information, an item, food. Something designed to benefit another person. Before you do however, keep this simple acronym in mind, it has been of help to me lately:
Is what you are about to say or do…
T Thoughtful
H Helpful
I Inspiring
N Necessary
K Kind
If so, give freely. If not, well, maybe you should think twice then, eh?
Don't Mind Me ..... Just Listening To The Voices 