Me, I’m Partial to Lower Case Letters. Very Much So.

Some people declare themselves Artists on their business cards, web sites, blogs. You meet Them and They talk exclusively about Themselves, Their work, Their exhibits, Their plans, Their sales, Their galleries, Their families, Their creative process, Their lives without so much as a how-do-you-do to you. If They mention you at all, it’s to sell you something or ask you to do something They need done. They suck all the air out of the room and all the energy out of you. You stand there watching Their lips move, hoping they’ll soon take a break so you can escape.

Other folks create beauty all day every day. They create beauty when they paint, when they cook, when they garden, when they dress, when they make pottery, when they stitch. Their spaces are welcoming because they have comfort and goodness in mind when they decorate. Their tables are filled with delicious, nourishing food they’ve seasoned with love. Their conversations are an extravaganza of give-and-take. They are interested in you, asking you questions without holding an interrogation and delighted that you’re interested in them, easily finding a box full of common threads and ways to support and encourage you. They are artists because everything they do – be it creating something new or performing everyday ordinary tasks – is done with caring, attention to detail, beauty.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t need any more Upper Case Letters polluting my life, thank you very much. The lower casers, though? There’s always room for them at my table.

~~~~~~~

For a while now I’ve had a hankering to do something challenging that requires commitment, can be quantified, and has the potential to change my life. With that in mind, I’m gonna’ be launching 100 Days, 100 Stories (#100days,100stories). That’s right, I’ll pen a story every day for 100 days beginning this-coming Saturday, 8/1/15. Some will be made-up, some will be true. All will be short . . . well, most all will be, anyway. Join me as and if you will by leaving a story in the comments here or tag me in a facebook post or send a link to a story you post on your blog. Use the hashtag #100days100stories and know that there won’t be any prompts or that kind of thing ’cause you don’t need it. There are stories everywhere. You and me, we just need to start looking and listening for ’em.