We took our twins to see The Nutcracker over the weekend. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t know if they would sit through it, or try doing their own dances in the aisle and drive the other audience members insane. It turns out they loved it. Pure joy came in the form of words like, “wow!” and “How do they spin like that?!?” That day will definitely go down as one of the most joyous I’ve experienced in a very long time. It was a gift.
I love art in the traditional sense of the word. Take me to a museum, and I will fall in love with the paintings and spend much of my time reflecting on how the artist might have felt when they applied their first brushstroke. Music opens the floodgates in my soul, and watching ballet brings me to a place of wonder. I love art in many different creative forms.
I know that over the last couple years it has been popular to talk about our lives as art. I’ve read books about it that have sparked deep thought regarding what all of it means. But over the weekend, while watching that ballet, I couldn’t help but think there is so much more to the art that we consider to enrich our lives.
Behind each painting, there is a painter.
Behind each song, there is a musician and voice.
Behind each word, a writer.
Behind each life, One True God… One Creator breathing into each soul and awakening life and freedom.
In the bodies of those ballerinas there is a heart beating hard with passion. I hope they recognize who poured it into their souls.
Those dancers won’t always be in toe shoes and tutus. some days they look just like you and me. And how they show love to their neighbor will form art just as beautiful as any stage performance they will ever give.
Each of us, every single day, has the opportunity to make art in the way we live our lives. We can paint kindness and love on the canvasses of other lives and make our mark on this world with passion stemming from the love the One who created us.
We can sing beautiful melodies with our smiles and generosity.
We can share hope with the beating of our hearts.
With our words we can change lives. And every single second of it will equal priceless art.
Go ahead, friends, make beautiful, humble, and God honoring art today.
Love,
Jennifer
