I just spent the weekend painting pictures and watching movies. Honestly, I can't think of a better way to completely lose track of time and have so much fun. So far 2019 has been an excellent time, which I'm sure has more to do with perspective than anything else.
After all, the environment is still choking under the weight of human existence. Plus our political leaders are a bunch of moronic tools who would rather act like an idiot to show how "of the people" they are, than actually get their job done. There are still millions of people suffering purely because of where they were born, and our own back yards are full to the brim of hypocrisy and denial.
Let's ignore all that though and side step the existential crap for a second. In fact, I think I'll contrast it with the pleasure of applying a colour to a canvas. The addition of a second colour gives the first context and a sense of place, while even more colours reveal what happens when multiple forms coexist in harmony.
The existence of depth comes from the delicate blend and the chaotic mashing in equal measures. Witnessing an image reveal itself before your very eyes is one of the most satisfying moments in life. Well, at least in a life focused on creation and contribution, much like hearing a piece of music form for the first time.
Whenever I get in the zone like this, I try to imagine what it's like for facets of life that I have no interest in at all. Perhaps this is the feeling that hardcore football fans get when they follow their team's progress each season. What if putting on the colours and travelling to the stadium brings the same sense of purpose and relevance that messing up a canvas does for me.
Of course I'll never truly understand many things that humans are interested in, just as I'm sure a lot of people wonder why I like pictures so much. The point is that it doesn't matter, as being able to relate our experiences to those that others have is a fine path to understanding. So the next time I see someone getting way too excited about some ball-sport game on TV, I'll remember that I too lose myself in certain circumstances.
I think we all encounter things we don't understand on a daily basis, and for the most part it doesn't matter. It's easy to shrug off the little things, but there's always something that nibbles away and picks at the cloth of frustration. I find that remembering just how different we can be is actually a unifying concept. It's through recognition of our difference that we understand our similarities.
Yes I just spent a whole weekend painting pictures and watching movies. They're not necessarily good pictures, and most of the movies were pretty bad, but I loved every minute. So the next time I begin to form an opinion of someone based on how they choose to spend their time, I'll remember that it's probably their own version of canvas and movies.
PS: I drew robots this week because I've been painting so many faces that I needed a change… here's hoping for some more change in the future.