An Artist’s Journal: 14 November 2020

Day by day, for the past month, I have been looking at my Facebook 'memories' and deleting them. Sometimes I write about memories in my journal. Most days I download photos or take screenshots of moments. Each day unravels the ropes tying my personal life to a social media platform.

Today I want to share one of those memories here before I delete it from Facebook. It might not seem like this has anything to do with my art. Why is it in my art blog? But, life and lessons are linked to our art in creation and selection. How we view the value of life is expressed in our art.

My son had an assignment to write a personal narrative on a "universal truth". Or, at least that is what I thought, and what I asked on Facebook:

"What is your favorite Universal Truth?"

I enjoyed reading through the answers and I think you will enjoy reading through them as well.

"Everyone needs to be loved."

"Everyone wants to be heard. Not listened to, but truly seen and heard for the truth they need/want to share."

"Save early and often."

"... that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

"The only constant is change." ... YES! One of my favorites.

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear."

"The only thing standing between you and your goals is the BS you tell yourself."

Wait. Pause.

After sharing some of these ideas with my son, he told me I asked the wrong question. It wasn't "Universal Truth" he was looking for, but a "Universal Life Lesson."

The comments continued:

"Be kind, you never know what another person is walking through in their life." I'll add to that one: Don't judge a person by the chapter they are in.

"Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. And always wear clean underwear. (Sometimes these are separate life lessons, but not always.)"

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."

"The golden rule... Do unto others as you would have done to you."

"People are people, wherever you go."

"This too shall pass.”

"Treat everyone nicely, you never know when you will be helping an angel."

"When confronted with a fool, it is better to remain silent than open one's mouth and become one with the fool. "

"Don't react. Pause, think, then act."

"Things don't make you happy... gratefulness and helping others adds unmeasurable joy to life."

So many wise words that lighten the heart. But, as often happens, the experience of asking for help taught my son his own life lesson. He wasn't impressed with the wisdom of family and friends. And in the end, he settled on writing his personal narrative on, "Some things aren't as fun as they seem."

Fair enough.

I’d love to hear your Universal Life Lesson in the comments.

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