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| Express your creativity. Learn to draw, or dance the Lindy Hop, or both. |
So you have managed to manoeuvre your life toward a more simple time-rich space. Now what? How will you occupy the new found hours and days that you have wrestled back from the establishment?
There is nothing like a creative pursuit to put some soul into the simple life. Which you choose to explore depends on your particular personality, but I guarantee there is something for everyone in the arts.
Author Kurt Vonnegut said,
"Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what's inside you, to make your soul grow."
Learning any of the arts means putting in the time and effort yourself. Teachers can help a great deal, but I know from my experience trying to learn guitar in grade 4 that no one can help you if you don't practice.
Since gaining the time to practice, practice is what I have done over the past decade. After initially giving up guitar lessons to ride my bike when I was 10 years old, I picked up the guitar again on time for my 40th birthday after quitting full time work.
It has enhanced my life in ways I could not have predicted. It has changed the way Linda and I live and learn together.
Now part of every day is spent being creative. We sing daily, often with guitar accompaniment. And if you can consider transfers as a form of dance (and we do), then we dance several times a day, too. And we write, another creative outlet that has had life changing results.
If you are like most people you harbour regrets about not following an artistic whim that interested you earlier in life, but was sacrificed for "more important" things. Now is the time to make it happen whether it is photography, knitting, or learning the Lindy Hop.
When you have the time you can follow your passions. You can have fun. You can grow your soul through expressing your creativity.
It will change you, and it will change the world.
I decided to take up the guitar at age 50. It's pretty slow going and my playing is cacophonous to say the least, but I so enjoy it! My responsibilities have lessened in the past couple of years allowing me time to explore a bit, it's wonderful. :)
ReplyDeleteGam,
DeleteWay to go. That is what I call getting your priorities straight.
The thing I love about guitar is that it can be a life long challenge. It does not matter how good you get, there is always more to learn.
After the initial purchase (or if you can get a guitar gratis), the rest is all free entertainment. Endless free entertainment - no electricity required. Unplugged is where it is at.
Congrats to you, you simple living, NBA reading, guitar jamming momma.