And still the conversation with my brother continued (see previous two posts):
Said
another way: "I wish I were an artist/writer/musician" is just that -- a
wish. It's not a hope. It has no basis in reality. It completely misses
the point that if you were an artist/writer/musician, you would already be
writing, painting, or playing music.
Most
of us Americans get tangled up in the misunderstanding that
writer/artist/musician means you get paid for it. The reality is that
quite possibly most writers/artists/musician either don't get paid for
their work, or they don't get paid enough to make a livelihood from
them.
Now, to the American mind, that can only be
understood one way: If you are a "professional" you are good. if you are
an "amateur" you are not good.
But without even
trying I could name 20 guitar players who are better musicians than
almost any guitar playing star you might want to name. And I know
artists who never even show their work, though it is stellar. And
writers? omg. There are so many people out in this world right now who
can express themselves in written word but couldn't sell the first page.
Nobody wishes themselves into "being" a writer. They write. Some can sell that writing. Some can't.
Nobody wishes themselves into "being" an artist. They simply create. Some can sell what they create. Some cannot.
Nobody
wishes themselves into "being" a musician. They make music. Some can
sell their music. Some never give a concert to anyone but their
cat.....and even that, not too often. It's hard to get a cat to stay in
the bathroom with you.
My *favorite* is “You’re so lucky to be able to do that.”
ReplyDeleteGRRRRR!!!
Yeah, "luck"
DeleteOh this rings so true...... I cannot unmake, unwrite, unstop my brain..... ahhhhh that getting paid thing!
ReplyDeleteIt's the blessing and the curse.
ReplyDelete