I’ve often heard it said that artists are isolated, frustrated souls who live in a world of unrealistic dreams. They are the ones who, through their gifts, share their innermost feelings as a present to us.
Many of us pay no attention to the joy that comes from their sacrifice.
Some might ask, What do artists offer?
At a glance, perhaps not much. They live a lifetime doodling with their paintbrushes, playing with their instruments, and scribbling their thoughts onto napkins and scraps of paper.
They are free spirits — wandering souls — who live day after day on a quiet, persistent quest to make their dream come true.
Most of us “normal,” hard-working folks don’t quite understand them. And as much as we may love them, we often misunderstand their need to do what they must:
To be creative.
To be inventive.
To be original.
We ask them, Is it worth it?
All the heartaches and suffering, the financial instability, the loneliness…
Is it worth one moment of creative expression?
Yet history repeats this truth: the artistic soul is distinct — and that distinction often comes with a price.
Many die young.
Many are unknown until their death.
And many are thought of as mad.
Some live with demons — and yet, it’s often those very demons that bring the muse.
Van Gogh’s At Eternity’s Gate is a mirror of sorrow, painted just months before his tragic death by self-inflicted gunshot.
Rembrandt, once celebrated, died nearly bankrupt at 63.
Jackson Pollock, battling depression and alcoholism, drove himself into an early grave.
We are rational people.
We teach our children to be practical — to choose stable careers and sensible paths.
And often, we quietly discourage those who dare to chase a dream with no guarantees.
Why do they still do it?
Because they know something many of us forget:
That without art, we are empty.
The creative person is a guardian of meaning.
Artists see and hear the world differently.
They find beauty in the overlooked. They see charm in the broken, wonder in the mundane, and truth in the shadows.
Through music, poetry, painting, dance, storytelling — they awaken something in us.
Yes, their work often reflects sadness, frustration, even despair.
But through that reflection, they shine a light we didn’t know we needed.
To those of you who grant us a portal to your passions, your fears, and your joy…
Thank you.
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