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Your Own Greatest Work of Art

 

I had the occasion yesterday to re-read an article I had looked at some years ago.  I bumped into a wonderful quotation.  This wonderful line says, “your life is your own greatest work of art.”  I very much like this way of seeing my life…and yours.

            To understand my life as a work of art puts the matter in a fashion that adds dignity to this business of living.  However, the sad part is that so many of us probably do not see our lives in this manner.  It is more normal to hear people put the process of living in work language that suggests drudgery and, often misery.  Too many people do not see life as a great work of art, but rather as a lousy experiment in ugly art.  The original quotation offers a compelling alternative to a life of drudgery.

            What might surprise you is to find out that this quotation comes in an article which argues for spirituality.  The title of the article is revealing: “Why Spirituality Deserves a Central Place in Liberal Education.”  The author is not some spiritual wack.  Rather, Alexander Astin is a prominent, national figure in higher education.  He holds an endowed Chair at UCLA.  In brief the article lauds what higher education in America does to prepare future workers and leaders of our society in their “outer development” in fields like sciences, technology, etc.  We are much less able, it seems, to do the same thing for our students when it comes to the “inner development,” areas such as emotional maturity, values development, and spirituality.

            No doubt, I am drawn to this argument because I find some real truth in it.  In my own classes I think I am trying to address this inner development of young women and men.  However, I also look around at the world in which I live and I conclude it is not just a college issue.  It is also not a “young person’s issue.”  I see far too many of us older ones---post-college age---who make ugly art out of our lives.  Perhaps, for us spirituality is the way to re-work our lives and make beauty out of who we are.  Actually, we have no alternative: we are who we are.  But life is a process.  And if I do not like who I am today, I can begin to change. 

            In fact, most of us have no chance of pulling off a great work of art in any other place than our own lives.  I am not an Einstein nor Bach.  More than likely, I will not pull off a great invention nor world-class piece of music.  But I can pull off a great work of art: my life! 

But I will need help.  For me this means God.  And it probably implicates more than a few of you.  It takes effort from me.  After all, it is my life and I am the artist of my life.  And you are the same for yourself.  But if I am now producing ugliness, I am sure God wants something better.  And you probably have a few clues how to form beauty.  It likely will be some simple things.  But if I don’t know how to make those beginning simple brush strokes, the life I am painting is already doomed.

So let’s remind each other often that the simple tasks produce our great work: our lives.  Take a little time today to give thanks…and quit grumping.  Offer a little mercy…instead of thinking murder.  Smile…instead of snarling. 

You get the picture.  What tidbits will you offer those around you to help them make their life a little better.  A little better finally leads to greatness!

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