Grateful for a Red Light
In my family, I’m the fixer.
Not that kind of fixer, you silly bean.
But the tech-troubleshooting, financial-figureouter, and home-improvement-fixer. It comes with being an only child.
A few weeks ago I was setting up Ring cameras for my mom when I saw something.
I was rushing from the home improvement store for the 2nd time, when I caught a red light at a major intersection.
My hands fell in my lap as I slumped in my chair. My eyes shifted to the clock on the dash to see how long this light would take. Probably 5 minutes. Cue the eye roll.
From the corner of my windshield, I saw a guy spinning and flipping a sign advertising a new store (or was it condos?) in the area.
All of a sudden he put the sign between his legs (long ways) and attempted to do a cartwheel then pirouette and flip the sign. On. Concrete!
I gasped. My mouth fell open.
Not because it was dangerous, but because he messed up. Ooof. 😬
I was going to turn away. Maybe I shouldn’t have seen him in that vulnerable moment.
But before I could look at the traffic light, he attempted it again.
I leaned in.
OMG you can do it! Show us what you got!
And he did it. 🤸 🎉🙌
I applauded and bounced in my car seat as I drove back to my mom’s house.
And all I could think of was how often we wait to show our creativity in public. We fine tune and fixate until things are perfect.
But instead, what if we behaved like sign man? Allowed ourselves to experiment and make mistakes in public?
Reader, how would your creative life look differently?
Would it inspire your community to show up and make their art?
Would you stay top of mind with other creators because they see you consistently sharing your art?
How about feeling free? Like your art doesn’t have to be “perfect” anymore, it just has to exist.
All of that is possible for you.
So I dare you to be like sign man.
Show us your work, and put yourself out there. Mistakes and all. We want to see you and cheer you on.
All my love,
monauar / منور
P.S. I never got those Ring cameras up. Turns out they weren't allowed in my mom's community. 🙃
