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When Writing of Love, Love the Artist Within
By Sandra Lee Schubert | February 12, 2008
A lifetime without Love is of no account
Love is the Water of Life
Drink it down with heart and soul!
~ Divan-i-Shams 1190
Remembering First Loves
My first love was Popeye. Yes, the sailor man, the cartoon. As a young child Popeye was a larger then life character. He would mumble incoherently, seemed unaffected by most things but he did love his Olive. When necessary he could call forth incredible strength and defend the defenseless. Well that is how I remember it. It is my story and yep I am sticking to it. Think of a great love story. Dr. Zhivago. Romeo and Juliet. Popeye and Olive. What is your favorite love story? What makes some stories tragic and others uplifting?
Let me be a seal upon your heart,
Like the seal upon your hand.
For love is fierce as death,
Passion is mighty as Sheol;
Its darts are darts of fire,
A blazing flame.
~ From the Song of Songs 8:6
Loving the Artist Within
Where do you feel love? I feel love in my heart; sometimes it is like a rush in my belly. I feel love in places, church, outdoors, or eating out with friends. Love or lack thereof provides us with a well of creative material. In his book Writing from the Body, John Lee devotes an entire chapter to loving the inner artist. When writing about love, the surprise is in what gets revealed.
“It is sometimes easier to acquire an artist than it is to access the Artist inside our own body, the one who’s been waiting patiently, with fervent prayers for freedom.” ~ John Lee, Writing from the Body
If we can’t love the artist within us, we won’t create. Through loving ourselves and creating we can love others more fully. The best gift to give the world is our creativity. Love takes courage. It requires an open heart, it asks us to rise to the occasion and be an active participant in life. As artists, we must be engaged fully in living otherwise our art can be lifeless. Take time everyday to do your craft. Art is not a selfish act. Great artistic creations can benefit the world for centuries. Maybe your art will not become well known but actively participating in it will send ripples out into the world. You may never know how your well-turned word has helped another. While exploring this idea of love remember to love yourself first.
© 2008 Sandra Lee Schubert www.writing-for-life.com
