My heart is incredibly heavy this week with the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, and the ongoing poisoning of our shared culture by people who see more to gain in distracting us with hate than in inspiring love.
This is a moment in history that seems designed to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best.
We need art more than ever, but art is not the potion we want it to be. It helps, but it doesn’t solve. It illuminates, but it doesn’t guide. It salves, but it doesn’t cure.
If you’re trying to transubstantiate pain into light: we need you now more than ever.
Bathing in these waters can bring down the hardiest of swimmers. If you need help, please get it. If you can’t think of anyone to reach out to, reach out to me.
I don’t have the answers. I wish I could do more. It’s hard not to crack under the weight of the forces trying to bring us all down.
But please don’t give up the fight. Please choose living. Please choose love.
And here’s the best advice I have to offer for dealing with times like these:
- How to Keep Writing When the S*** Hits the Fan
- Writers and Suicide
- Writing as Catharsis
- Now we write
Art: Château-Noir by Paul Cézanne
Thank you Nathan for expressing so directly the anguish and nervousness so many of us are feeling in the current dark climate. Writing can be so powerful–to the writer and those who connect to the words.
Thanks for this, Nathan.
It is appreciated, perhaps more than you know.
Because it is spot-on, in my opinion.
Best
T
You are a mensch. Thank you for your words on all subjects, for all you say and do ~
“Writing is a form of prayer; writing is a voyage of discovery; writing is to bear witness.” – Tsering Woeser
Amen and bravo, Nathan!
My first reaction was to say our present times are not really that dark compared to other times. In particular, present-day political and military conflicts seem almost trivial compared with the vast Manichean struggle that was the Cold War. Fighting WW3 over Democracy vs Communism would be tragic but understandable. Fighting WW3 over the Spratly Islands (which are actually just reefs) would be truly absurd.
Such comparisons put present problems into perspective but do not solve them. The suicides of seemingly successful people are disheartening, particularly if we hope success can help our emotional state, which it CAN, but while bringing its own challenges. I’m prone to comparing my insides to other’s outsides and I’m far from alone in that.
Transubstantiating pain into light is a very worthy endeavor for anyone, particularly writers. My long-standing ambition as a writer is to transform pain and other things into FUN, which may sound frivolous, but we can always do with more fun. Humor does have a healing power and innocent jokes are targetted quite fiercely these days by a growing cadre of spoilsports and censors, including professional spoilsports!
Now I’ll (re)read your links.
From what I’ve read, I think Kate suffered with a kind of manic depression. I think all emotions stem from our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. It seems the answer, then, is to reign in our thoughts to focus on the positive ones – even if the subject of those thoughts hasn’t yet manifested. This isn’t easy, but when I have success in this area, my happiness rises while my unhappiness diminishes. And with happiness, we are stronger and more mentally stable and alert. It’s a win-win if we can win the fight. I also think that focusing upon anything with a positive emotion helps to fuel a more positive reality.
Thank you, Nathan. It is tempting to say nothing at times like this for fear of making things worse for someone we don’t even know. You have chosen all the best words.
Nicely said. I think what may save people in that darkest place most of us never know is art here, community there. We know many of artists are sensitive souls (with courageous imaginations) who tend to withdraw. If you catch a glimmer of hope or connection in art AND there’s a community to affirm it’s real…well, perhaps that’s the grace of God without which there go I, or something like that.
Thank you.