We are living in tenuous times. What a mess. Tiger Woods went from the ultimate Player of the Decade to a $100 million dollar sponsor wash out in a matter of weeks. In tennis as well as just about every sport me-ism yells at everybody that disagrees with the individual. Players act as if they had done something hugely special in doing their route assignments. There is no loyalty between organization and individuals and coaches punish players for having concussions. Sports have no corner on the mess market. One is still OK even if they’ve forsaken their vows, lost magic feelings and have combative, non communicating relationships or committed adultery. After all, one has to get on with one’s life. We are now touting that divorce rates are lower because Americans can’t afford to get divorced. No word on how kids now see divorce as part of marriage or how they have been poisoned toward one of their parents, or even if the grass is greener in someone else’s bed.

Our feel good, self-absorbed society fights daily for “me-ism” and “15 minutes of fame”. We easily forget that as soon as the time runs out so do the people who care. Herein lays the destructive water damage and erosion of a culture and society who once prided itself in people, service, education and the arts and freedom. We set about educating our youth in the opportunities of exploring their God given talents. What we have done is pat the little ones on their heads and tell them they were American Idols with birth rights to recording contracts, television specials and happily ever after lives before they have even sung a note. Part of the back lash of all this is that rejection has made everyone a head coach from the bleachers or in front of the high-def TV. Everyone’s an artist and everyone is a critic. Sorry but poster paint on newsprint didn’t give one this right and community college or night school doesn’t make one the second coming of Picasso. Using one’s vocal cords to spout off about something of which one truly has no understanding doesn’t make them a professional reviewer, let alone an authority.

Just because our society and culture has developed a whacked view of beauty, appreciation and care, let alone the arts and art paintings, doesn’t mean we should throw everything into the rubbish trucks. If we would first stop, listen, think, and consider where we are and what occupies us we might start down the correct path. If we’d only start to think before we open up our mouths, if we’d engage our brains, if we would try to learn something or even appreciate something or someone before spouting off, things might change. If we would consider with more humility and in light of elevating others what others have done to allow us what we have, we might have a new respect for our God given positions. If we would look closely, try to see with more than our natural eyes and if we’d listen with more than our natural ears, things might change. True art paintings engage you. True art paintings give positive messages and like wine, stand the test of time and grow on you. Just like all the experts and research studies tell us that long marriage partnerships, in which there is always struggle, are better than any divorce, true art paintings enhance your life and get better with time. You can’t keep art paintings wrapped up. You have to look at them with your heart and your soul. You have to listen to their messages and you have to engage them like any other serious relationship.

Rather than sit there and spout off about this and that, find art paintings that hit you, that move you, that engage you. Find the positives. Compare them with things you accomplished, you developed, you created, you spent time developing and think about the individual who poured themselves into its creation. Start to live out rather than live in. Be thankful for all you have and what God has given you. If you stop, look and think on it, it’s always better than what it could be.

Douglas Auld
Copyright MMX Douglas Auld, all rights reserved

About the Author:
Douglas Auld
Artist, Painter, Poet and Writer
http://art-paintings.us
http://www.paint-tings.com
http://findmypaintings.blogspot.com/

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