Cold Feet?

I always get this chill at the back of my spine every time I find myself gathered in a circle of individuals sharing his and hers aspiring occupations. Maybe, every time it’s only my ears that hear the sound of crickets conversing in the wind after I announce what my profession is going to be. It often feels as if at the moment I’m done stating what I do, a man cloaked within a nearby bush, will hop out and scream “seriously?”, as if what I just said was a joke. It’s not just me because I can see it on people’s faces. When I’m standing in a circle among future doctors, lawyers, and teachers, and I blurt out “photography” as my future, they all give me this “he must be crazy” look as if I’m dress up as Santa and a calendar just flipped its pages until it stopped on July. Still, I guess I’ve been sort of questioning the importance or should I say significance of an artist compared to teachers, doctors, and lawyers in the world today. To be blunt, I couldn’t see past the mountains of importance they have. I couldn’t see why an artist could even consider themselves just as important as the other choices, because I didn’t see it saving someone’s life, or teaching kids, or even providing someone justice.

The Climb

Now, I’ve opened my eyes a bit, and I’m starting to see what was gleaming all along beyond those mountains; expression. I imagined a world without artist and all I could perceive was a dull place cursed in a colorless, monochrome for entirety. Perhaps that was a bit extreme. Regardless, I saw everyone as the same  much like robots, walking in lines, proceeding every action in a well oiled, precise and scheduled motion. On the bright side, nothing was out-of-order and all the restrooms were clean, but simultaneously on the bad side, everyone became lifeless; walking, breathing, and living Dead.

I think we take for granted the roles of artisans and their ability to shape, create, and manipulate the World as if it were just another medium used for expression. They are just as important as other jobs, and if anything, they are more important. If I’m wrong, then tell me, however I’ll only ask you one thing: “If Art isn’t important than what is?”