Creators See the World Differently
After 18 months of pouring ourselves into a passion project, Nicola and I (Juanita) finally held it in our hands last week. Bringing something brand new into the world changes you somehow. You begin with a glimmer of an idea. Then it starts courting you! In the end, you look at everything in the world as to what went into its making. I look at everything with new eyes now… How did that idea visit its creator? Who believed in them?
The Buddhists call the idea of the village interdependence. When I worked at a Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Retreat center, I was struck by the prayers that always acknowledged all the helping hands that brought a meal to me. From the farmer that plowed the fields to the cook that chopped the onions, everyone was recognized.
Buying online is such a disconnected experience from the actual lifeline of the things we consume. I’ve always known that. I suspect you do too. But it’s not until we really build the thing that we embody the depth of this truth.
Being in service to the creative muse is a great honor.
The best part of making something is seeing it out in the wild. This past weekend, I made the rounds of San Miguel de Allende to hand deliver the deck to the people who had backed it in the Central Mexican town I live in. It was like a scavenger hunt: “Meet me on the bridge between Guadalupe and Mexiquito. I’ll wear a blue scarf and have a white dog with me!” Another one: “Look above you! I’m here on the rooftop. Have dinner with us!” And so I went from one location to the next, delighted by the matching joy I found in each person I delivered to.
Starting something from scratch and then walking the finished product to those who had invested in the idea feels wonderful. It’s about as far as consumerism as one can get. It felt special to accompany this lovely instrument of kindness and compassion every step of the way, from inception to delivery.
There’s so much magic in creating something that has asked you to bring it through to this world. If you ever get a tap on the shoulder, listen. Being in service to the creative muse is a great honor.
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