Creative Astonishment

The world outside would want for you to believe,

For distraction and dismemberment,

There's something you must do out there.

That engagement with the disruption is where you need to stand.

There's truth in that,

But first,

Awake and creative comes from within.

It is my belief that as an artist and a creator,

We are not here to respond.

Not to the external world,

That is.

We are here to respond to an internal calling,

An internal prompt.

Once we potentiate that,

Manifest what sits in us and grows,

Has been seeded and blooms.

That,

Then,

Is the response to this external disruption and distraction.

Therefore,

The most important thing you can do,

Creator,

Is stay still.

Stay still.

Give yourself time and space to pull in,

To recognize,

Again,

That divine internal prompt.

Your own personal,

Unique,

Intuitive knowingness.

It might be startling at first.

It might be its own disruption to your system.

But when it's recognized,

And you know,

That you know,

That you know,

It is something for you to say,

There's intense astonishment,

Delight,

And wonder.

Those things are your guide.

Those reactions are your prompt.

Take them and go create.

Because this,

This manifestation that comes,

Is what is needed now in the world.

We don't know right now what it will be.

You don't know what it's going to look like.

And it may seem easier to simply step out and join the rally,

Or raise your voice in the general cry.

But artist,

Creator,

We must give ourselves space and time to hear and create what is as yet unknown.

Because more than ever,

That is the response that is needed.

I implore you,

Take some time today,

As hard as it is,

As difficult and untenuous as it may seem,

To sit still and do nothing.

And take a moment and know,

And know that what you are doing is some of the richest work needed in the world today.

You were made and set here to give voice to this,

Your own astonishment.

Annie Dillard Awaken creative today.