“All I know is, if you don’t figure out this something, you’ll just stay ordinary, and it doesn’t matter if its a work of art or a taco, or a pair of socks! Just create something… new, and there it is, and its you, out in the world, out side of you and you can look at it, or hear it, or read it, or feel it… and you know a little more about… you. A little bit more than anyone else does… Does that make any sense at all?”
–Holly, PS I LOVE YOU
One of the things you should know about me is that I watch cheesy movies when I’m on the treadmill. Now that winter has decided to revist Michigan, I’m back on the treadmill instead of out in the glorious sun. Instead of breathing in fresh air, I’m breathing in basement while watching corny Hillary Swank movies on DVD.
Tonight, I was watching PS I LOVE YOU (she’s married to the Irish guy, he dies of cancer, and arranges for her to get letters from him at various times after he’s died. Say it with me, one two three: Awwwwwww!). It gets to the scene where she’s in Ireland, his mother hands her a letter from him and he’s recounting in this letter the first time they met. First of all, true to rom-coms, they totally meet cute as Holly somehow manages to get lost in some scenic national park in the Ireland countryside (happens to the best of us, Holly). And as they walked together, she goes on this ramble about her future and her life and gives the above quote about tacos and creating stuff.
And then I almost fell off the treadmill.
(No. Not really. Not this time, anyway.)
This afternoon, I spent thirty minutes in my guitar lesson – and that thirty minutes was easily one of the brightest spots of my day. This morning, I went out in the backyard with the dog and took pictures of the snow and the sunshine and the sparkle of winter (I hate it, but sometimes it’s pretty).
And every time I visit one of my hobbies, one of my passions, one of the creative endeavors that keeps me from going completely insane (in my decidedly UNCREATIVE job), I feel like that – that there’s a little piece of me out there – by reading my words, looking at my pictures, holding a guitar in my hands – I get to know a little more about myself, I get to find the things about myself that maybe set me apart, for a bit of time in an ordinary day, I can do something that makes me feel extraordinary.
About sarah
For the record – you are extraordinary though I don’t think I could watch cheesy movies on the treadmill. I cry way too easily!
I’m a sucker for cheesy books and cheesy movies…oh and cheesy music, too.
And “I get to know a little more about myself”? Perfect. Perfectly yes.