Tag: The Arts

Something Sublime for March ~ The Joy of Watching a Live Performance

IMG_4532March is Oscar time, and I watched this year’s award show from beginning to end. It made me realize that as much as I love going to the movies, it will never match attending a live performance. So far this month, I’ve happily found myself in the audience of four different shows ~ a jazz concert, a high school musical, a friend’s bar gig and a play at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Each experience reminded me of the importance of live performances, especially in a world of increased isolation created by digital technology, social media and screens, screens and more screens. The benefits of live music and theater are numerous, but here are five things that make attending a live performance simply sublime.

1. Human Connection ~ When we attend a live performance we become part of a temporary community made up of people who have at least one thing in common – each has chosen to suspend all other activities to attend the same performance. These communities might come together at a fancy theatre in the city, the local high school or a corner pub, but the result is similar. Research shows the heart beats of audience members actually synchronize!  Live performances create the human connection our world is so desperately lacking.

2. Valuing Artistic Talent ~ One could argue that our society values things over people. How refreshing it is to celebrate the talents of both a Juilliard-trained cellist and a friend who sings and plays the guitar. This week I was moved to tears by high schoolers singing and dancing in a school play and by veteran actor Richard Thomas’s portrayal of Atticus Finch in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. While such talent may be God-given, these ordinary people work unbelievably hard to refine their abilities so they can graciously share it with others in a live situation.

3. Social Discourse ~ Our high school’s anxiously-awaited annual operetta featured a new musical called Ranked. The story of a dystopian world where academic competition reaches a new level as highly publicized grades define high school students’ worth made for a thought-provoking evening. In the same way, the audience watching the stage version of To Kill a Mockingbird contemplated issues of poverty, race, addiction, injustice and innocence. In a departure from the novel, the main character and narrator, Scout, ended the show with this line, “All rise!” Long after the curtain closed, I’m still thinking about the deeper meaning and call-to-action of those two powerful final words.

4. Real Human Experience ~ Movies, albums and Facebook posts can be edited to perfection before shared. More and more often they are computer-generated. Every live performance is unique. No two live performances are ever the same. For this reason, the experience becomes more real, risky, exciting and ever-evolving for both the audience and the performers. With live performances, it takes more effort than just pressing play. There’s something fresh and real about a performance that isn’t canned and digitized.

5. Different Perspectives ~ Live performances help us see life from different points of view other than our own. As an audience member, we watch life happen in a pin-pointed way on a stage in front of us. The music, action, dialogue, props, light and sound reach into our emotions and can make us see life from another perspective. As Atticus Finch said in both the novel and in Aaron Sorkin’s new play, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” §

“Nothing beats a live performance. Nothing.”
~ Jonathan Demme, filmmaker

10 Ways to Bring More Joy to Your Days

Hard to believe we are already three months into the new year. My personal mantra for this year is Joie de Vivre, or joy of living. Honestly, on more than one occasion I double-checked my poor French didn’t cause me to sign-up for more stress, than joy, in my vivre!

Of course, true advocates of la joie de vivre would say it’s when things get a little crazy, or fou in French, that we must remember to celebrate life’s simple joys. We each have our own ideas about what brings happiness, but here are ten areas where we can all find more everyday joy.

1. Dining ~ No matter what we’re eating, we can make meals a more pleasant ritual. We can take time to put our food on a pretty plate and sit down with a placemat and napkin. We can turn off the television and put away our phones. It will soon be warm enough to dine al fresco. Savoring our meals with gratitude is a simple joy we often take for granted.

2. Nature ~ Research indicates many people, especially children, are increasingly experiencing a nature deficit. With spring right around the corner, most of us are eager to get outside in the fresh air. Take a walk. Listen to the birds. Enjoy the sunshine. Nature is good for the mind, body, and soul, and it is such a simple way to increase our joy.

3. Creativity ~ When we get lost in something creative, we give our brains a break from fret and worry and get into a meditative state some scientists call flow. Whether we enjoy gardening, cooking, painting, quilting, or some other hobby, delving into a creative pursuit is where we can find our happy place.

4. Flowers ~ Flowers bring joy to any space. I’ll never forget how my students reacted when I brought in fresh flowers for our classroom. It won’t be long before the earth will be speaking to us through blossoms of every type and color. Pick a single flower or budding tree limb and arrange it in a vase of water for instant happiness.

5. The Arts ~ The arts have always brought joy to humanity. Thankfully, we all have different tastes in architecture, sculpture, painting, literature, music, performance, and film, but we know what makes our heart sing. Until we can safely return to our beloved museums, libraries, and theaters, we can explore the arts at home. I’m already planning my trip to see the Van Gogh Immersive Experience in Chicago.

6. Wardrobe ~ Opening an organized closet filled with a small selection of clothing I want to wear brings me such joy. I personally love the simplicity and femininity of dresses. I’ve already put away my darker, heavier ones and brought out my spring things. Getting dressed is something we do every day, and it can easily become something that brings us joy.

7. Attitude ~ Nothing adds more joy to our days than having a positive attitude. Cultivating a good attitude is a daily habit. Whatever we focus on seems to increase, so it only makes sense to think on the positive. Long ago I heard someone say we can choose to wake up and say, “Good God, morning” or “Good morning, God.” The choice is ours!

8. Color ~ What colors bring you joy? This week I looked at thousands of rugs at a large decorating store. I had to dig deep to find one in a color that made me smile. That peachy-coral rug and a few cans of paint in fresh, happy colors have made our new house feel like home. To a large extent, we have a choice about the colors that surround us. What color do you need more of in your life?

9. Self-Care ~ Sometimes we need to pamper ourselves a little. My sister sent me a gift set of heavenly lavender-scented bath products. She knows how much I value the simple joy of closing the door and luxuriating in an hour or so of at-home beauty treatments. It’s not about primping and preening for vanity’s sake. It’s about taking time to care for ourselves, so we can take care of others.

10. Spirituality ~ Our spiritual growth is a lifelong process that can bring us the ultimate joy. We can seek it throughout our days from books, music, meditation, scripture, yoga, art, nature, prayer, silence, service, and religious practices. Many would agree, the greater our spirituality, the greater our joy. It was Mother Teresa who reminded us, “Joy is strength.” §

(To read more about the French expression, Joie de Vivre, please go to my January article at http://www.thesimpleswan.com/2021/01/03. Merci!)