The Wisdom of the Heart
Hello Dear Artists!
A Story About Teeth
On the eve of February, I get to usher in the new month with....wait for it....a root canal and new crown on my very bad teeth. My family is cursed with poor teeth and without careful attention, my teeth will eventually fall out of my head, as evidenced by some older relatives in Texas who can barely chew. Consequently, I am deeply afraid of dentists and have done my best to cut corners in the past by opting for cheaper dentistry - only to discover that it makes matters painfully worse in the long run.
I found a good dentist recently who gave me the best comprehensive exam I ever had, but outlined, in gory detail, all the work that that needed to get done. After some quick thought about money and pain (because as we all know, to pay for teeth correction by some dentist who knows what he's doing, is equal to purchasing a small island, buying a car or going on a trip to Italy), I decided to begin the work right away.
As I was sitting in the chair waiting for my first procedure this week, I started to sweat. I comically asked the dental assistant if they had any whiskey underneath the counter, or perhaps some laughing gas under the chair, which only prompted a giggle as she walked out of the room.
Then I took a deep breath.
And here is what I heard, "YOU’RE IN GOOD HANDS".
Now, I don't know who said this really - God, My higher self, my angels or my guides - but I took it as a message of deep comfort. A source of wisdom beyond my understanding. It was only after this, that I fully resigned the work to the care of the good doctor.
"You will love again the stranger
who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread.
Give back your heart to itself,
to the stranger who has loved you"
- Derek Wolcott from the poem, Love After Love
The wisdom of your heart will guide you away from fear, give you clarity and help you find your authentic self.
The reason I bring up this most important subject is because I encounter artists all the time who are fearful.
Here's what they tell me:
Will they like my music?
Am I too old?
Do I really want to do this?
Do I have enough money to get a song produced?
It's too tough to write a song?
What will my family think?
But mostly there is self-doubt:
Can I do this?...I don't really think so.
I'm not that good really? ....My mom would always tell me I couldn't sing.
I can't work through the fear of singing in front of people.
I am too afraid of embarrassment....It's easier to just stay home.
It's a lot of hard work and money to get my dreams done, and honestly don't think I want to work that hard.
I have been working hard lately to create a full curriculum designed to confront fears around creating art.
I plan to launch at the top of April. Stay tuned!
Be Brave,