How has your first week of July gone? Can you believe that we are already a week into July? So much has happened in this first week, so much good and so much bad. It is hard to even read the news with all that is happening in the world. So, without having anything really to add that hasn’t been written before, I’ll simply give you this week’s quote:

With all the horrible things being said and done in the world, it is easy to fall into the trap of being a cynic. It is harder to fall into the trap of being an idealist, but one can and it doesn’t really help either. The middle, where there is dialogue and hard work and understanding, is where we should strive to be–where we can be human. It can be difficult and tiring, but it really is the only way that life gets better.

It’s the same with creating anything, if you really think about it. You can be an idealist or a cynic, but either one will probably mean you won’t create much no matter what your medium. Or you can be human, flawed and all. You can keep creating art and love and dialogue. And, maybe, one day, you just might create something that surprises you by how well it captures your ideas, your art.

We can’t be more than humans, but we can decide how we are humans and what it means to be human. We can decide how to use our art and our words. We have that power and I hope we decide to use it well.

P.S. If you aren’t familiar with Hugh MacLeod’s work, you should check it out. Also, his book, Ignore Everybody, is a funny, insightful read for anyone who needs a pep talk about being creative.