Beauty, Security, and the Struggle for Sustainability

Beauty, Security, and the Struggle for Sustainability

         In September of 2014, I made some amendments to a lifestyle that I had been pursuing for eight years up until that point, full-time artist and musician. Sure, in the interim I earned two degrees from LSU and held a handful of unrelated part-time jobs, but the way of life consistent with creation and musical exploration was always present. In that September nearly a year ago, I decided that I would need to supplement my income with earnings both substantial and consistent. At the time, and for personal reasons I won't go into here, I had to heal quickly from the long-standing disposition I carried holding that to have a need for any income outside of my musical earnings implied that I failed or wasn’t proficient enough to support myself on music alone. That is an interior lie perpetuated by a culture that, on the whole, does not value Beauty in the way one would value other life essentials…but that is a whole other blog, and I digress.

            As of today, and since that point in time, I have applied for thirty-five jobs. These jobs vary in title and responsibility, but are related in their lists of qualifications, education requirements, and suggested experiences. For my purpose, they were titles relating to logistics, administration, organizational, clerical, performance, conducting, and management. Ten of those titles were decided without consideration, and as for the three that offered me interviews…well, if they had worked out, I don’t think I would be writing this. As for the remaining twenty-two, I haven’t been contacted at all. Now, I’m sure there’s a Pearson counselor out there who may be reading this thinking, “well, you just need to know how to differentiate yourself from potential employers…”. That logic is fleeting. The truth is, the markets are saturated and employers aren’t always interested in investing in potential employees. I would be dishonest if I was to say that I haven’t felt discouraged and desolate at times. I’ve even hated the music that I would normally seek refuge in because I would feel like it had distracted me for so long that I have become useless.  I know plenty of artists, writers, actors, dancers, and musicians who feel the exact same way.

            I didn’t come here to complain but to brag about a great truth I realized today. I was in Mass earlier (and for those of you from different faith practices, I intend to make this as relevant to you as I can), and a line in the gospel caught my attention. John 6:26-28 reads, “….Amen, amen I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life…”.  In context, Jesus had just fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish to capacity, and with an abundance left over. Afterwards, he left and was sought out by many of the disciples that were present at the feast. They desired to be fed more food, to which Jesus responded that they seek the virtue and way of life that will get them to Heaven. Friends, Beauty is the great heavenly food found here on earth. The beauty present to us all in abundance in the forms of music, nature, written words, drama, dance, love, service, silence, and celebration is not perishable, nor does it fill us to capacity like the food consumed by the 5,000 people. We never get enough Beauty, and we always leave a beautiful experience wanting more. One experience will keep us returning again and again, thus filling our daily lives the substance and true sustainable security that we believe money alone will bring us. Like wise, I am not saying that we don’t have a responsibility to feed, shelter, and clothe our families and ourselves. I would say that, to do so devoid of beautiful encounters and experiences would render those efforts lifeless when we believe them to be life giving.

            This is my appeal, to beauty makers: let the search for the earthly food that perishes only aid your ever-continuing search for truth and beauty through your gifts. For the beauty-receivers: support those who enhance your lives with the eternal food that is beauty. Do so by investing in them in as many ways as you are able. Finally, to those of us artists who continue to search for the means to eat and be healthy, don’t give up!