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How Art Is a First Responder for My Soul
Uncertain times call for artistic truth on the frontlines
This year is already exhausting and it’s not even February. The constant news cycle floods with shocking events and with each new revelation, I sometimes feel like I’m sinking. The daily game of “choose your outrage” saps my soul and energy — but a plethora of outrageous events occur that leave me incredulous hourly, even — and I have to fight the urge to make a blanket fort and hide.
The stunning realization that even still, I have to live my normal life, deflates my soul. Bills need to be paid. Doctors’ appointments kept. Fitness maintained. Relationships nourished. Discovering laughter and light in small moments fuels me for what the future holds.
In my darkest moments, when I need perspective and clarity, art is the medicine that heals my soul and restores my focus. A powerful film, novel, song, or TV series renews my hope and drowns out the whispers of despair. Writing fiction and creative non-fiction clears my mental fog and reaffirms my purpose.
Art is the first responder that stands on the frontlines of uncertain times, tends to our collective wounds, and offers catharsis that helps us to forge ahead.
