I came across this poem a few days ago. Enjoy!
Never Mind
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Whatever your work and whatever its worth,
No matter how strong or clever,
Some one will sneer if you pause to hear,
And scoff at your best endeavour.
For the target art has a broad expanse,
And wherever you chance to hit it,
Though close be your aim to the bull's-eye fame,
There are those who will never admit it.
Though the house applauds while the artist plays,
And a smiling world adores him,
Somebody is there with an ennuied air
To say that the acting bores him.
For the tower of art has a lofty spire,
With many a stair and landing,
And those who climb seem small oft-time
To one at the bottom standing.
So work along in your chosen niche
With a steady purpose to nerve you;
Let nothing men say who pass your way
Relax your courage or swerve you.
The idle will flock by the Temple of Art
For just the pleasure of gazing;
But climb to the top and do not stop,
Though they may not all be praising.
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I love the message. I particularly appreciate the line, "For the tower of art has a lofty spire,
With many a stair and landing". We do our best to reach our highest potential, but this line shows that there plateaus along the way. When we reach a pause for any period of time it can be easy to look around and say, "what the hell am I doing way up here!" and start to doubt ourselves. Sometimes people or situations can be discouraging, but we must carry on with confidence. How do you avoid/fight off those who attempt to disrupt your art and keep climbing higher?
I tend to immerse myself in the chaos of creating a collage and/or head to the nearest thrift store. Sorting through chaos helps jolt my brain into action and come up with new and exciting ideas.
We don't keep animals in our home, but we always have lovely visits at the zoo.
