I can’t wait for her to be done so she can move the lamp that’s just above my face, and upright my chair. After more sloshing, whirring and sucking sounds, she finishes. She asks a couple questions about Jen and Will and homeschooling. She tells me about her son’s recent fall and how quickly the break healed.
She moves the lamp and returns my chair to the upright position and steps out to answer the phone.
I’ve been going to the same dentist for almost 20 years. Some visits I’m placed in a chair where I can’t see the quote. The framed quote has been on the window wall since I’ve been going to his office. I can’t remember when I didn’t want a copy. The quote is printed on yellowing parchment. The frame is heavy, brown painted wood.
Last week I finally wrote it down…
On Creativity
The man who follows the crowd, will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before.
Creativity in living is not without its attendant difficulties, for peculiarity breeds contempt. And the unfortunate thing about being ahead of your time is that when people finally realize you were right, they’ll say it was obvious all along.
You have two choices in life: You can dissolve into the mainstream, or you can be distinct. To be distinct, you must be different. To be different, you must strive to be what no one else but you can be.
— Alan Ashley-Pitt
Tags: life, proactive
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 at 6:59 am and is filed under Quotes, Random Observations, Seeing My Path.
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I think we must have the same dentist. I’ve also loved that one.
These words ring loudly in bellows beckoning one to creatively seek their authentic self. It so hard to go beyond what you know, or to go against whats comfortable rather. It is much harder to separate from the crowd, & take a full leap. The leap for me has been extremely scary and at times physically taxing. I am hopeful, however, that the landing will be in the end ideally worthwhile. You can walk away fully self aware of yourself creatively and the world around you. To make your own path, and to be uniquely different in my opinion is a risk worth taking. And as an end result you might discover a whole other side of yourself, that you were glad you got to meet. Think! Your creativity can not only impact your life, but also be impactful for those who are just starting their journey. Love & blessings all.
Kira,
In the end, I have to wonder what the point is, if we aren’t attempting to express our unique selves.
Thanks for your beautiful comment. Good luck with your journey.
Jesse
I love quotes! Been collecting them for decades. I got this one on a little piece of ‘desk art’.
“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus, only by hard work, risking and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you will discover will be wonderful: Yourself.” — Alan Alda
Two more:
“You need enough breathing space to allow your heart to ponder what is precious.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach
“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have of trying to change others.” – Jacob M Braude
OK, just one more of my favorites:
“Life is not a journey to be lived safely, guarding against the possibility of risk. Rather, it should be lived so that, in the end, you skid sideways into your grave and your last words are: YEEHAW – what a ride!!”
Donna,
Me, too! Me, too! I’ve always loved quotes.
You sent some gems. Thank you!
Really like the YEEHAW and the visual of skidding into the grave!