Day three! Collaboration. Everything in my life that brings me meaning happens with other people. All of the things that make people good — patience, kindness, openness, respect, empathy, compassion — these all have to be present to some degree in order for effective collaboration to happen. Even the conflict inherent in marrying minds toward progress is a catalyst for growth. I am a better person for having worked with others to create. Writing workshop homies, RAWKers, bandmates, workmates, theatermates, Calendarers, husband: you have made me a better person. Now let’s get back to work. The written word. When a study was recently published to confirm that reading fiction increases empathy, I think I literally said, “No duh.” Yes, we told stories before we had the written word. But the number of stories we have access to because of the written word are now nearly infinite. The opportunities to learn about others and Others, to see what informs their choices and perspectives, to recognize differences grown of life experiences and culture as well as universal human truths? These may be our best opportunities to save ourselves. The reading, the writing, the glory of conveying one’s story and having it welcomed by another, these are golden. Laffs. The best for last, you guys. The laffs are where it’s at. The goofin’, the clownin’, the cuttin’ up. It’s pretty much what I want to be doing all of the time. It feeds me and propels me. If I spend time with you or communicate with you consistently, it is because you are hilarious. Laffs are my favorite collaboration of all. People, together, expressing joy or delight or wonder — even wonder at their own despair or fear or frustration — until their faces explode and they convulse. It’s the magical mystery tour of human interaction.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 14:59:44 +0000
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