Daily Signet

In the world of art, it may at first seem as if all the colors may have been painted, all the steps danced, all the notes played. Yet, upon closer inspection, each painting, dance, song is different. For just like the routine activities of our daily lives, the creativity is not in the things themselves. Instead, each artist has the miraculous potential to take those same old, used parts and from them, to create something new. In the same way, each and every human being, has the potential to dip from the same pool of wisdom, truth and love and to retell, reorder, and thus renew the life and power of the Beloved Spirit. But whatever creative endeavor we take on, even in our daily life, we must be open to hearing that voice, having the right movement be revealed, and acting upon what we are called to do. While I like to imagine these spiritual inspirations come through quiet meditation, often it requires one to persevere through long periods of ambiguity and the courage to take risks. I can see this fact clearly and understand it as necessary when observing choreographers and dancers I work with in the studio, yet I am so impatient when faced with similar processes in my own life. Franz Kafka says of this, “If we knew we were on the right road having to leave it would mean endless despair. But we are on a road that only leads to a second one and then to a third one and so forth. And the real highway will not be sighted for a long, long time, perhaps never. So we drift in doubt. But also in an unbelievable beautiful diversity. Thus the accomplishment of hopes always remains an unexpected miracle. But in compensation, the miracle remains forever possible.”                                                                               

Alexis Drabek

On This Day…

Booker T. Washington born 1856 in Alabama, died 1915: educator, author, orator and advisor to U. S. presidents.

Works: Up From Slavery, Character Building, The Negro Problem

Quotes: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome.” “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” “Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him and to let him know that you trust him.”