One many snarkish phrases that I've said more often than I would like in my life, "that must be nice" is one that has me thinking a lot lately. I'm sitting at a coffee shop with A. We're both doing research and writing presentations for our work. And a musician has just started playing.
And I thought, "wow, it must be nice to just write music and perform for work."
Revealing, no?
Lot of assumptions there - that writing music and performing it is easy or easier than other work, for one - but also a sad commentary on my own life. Must be nice implies must be nicer than what I am/do/have which relates to a level of dissatisfaction with what I am/do/have. And there is some (sometimes much) of that, but also there is a lot that I appreciate or even take for granted that someone else might "must be nice" me about.
I think one of the things that I realized when I thought "must be nice" about this singer is that it must be nice to be doing creative work that he loves. In between songs, this late 20's singer-songwriter revealed that he works at a movie theater and burned himself on some popcorn. Wow, that's not so nice. I wouldn't want to work at the movie theater and I bet they don't pay that well. But he's just doing what he needs to do to support himself while he does create.
And I hope I can remember that when I'm doing all the daily mundane tasks at my clinic or when I'm working my side job at the market - I'm doing all of this so that I can have the time and space and health to be present with my patients and help them on their healing journey, which is the creative, psycho-spiritual, energetic and physical work that I love and it's worth it. Just like it's worth him working at the movie theater and getting burned by popcorn when he has a beautiful voice and creative spirit.
Revealing, no?
Lot of assumptions there - that writing music and performing it is easy or easier than other work, for one - but also a sad commentary on my own life. Must be nice implies must be nicer than what I am/do/have which relates to a level of dissatisfaction with what I am/do/have. And there is some (sometimes much) of that, but also there is a lot that I appreciate or even take for granted that someone else might "must be nice" me about.
I think one of the things that I realized when I thought "must be nice" about this singer is that it must be nice to be doing creative work that he loves. In between songs, this late 20's singer-songwriter revealed that he works at a movie theater and burned himself on some popcorn. Wow, that's not so nice. I wouldn't want to work at the movie theater and I bet they don't pay that well. But he's just doing what he needs to do to support himself while he does create.
And I hope I can remember that when I'm doing all the daily mundane tasks at my clinic or when I'm working my side job at the market - I'm doing all of this so that I can have the time and space and health to be present with my patients and help them on their healing journey, which is the creative, psycho-spiritual, energetic and physical work that I love and it's worth it. Just like it's worth him working at the movie theater and getting burned by popcorn when he has a beautiful voice and creative spirit.
