Spring is upon us in Minnesota, and we see five months’ worth of get-outside-and-make-it-happen bubble up on the first warm weekend of the year. For me this means more walks (although less intense than my winter walks), bike rides, dinner outside, sitting on the porch, sprints for weight loss and muscle growth, cabin time, grilling, and church softball league.
Last night on a bike ride with my–now very pregnant and ever-more beautiful–wife, I saw this chalk drawing on the sidewalk about a mile from our house. I was so impressed that I walked back this morning to get a picture.
It’s not so much that the chalk drawing impressed me–although it did. Nor was this the only chalk drawing we saw–it wasn’t. No, what really impressed me is the simple fact that someone spent hours creating this knowing it would not last. Not only that, but this person made this wonderful art that by now (probably) thousands of folks have encountered and enjoyed while gaining no notoriety from it! There is no monetary benefit. No gained fame. No acclaim. Just art.
Are you the type to build the sand castle knowing it won’t survive the inevitable night’s tide?
Think about that for a moment. Reflect on it: someone invested hours of his or her time drawing a picture that thousands of people would enjoy, and he or she received nothing from it–while knowing it would not last! By definition chalk drawings do not last. And this person still spent the time on the drawing.
Now, perhaps chalk drawings are easy and I am overestimating the time this person spent on this picture. Fair enough. But that’s not my point. How often does anyone do anything simply for the love of the activity these days?
There are thunderstorms in the forecast for Thursday. This already-fading chalk art while have a total lifespan of five days at most.
What are you building? Why are you building it? Would you paint the painting or write the book if you knew it would be destroyed in a fire? Are you the type to build the sand castle knowing it won’t survive the inevitable night’s tide?
