What I'm Consuming: Big Magic
Before I dive into writing this blog post, I have to apologize. When I first started these posts, I set out to share something I'm loving every week, but, alas, I got caught up in the tidal wave of what would become arguably the craziest month of my life.
But I'm back, and right now I'm reading and loving Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, the critically acclaimed author of Eat, Pray, Love.
Do you ever see themes in your life? Things that just keep coming up over and over again? For me, it was Big Magic. For a month, it seemed like whenever I explained to people how I started Car Window Poetry, their next question would always be, "Have you ever read Big Magic?"
I believe the reason for this is because the idea of Car Window Poetry sort of came to me by accident. I didn't move to Colorado Springs with the intention of starting Car Window Poetry. The inspiration for the project ultimately came through the people I was meeting and the experiences I was having. Then, once the idea came to me, I knew I couldn't let it escape, so I did everything I could to capitalize on the idea that night.
Gilbert writes about how she believes: “Ideas have no material body, but they do have consciousness, and they most certainly have will." Ideas travel from person to person finding someone who's open to working with them. When an idea “realizes that you’re oblivious to its message, it will move on to someone else." But if it sees that you're open to working with it, that idea will begin its work on you.
When friends who recommended Big Magic to me would describe Gilbert's theory about ideas, I would immediately start thinking about an encounter I had right around the time I decided to pursue Car Window Poetry. The night after saying yes to this idea, I went to my monthly poetry group and asked the host, Teryn, if I could share this project I was starting with the group.
I explained Car Window Poetry to the group, and everyone seemed excited, but Teryn seemed taken aback. She shared with me how, in the previous year, right around the month we were in, she had had an idea to cover Colorado Springs with poetry by leaving poems in places around the city, but she never went through with it.
In accordance with Gilbert's theory, the idea that led to Car Window Poetry graciously traveled from Teryn to me, and really all I did differently was go through with it and see what it could become. Teryn is now one of my friendliest supporters and has done a lot of photography for the project.
I'm still making my way through Big Magic, but, if you're looking a book that will inspire you to take on your dreams, definitely give it a read. Also, in tandem with the book, Elizabeth Gilbert created a podcast called Magic Lessons to help aspiring artists overcome their fears and create more joyfully. It's been one of my favorite listens recently. Go check it out!
Now, I want to know what you're consuming right now that you love. Tweet us your answer!
Much love.