The Principles of Uncertainty
June 10, 2009 by Janice
Not knowing. Not knowing and choosing to do it anyway. Going forward with uncertainty. That creates two things. Excitement and fascination. Well, it can create panic and fear too, but we are going with the excitement and fascination parts at the moment. Because those are the good parts. And don’t we love to be fascinated and excited?
I mean we kind of like those designs that barrista’s make in our lattes, don’t we? Who knew? But someone had the guts to play with cream and voila. Fun.
Uncertainty though, that’s the topic. I read somewhere at sometime if you pick up a stick, to remember you get both ends of it. With courage some fear, with beauty not so beautiful, with not knowing some knowing too. Here’s the thing though. Do you pick up the stick or no? Engage or no? Grow or no? Play with cream or no? ( think I need some coffee?)
If you stay inside that uncertainty, hang with it a little while and go forward anyway, you get to experience all of those ends of the metaphorical stick. And each one has its place. In fact, those not so good parts actually tell you something really good. Listen to them.
They tickle a very alive part of you that is eager to get out.
Especially when we are talking about doing something creative. Maybe something that is a little different than our usual, comfortable, lovely way of doing things. Nothing wrong at all with usual, and comfortable, and lovely. Nothing wrong at all. That’s what we want from ourselves, some kind of mastery after all. But those mastery muscles actually increase in strength if you go toward what you don’t know.
Yep. Just like working out. Pushing toward the edges.
Which brings me to that pitiful blossom you see in the photo. I was kind of excited and fascinated yesterday because when I set out on my mile in the sun walk, my workout (pushing my lungs toward strength ) something caught my eye. “It couldn’t be”.. I thought…but I walked over to the hedge and investigated, my heart beating just a bit faster. Yes, it could, there on a backyard hedge, the alley view, thank you very much, were perfect little blossoms of passion flower.
Passion flowers. I laughed and smiled at the sheer perfection of finding those right then. Wasn’t looking, was just warming up and working over in my head about what I might say to you today And I had just had another surprising message from someone special in my life. AND I had just read of all the excitement about our mail art project. I was smiling already.
But Passion flowers. Right there.
Right there in all the uncertainty and excitement and what to do…wait for it … I can see you smiling. I can practically feel your eyes sparkling…because what can happen when you least expect it?
Passion blooms. In your work, in your thrill of trying something different, or even some something from an unexpected direction. But how can it bloom if you never pick up that stick and play with it a bit?
After all if those barrista’s can do it so can we. We’re just using tiny little postcards…little bits of space to breathe upon…
Yep. Uncertainty… can you feel how lovely it can be? Roll in it, let it tickle you all it wants…it can be your friend.
You all are amazing. I couldn’t be more excited about what mischief we are up to.
All mischief sharing is totally welcome in the comments below BTW or shoot me an email if you like, or tweet if you want to be like a bird.
Let’s see stamps, cards… what to do…WHAT TO DO?!!! Yep. Stay with that for a little while, enjoy it. And listen to it.
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Yeah! The “don’t know” mind is where freedom is. No future, no past, just exploring the place where we are. Diving in and noticing… listening… we always somehow know what to do next. Then we’re living on the cutting edge!
Todd Smith’s last blog post..Preliminary image selection for next year’s calendar
Todd,
Very wabi sabi approach…:-)
Meaning, going with the imperfections of the moments …leaning into them a bit just like that guy up there in the photo… who is skating on salt, The caption says..
[...] Cartier invites us into the new and exciting space of uncertainty: The Principles of Uncertainty Passion blooms. In your work, in your thrill of trying something different, or even some something [...]