in the spirit of planting seeds

During this time, as I stay present with an emotional compass that is distracted from north - I go back to the wisdom of Makoto in his book, Culture Care, the word “generative”, is a verb I find grounding in. I relate to “generative” as an ongoing series of actions, like a ripple effect from a new volume that sinks into the water body changing it forever. It proliferates outward, creating a variation of wavy lines on the water surface.

I've been spending a lot of energy reflecting on my practice - wondering if I’m getting closer or going further away from the kind of practitioner I want to be. Time and again, I am reminded that evolution is not a linear process. With a creative practice that involves caring for culture, it surely means that my practice will ebb and flow, morph and evolve alongside culture. And that my skills are and will have to be as diverse and varied as the culture I am working with.

Looking back at the notes I penned down in Chapter 10 - Our Calling In The Starry Night, I wrote at the bottom of page # in green, “Who are you when you’re not useful?” Who am I when I am not curating, conceptualising, strategizing and problem solving? Who am I when I am not imparting knowledge? Who am I when I am not making art?

Screenshot of the end of page 79, Chapter 10, Our Calling In The Starry Night

Perhaps the more important questions to ask myself would be: What values do I embody and how does that influence the WAY I am useful? What principles do I live by that defines the way I WANT to be useful?

I hope I emerge in the next writing with some answers to these questions.