Know When it is Time to Go…

As I sat yesterday (Saturday) at another meeting on the Arts (an outdoor, socially-distanced meeting of key members of SOSArts to be more precise – an organization I spent considerable time helping create and launch over the past couple years), I realized how much the larger society takes for granted in the world of the arts. Few care to attend such meetings yet those that do have noticeable abundance of energy. As I see the process unfolding, the response is still sputtering, although there are signs of rebirth. What I find interesting is that I am increasingly ambivalent or maybe it’s a move towards observant. While I could get really fired up about a building campaign, it’s obvious I am not interested, let alone skilled, at being a groupie or a committee member. So while I’ve stepped off the Board, I recognize that this may well be the last session I will attend period. My energy level is not adequate for what they need. I want to get back to more of my own work that may produce tangible results in the foreseeable future. This group can be exciting and it will get things done, but with people different than this kid!!

Maybe it’s my awareness of my age and a concomitant desire to live as much of the next few years on my terms and in my control. Conferences of a professional nature still turn me on – but these are solitary in focus, helping me stay somewhat on point with evolutions and revolutions in my fields of interest. Teaching remains a passion and if I could expand this role, that would be cool. But perhaps there are some added opportunities that I should be willing to explore/reflect upon!!

And that brings me to a new question: how long do I stay today? And do I continue to make notes about my reflections? Or maybe look at pictures on my phone? Is this what people do when attempting to determine if they have reached their best before date?

The conversation at the session is interesting but every car or pick-up that drives by sings a song to me let’s go travelling!! So I wonder how much longer I will sit here – probably only till noon. And then it struck me – here I am sharing an actual morning with you as I think I may be witnessing a chapter for the Editorialog. I have become an observer to the process that I helped start. The more I reflect, the more I recall my trip to the Indo-Chine (French Indo-China) where I wrote my reflective thoughts at the end of the day. That was the autumn of 2014 and it was a great deal of fun – and it wouldn’t matter if anybody (let alone everybody) found it interesting on any given segment because it’s really just me telling what I saw and then telling you about it…

So I return to the conversation unfolding and I can almost feel there are successful possibilities – the people to whom, I’ve turned over the baton/torch, are keen; there is some growing sense of power and potential – so it was good I sat here that long. Hope is still a live option for living in the South Okanagan/Similkameen!! Amazing, eh??

And with that it seems almost time for a Benediction – if they are wise they will wrap it up in the next few minutes – they are starting to circulate the same conversations!! Hope, hope, hope – don’t stall, don’t go back, accept the progress and lock in so the next gathering can start from a more progressive spot!! (Oh I should be running this meeting – oooops, don’t fall into that trap!!). I am going to take a pause – close my binder and start packing up…

And with that the meeting did come to a close. Several specific tasks were assigned or shared. People planned for the next gathering, complete with additional people to invite. There was energy. I saw hope. I was thankful. I witnessed the moment I was no longer necessary, no longer really present.

But I will tell people about this good group. I will encourage others to take a live interest. They are going to do good things. The Arts will get better, more focussed and organized. We all will be better served, even though many will not know how it happens or who they should thank.

I won’t take these people for granted, nor should you. Support the Arts by attending something this month or at least logging in to some on-line performance. And thank the next artist you see; more importantly write a note to your local Arts Council and thank them for being active.

As for me and SOSArts – my best before date was today…