Hope is Practical

Photo of Harry Nilsson on the poster for the documentary

'Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?'

( Courtesy of the film )

"I do believe that most men live lives of quiet desperation. For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

Harry Nilsson

(June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), was an American singer-songwriter

who reached the peak of his success in the early 1970s.

Recently a friend wrote me a card and said she has been really down and having a hard time finding the words to even talk about her feelings. Dear reader, I've been in that dark place and the word I often use to describe it is despair. So I went searching for a quote to cheer her up and came across the one above by Harry Nilsson.

Reading it I remembered trips I've taken to parts of the world where people have a lot more struggle and suffering in their daily lives than we do and yet they seemed to smile, laugh, dance, and sing. Obviously not ALL the time but I've always marveled that they could do it at all. Harry's quote helped me understand that humans MUST find a way to enjoy life otherwise it is overwhelmingly and crushing to the point that no one would get out of bed in the morning.

Quotes can be powerful things...they are a type of art and art in all its forms is powerful. For example:

Let's go back in time for a moment...specifically to a time BEFORE I read that quote. At that time I often felt disappointed when I worked on my current painting, "5 Senses Art Project: Texas". For many Americans daily life right now is heavy and there is a lot to talk about, be angry about, and want to fight over. I couldn't help but think that my artwork should reflect those emotions instead of some idyllic fantasy scene of a picnic by a waterfall.

Now let's fast forward to how I'm feeling AFTER reading Harry's quote. Right now there are plenty of artists are making art to express feelings of disappointment, despair, depression, and anger. I'm glad they are because it gives me room to express something else, something different, something hopeful.

Choosing to find hope is a courageous act. It is easy to fall into anger and hatred, it's much harder to feel angry and hateful but chose to be kind, chose to laugh, chose to enjoy life.

As Harry said, "Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it's pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living."

I want to LIVE.

And hopefully inspire others to live and enjoy life no matter what is going on in the world.

So now, right now, I feel pretty darn good about my idyllic fantasy scene of a picnic by a waterfall. ❤️