For the first few days, the job was overwhelming. We were swimming with new clients, and I had to learn about all of these different restaurants I had never been to so that I could write convincing updates from their perspective, and I had no clue what the heck "Squareberry" was (this is the site where we schedule the updates).
Once I settled in, however, I could really appreciate it. Because what we do there is fascinating. Social media is a powerful marketing tool, and it's powerful because it makes businesses and celebrities and authors and restaurants seem so accessible. We are all in need of that form of connection. It is nice to know that, as much as technology has the power to alienate us (for example, every member of my family is sitting in a different room right now, doing our own thing on the computer), it also has the power to connect us. I will never forget what my grandmother said to me after she went on Facebook for the first time. "It was so energizing!" she said, "I felt so good!" She had been given a glimpse into the lives of people she hadn't spoken with in years. She had found out which restaurants they were eating at, what their pets looked like, how old their children were. It was uplifting.
Lately, I have been writing more blog articles than updates, and I enjoy them for a completely different reason. What I love about writing is that it allows us to interact with the world and to learn about it. For the past few weeks, I have written blog articles for local galleries. Most of these blog articles feature artists and their upcoming shows. I don't pretend to approach the subject with the eye (or the knowledge) of a critic. But I do love writing about these artists and their work. For one thing, they are such incredible people. They have led interesting lives. They are exploring ideas that are at the very core of what it means to alive. They are trying to convey just a tiny bit of truth to the world.
Most of the time, I write these articles using the official biography of the author and whatever other information I find online. On Thursday, however, I had the opportunity to interview an artist. I was nervous. I shut myself into my company's meeting room and arranged a little area on the table for myself: my computer in the center, a cup of coffee and a muffin on the left side, my phone on the right side. I wasn't nervous to speak to him, necessarily. I was just nervous that I would not do it right. That I would not ask the right questions. That I would not end up with enough material for the blog. That I would not grasp the concept of his work.
Our conversation, as it turns out, was the highlight of my job so far. There was something so satisfying about going out and getting the material for myself and then translating all of my notes and all of his quotes into an article that--I hope--captured the essence of his art.
The artist spoke to me about the importance of gratitude. He meditates every day before he begins painting. He gives thanks for the moment. On my drive home from work, while waiting at a stoplight, I felt so happy that I started thanking the world out loud. These past two years have not been the best for me or for my family. I don't usually feel inspired. I often feel lonely. I want to go out into the world and make a difference, but I don't know how to begin.
And then there are those moments. On the phone with an artist. Typing an article about him. Waiting at a stoplight on the drive home.
There are those moments when I know that I will be okay.
No comments:
Post a Comment