issue no. 779

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ART . . .

in times of crisis? I have a few ideas that have been following me around about that recently.

At the end of last month, I took an afternoon to wander the Raphael: Sublime Poetry exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was preview days for members, and it was crowded. Having in the back of my mind the distinct memory of when I came, a handful of year’s ago, to see Michelangelo’s drawings, and not only waited in a line that snaked around the second floor balcony, but essentially had to move through the entire exhibit, one piece at a time, in the same formation…and still felt utterly gobsmacked by the work and the feelings and associations it brought up in me, particularly my sense of closeness to my mother who was already multiple years dead…the experience at Raphael was comparatively roomy. Still, I was conscious of the space my body took up, wanting to spend time with the art but not impinge on anyone else’s experience.

As I did so, two sensations struck me. The first was the sound of an elderly man, speaking at a conversational volume to his companion, the following comment: “Well, this is a very unpleasant experience.”

The second was the distinct scent of hyacinth on the air, a smell that transported me immediately to being a child at springtime, looking around the farm to see each flower as it appeared, and learn its name, and stuff my nose deep into its bloom to savor the beauty.

I smiled to myself at the man’s words, even as I felt a little stung by them. I had no reply that was worth offering, only my own renewed devotion to what I had the pleasure and privilege to experience that day. Yes, my hips ached from so much walking and standing, and it all took more time than it would have if the galleries had been empty. And yet.

This has had me thinking about how the various energy-seekers of the world - the news cycle, the speed of travel, the demands of work, to name a few - how those forces call me to see the imbalance in things. Imbalance is sensational. When something is too much or not enough, it grabs for our attention and our energy. But there is also a spiritual energy in the world that tells me something I believe is true: that everything is in balance. When we see the too-muchness, or the not-enoughness, at any given time, it is rightfully distressing. I think that’s our call to notice where we may be able to play our own small part in the balancing.

It’s the plague of individualism that makes this call toward balance seem like a massive fire we must put out by ourselves. The process of balancing occurs across all of creation. It requires the birds, the trees, the ancestors, the people you know and love, plus all the strangers you’ll never meet. And here’s a radical idea that I came across in all this ruminating: the amount of giving we offer to the world can never exceed the amount we will receive. If you are someone who is easily convinced, perhaps even programmed, to think that the more you give, offer, sacrifice, fix, will, insist…the more likely things will change for the better…I wonder if the possibility that things are already in balance , and that your work is only to do the small part you’re responsible for in keeping it so…would that change what your energy moved toward?

We see our work at GFJ as one small part of this rebalancing. Creating and running GFJ has been a way of saying: what you care about matters , and the attention you pay to what you care about, also matters.

Most of us are fueled by passionate rage at least sometimes, but it’s not sustainable. Though that smoldering coal of rage never fully burns out, by design - I think we need it to live - it also can’t be constantly stoked. The best thing we can do with that smoldering fire is give our questions over to the smoke, and listen carefully to what our consistent passions point us toward. What do you feel truly called to do? What burns you? What feels too hot to touch? What wound won’t leave you?

In the last few weeks, and years, I’ve continually received messages about the importance and the power of making art, regardless of circumstances. As Jan Elisabeth wrote in a recent newsletter , “There is so much we can do nothing about, but we can…tell stories to live... stories of the earth savoured, of simple joys and generosity... not looking away from the darkness, but not letting the stories of darkness have the last word.”

Some of us yearn to pay attention to what they care about through the jobs we post. Others reach out when they see that a job listing or an action we’ve taken isn’t aligned, and they share that with us so we can participate in the rebalancing. Others are here for the way this work seems to apply across the borders of career type, background, etc.

For whatever reason you are here, if you value this work and want to be part of the balance that sustains it, consider becoming a paid subscriber . If you know someone who might benefit from being here with us, you can gift a subscription .

A wise friend told me, last week, “the community can support you, too - you don’t always have to support the community.” Her words are exactly in balance this week, because I realize that these two things are happening all the time. It can’t be any other way. Because no matter how much we fall into the trap of thinking we’re in charge, there’s something bigger and more powerful at work, and you are all a part of it, too .

In balance,

Dor + Tay

tidbits...

resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we’re reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . .

Do One Small Thing . . . what do you feel called to pay attention to? What is the biggest distraction, or barrier, to doing so? We’d love to hear your voice in the comments.

Diaspora Spice Co. ’s drop dead gorgeous Midnight Garden Cookie tin is available for pre-order .

The gals of Seasonal Slice are recalling a rhubarb meringue cake from April, and sharing a fresh announcement that you can now pre-order the calendar , featuring twelve months of gorgeous art and recipes .

“It’s as though we’re being haunted by a ghost that everyone is desperate to see.” - Chloe Hope, Death & Birds .

Sign the Independent Restaurant Coalition’s petition to block the proposed acquisition of Restaurant Depot by Sysco.

This poignant update from Suleika Jaouad also delivered the most delighted laughter and bursts of joy (hint: read to the bottom).

If you’re in the NYC area, head to the Museum of Food & Drink for pizza and conversation with Muhammad Abdul-Hadi on April 20th - tickets available here .

A new issue of What the Wolf Wore , Dor’s newsletter on personal writing projects and the passion of spiritual creativity, is out now . You can sign up to receive monthly essays, plus news on her forthcoming book .

View and share this free guide to How to Write a More Equitable Job Post , and stay tuned for new resources to deepen this work.

" Plenty has been written about the economic impact of the pandemic on the food industry, but not enough about its lingering effects on the bodies of people whose mission is to nourish us. " Read the latest GFJ Story on the creator behind Anjali's Cup, with words by Nicole J. Caruth and photos by Christine Han.

got a tidbit? drop it here for us and we’ll share it in next week’s newsletter.