Moon…

This week’s calligraphy prompt was the word “Moon”. I had recently seen the movie Hidden Figures for the fourth time, so when the prompt was moon I thought about all it took to get man on the moon. I googled a picture of a moon foot print and added the famous quote using graphite pencil, then smeared it using a paper towel. I was nervous about posting this one to the group as most people submitted beautiful work using the word moon, or moonlight, or something related to the moon at night. As you can see I went a completely different direction than everyone else in the group.

All week I saw beautiful work that looked nothing like what was in my head. It began to make me doubt my idea and my ability to pull it off. Everyone else followed a similar path, and my work was nothing like any of it. The seeds of doubt and the erosion of my self confidence were planted. Sometimes you are the one who thinks differently than everyone else. The idea in your head looks nothing like what anyone else is presenting. It isn’t bad, it’s just different. Do you move forward, keep it to yourself, or do you muster the courage and let your idea stand on it’s own unique merit. I decided to go for it, and posted my week’s submission. I went to bed doubting my execution and my idea. I left hearing people’s reaction for another day.

When I woke there was a barrage of comments, all on the positive side. So many thoughts on how unique my reaction to the prompt was, and how I went such a different direction than everyone else. It was a pleasant validation that my idea was both appreciated and accepted.

Too often we ask people to come up with new things, new ideas, and then they feel criticized or ignored when they do something different. It’s hard to be the person who goes a unique way, or approaches things from a very different perspective. It’s like stepping forward to walk the plank at least until you know how your idea will be accepted. It means being willing to stand by your idea no matter what other people think. It means being creative and innovative no matter what the world thinks. It’s the mental version of one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind…