Pure, Ecstatic Joy

photo via Colossal Art & Design

I don't know if it is possible to capture the purity of complete creative freedom more aptly than artist Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room.  I found this image, among many other beautiful ones, here at my new favorite space on the internet.  The concept is so simple, so streamlined, and still so emotive.  I see the progression of this room, and I am filled with pure, ecstatic joy.


Yesterday I went on a New Year's hike with a dear friend who had recently quit a position in her field that was full of challenges, roadblocks, and stress.  There were some definite benefits on the side of keeping this job, and she had been waffling on her decision for many, many weeks.  "Eventually," she said, "I realized that I wanted to focus on joy, not on being a 'good worker'."


We so often seek out roles for ourselves that we know we will be 'good at', or that fulfill some expectation that we set for ourselves (or perceive others have set for us).  Accomplishing success in this position often feels about as relevant and as gratifying as a clap on the back and a curt "great work!"  But then what?  What do we take away from this experience?  Do we move on to the next rung of this ladder, climbing constantly towards up?  What if we jumped off the ladder, and instead found ourselves in a position that is satisfying, challenging, and brings us joy?  What if we had an unlimited supply of dots, and the world was one big, brilliantly white stretch of possibility?