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| Visitors pushing the boundaries of their comfort zones at Trio's Drawn Together workshop, December 2016. Photo © Tammy Christel. |
By Jennifer L. Hoffman
New Year's Eve is always an opportunity for reflection and
anticipation. As 2016 draws to its official close, I wanted to share
something wonderful I recently stumbled across. Below is an excerpt from
writer Neil Gaiman's blog - his New Year's Eve musing from 5 years ago (mistakes intended!) - and it is just what we wish for you:
I hope that in this yearto come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are makingmistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things,learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing yourworld. You're doing things you've never done before, and moreimportantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you,and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Makeglorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worrythat it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art,or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you'rescared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, nextyear and forever.
Because if you are makingmistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things,learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing yourworld. You're doing things you've never done before, and moreimportantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you,and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Makeglorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worrythat it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art,or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you'rescared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, nextyear and forever.
-Neil Gaiman, 12/31/2011
When
I was in elementary school, I took piano lessons for a number of years
with a nearby musician. I would go to her house each week and play the
piece I was supposed to have learned the week before. Because I was
a timid and self-conscious child, I would play very quietly, especially the sections that I hadn't practiced enough or didn't know well.
One day, as I was bashfully plunking out notes, my teacher stopped me
and said, "If you're going to make a mistake, make it a big one!" While
I never became a great pianist, I did learn an important life lesson
that's stuck with me to this day. You can't learn if you're afraid of
mistakes! Or, put another way, the only real mistake in life is not
making any mistakes.
As
artists, we know intimately the difficulty and rewards of pushing our
boundaries, trying something new, failing, and trying again! So, on the
eve of another New Year, we wish for you the gifts of imperfection, of
bravery, of getting out of your comfort zone. We wish for you laughter,
and love, and connection, and beauty. And most of all, we wish for you
whatever little things bring you joy.
And thank you for all your encouraging support through our own mistakes and triumphs!
Happy 2017~
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| The Trio: Jen, Bill, & Kathryn, wishing you all the best in 2017! Photo ©Kelsey Herbert. |
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