Many years ago a good friend of mine copied out the following passage and tucked it into a Christmas card. Was I going through a particularly difficult crisis of confidence at the time? Perhaps; I can’t really remember. What I do remember was how clear and strong the writer’s voice rang out.
I’ve kept it tucked in my wallet since – it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
“There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You have to keep it open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you…..No artist is pleased…..There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” — to Agnes DeMille from Martha Graham
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