Create beauty at all costs

I do not have a son or daughter yet. But this is what I’d tell them if they asked me, “Dad, what should I do with my life?”

Create beauty at all costs.

The world can never have enough beauty.

In beauty lies the truest of truths, in beauty lies joy, in beauty lies the most useful of uselessness, beauty is the flywheel of the soul.

Death can happen before you die. An early death is refusing to see the beauty in everyday things.

A life without creating beauty is a limiting life. When I hear the stories of others, the ones I’m most enthralled with are those where they’ve created something, anything. When I listen to these stories, it makes me want to do the same.

And what a world to live in! A world where everyone gets up and asks themselves, how can I create beauty today?

Ho, ho, yes sir, yes ma’am. That’s the kind of world I’d like to live in. But it’s no use telling you, my son or daughter these things, no use telling my younger brothers, no use telling anyone. I can shout such things from the hills as loud as I want, get up on my balcony and deliver a sermon, but no words will ever the have impact of leading by example.

So I must. I must, I must, I must create beauty at all costs. Such an endeavour will not come easy. Lies! Only from an outsider perspective will it not be easy. The world can sometimes deter you, deter me, deter us from creating beauty. But that’s even more of a reason to push back. To form a resistance, however small, because when the alternative is quitting, even a small battle is worth fighting.

If you want to dance with the Gods, sing with the angels, smell the prettiest bed of flowers you’ve ever seen, burn like the tail end of a rainbow, create beauty at all costs my son.

“But Dad, what’s beauty?”

Does it require love?

Does it light your soul on fire?

Does it have it’s own meaning?

Does it give you more energy than it consumes? (like this letter)

Answer yes to any of these and you’ve got it.

PS Future son/daughter. I’m writing these now so you’ll have something to read when you can. I’ve a lot to learn but you must know these words are as true and pure as I’ve found trekking through the depths of my heart. Plus, you can catch me out later if I don’t live up to them. Love, Dad.