The Office Assistant - What were those questions again?
So, what do you REALLY want to do?
And why aren't you doing it?
What would you do if there were only 24 hours left of existence?
And what would you do if you had one year left to live?
Now, answer that first question again.....
Christopher came to visit and quietly put each of those questions into focus. His comment is in the book, and is a very sobering perspective. His answers also seemed to amplify the 'non' answers from everyone else. There is nothing quite like the knowledge of how much longer you might 'have' to make you think about those questions and get this stuff figured out. As Christopher accurately noticed, this installation is not a commentary about an actual job - but rather about the security and comfort that a job can generate and in reality, how transitory that security and comfort (or any security and comfort) really is. It is only when you have taken it all for granted and are suddenly confronted with circumstances of incredible magnitude such as premature death, or situations way beyond your control, that each moment takes on deeper significance. He bowed his head in thought and touched the work with gentleness. Everything matters when you know that time has gone. Christopher is not the first person to share this story with me. But he is the youngest. I was grateful for the long, slow, rainy walk home.....
Jesse and David from Commissioner Sam Adams Office came by.
Jesse's comment about "finding the perfect job I never knew I wanted' was refreshing. 
Debra has already started a process to create the life that she wants and has some insightful comments on the process. 
Michelle used to work for the City, and in fact, bumped into someone from her past life whilst visiting the quilt. Michelle prefers to not 'be on the path' but rather 'watches to see what coming'. 
When you first meet Laura Sewell, you wouldn't know that she had lived 37+ years in India and can catalogue books in 5 languages. Her spirit matches her gorgeous jacket, and twinkles through her eyes. Her attitude said it all - it is not about the money! I hope she can visit again next week. 
The "RACC gurls" came by - Lorin, Kristin and Ingrid, getting all wrapped up in the rug.....
Mikko played under the crochet, and will bring a friend when he comes back next week too. Another visitor gave the analogy that right now, his life is a round room full of doors and he is scared of going through one in case he misses out on something else. In the end he is sitting alone in an empty round room full of closed doors. It seemed that every decade and stage of life has been represented today, and that everyone had a story of how security and comfort had been disrupted unexpectedly.
And now the quilt is starting to organize itself. With the help of Jesse and David, there is a strong possibility that the quilt will hang in one of the atriums over at City Hall, in time for First Thursday in December. (I hope Sam brings my boots back for the event!!)
And why aren't you doing it?
What would you do if there were only 24 hours left of existence?
And what would you do if you had one year left to live?
Now, answer that first question again.....
Christopher came to visit and quietly put each of those questions into focus. His comment is in the book, and is a very sobering perspective. His answers also seemed to amplify the 'non' answers from everyone else. There is nothing quite like the knowledge of how much longer you might 'have' to make you think about those questions and get this stuff figured out. As Christopher accurately noticed, this installation is not a commentary about an actual job - but rather about the security and comfort that a job can generate and in reality, how transitory that security and comfort (or any security and comfort) really is. It is only when you have taken it all for granted and are suddenly confronted with circumstances of incredible magnitude such as premature death, or situations way beyond your control, that each moment takes on deeper significance. He bowed his head in thought and touched the work with gentleness. Everything matters when you know that time has gone. Christopher is not the first person to share this story with me. But he is the youngest. I was grateful for the long, slow, rainy walk home..... 
Jesse and David from Commissioner Sam Adams Office came by.
Jesse's comment about "finding the perfect job I never knew I wanted' was refreshing. 
Debra has already started a process to create the life that she wants and has some insightful comments on the process. 
Michelle used to work for the City, and in fact, bumped into someone from her past life whilst visiting the quilt. Michelle prefers to not 'be on the path' but rather 'watches to see what coming'. 
When you first meet Laura Sewell, you wouldn't know that she had lived 37+ years in India and can catalogue books in 5 languages. Her spirit matches her gorgeous jacket, and twinkles through her eyes. Her attitude said it all - it is not about the money! I hope she can visit again next week. 
The "RACC gurls" came by - Lorin, Kristin and Ingrid, getting all wrapped up in the rug.....
Mikko played under the crochet, and will bring a friend when he comes back next week too. Another visitor gave the analogy that right now, his life is a round room full of doors and he is scared of going through one in case he misses out on something else. In the end he is sitting alone in an empty round room full of closed doors. It seemed that every decade and stage of life has been represented today, and that everyone had a story of how security and comfort had been disrupted unexpectedly.And now the quilt is starting to organize itself. With the help of Jesse and David, there is a strong possibility that the quilt will hang in one of the atriums over at City Hall, in time for First Thursday in December. (I hope Sam brings my boots back for the event!!)
3 Comments:
One reason why people don't know what they want to do, why they don't know what will make them happy, is that they are trained from birth to not want what makes them happy. Forget about what makes you happy, the message goes, worry about what will keep you fed, warm, insured!
We are given the message so long we forget how to know or even think about what we really want to do. At least, it's true for me.
If you cause one person to discover or even think about what makes they really want to do instead of working at the corporate toil, that will be a great accomplishment. And it looks like you have already done it!
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Hi Twinnish,
Thanks for such an accurate, absolutely spot on comment. (And I love your 101 list too!) I looked at your profile - what a shame you are so far away, otherwise I would hope that you could drop in, chat, and crochet. Thanks for your time and thoughts though.
zen
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