Dear Planksters,
I hope you are all doing OK during these difficult times.
One comment that I’ve seen a lot on social media recently is ‘I’m struggling to draw/write/paint/create when there’s so much suffering happening’. People are questioning whether or not they should be doing something so ‘small’ or ‘insignificant’ as writing a fun poem or drawing a whimsical picture. I’ve had the same thoughts too - as drawing hot air balloons somehow seemed so meaningless when war is raging and inflicting untold horrors on innocent people.
I’ve seen some great comments on Twitter addressing this and on reflection have concluded that it’s precisely during these dark times when we should be using our talents to bring whatever light we can into the world.
If for a few moments your art can make someone smile or cause them to reflect or encourage hope, then you’ve dispelled a little bit of the darkness. I’ve seen some beautiful artwork and have read some moving words that have been created in direct response to what is currently going on in the world, reflecting the longing for peace that we are all hoping for.
I was contemplating too that the idyllic worlds of ‘The Hundred Acre Wood’ from A. A. Milne’s ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ and ’The Riverbank’ from Kenneth Graham’s ‘The Wind In The Willows’, places I often like to retreat to in times of worry and stress were both created out of places of personal adversity for their authors.
A. A. Milne writing with PTSD after fighting in the First World War and Kenneth Graham following a very unhappy childhood.
Planksters, don’t feel guilty creating art, be it beautiful stories or paintings, funny comics or poems during these dark times.
Use your gifts to create moments of safety, of happiness of refuge where people can stop to take a breather before plunging back into our unfortunate current reality.
A little light can dispel a lot of darkness.
Sincerely and with an inner optimism that good will prevail,
Thalamus Plank.