As the massive snowstorm on the East coast has shown us, despite what the calendar says, Winter has arrived; skipping completely over fall, bringing with it all of the complications, irritations, and unfortunate limitations.
Winter, with its shortened days, long dark nights, drops in temperature, and rise in layers of clothing reinforces the harshest aspects of the human condition, our loneliness, and our attempts at escaping said loneliness with various holidays centered around gathering together with our community, family and loved ones.
For those of us attempting to live the LoveJonesLifestyle, loneliness often becomes our second nature. We work, following our own paths, as artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers and playwrights. Our work is something we not only do but often are. We work because ours is a labor of love, not of convenience. Our work is often a fulfillment of lifelong goals and dreams and we get so caught up in it that by the time we look up, we may find that life, in many ways has passed us by.
The LoveJonesLifestyle is one built on and based in community. We work to remain connected to one another, our art and the larger communities, families and friendships that we have managed to knit together over the years. While the stereotype may be of the lone writer hunched over a desk, or a sole artist poised in front of a canvas, we work in cooperation. We connect with one another not only for fellowship, but for survival. Although our work is solitary, we are very social creatures. I encourage you to engage in some serious artistic self-care this season. Give yourself permission to step away from your work, if only briefly. Reconnect to your community. Call up a sister artist and invite her to lunch or tea. And as always, tell us how YOU deal with the lonely times in your LoveJonesLifestyle.
