This book is the pinnacle of what I’ve been feeling lately.
I hate asking for help, the shame kills me, my pride is exhausting, and I feel like the Fraud Police are constantly after me.
Being an artist, a writer, or anything really, in the creative field (or actually life if you think about it) means that you are always asking for something.
You are asking people to believe in you, to trust you, you are asking for help to get further in your career, you are asking for people to see in you what you sometimes think isn’t there and basically saying “Yes! I promise! I will come through! Just please please please see me.”
Amanda Palmer opened my eyes a long time ago when I saw her TEDTalk. She used to be a living statue, dressed as a bride with a white painted face and she wanted to connect with people as a form of art. And it worked. All she asked was for people to look her in the eye, sure, coins and some money were welcome, but she only asked for what you could give. And sometimes that was just looking her in the eye and sharing a connection for a brief moment of time.
We often forget that we are all here for something bigger than ourselves, we are here for each other, for the universe, for mankind.
And to be here for mankind we have to be kind to man. Yes?
This book is part essay mostly autobiographically, and all heart and soul .
I love her and she just pours out her everything into this. It made me feel better and seen and heard while also showing me how to be and hear others and make sure to be present and listening and that there is no shame is asking for help or what you want out of life.
Watch her TEDTalk, read this book, follow her on every social media possible.
I’ve only had one person say the actual words “I see you” to me, and it meant the world to me. It still does.
Other people show me in putting their phones down to talk, looking me in the eyes, laughing with me, making me dinner without asking for anything in return, and I hope I show them in tons of ways as well. I try at least. Tiny gestures to say, “I see you.”
Let’s all really look from now on, okay?
Constant vigilance.
The Deranged Librarian 