Try counting how many people you can count on if you really needed it. So many of us share the words “I’m there, if you need me” and how many times have we needed something to be done for us and have turned to no one for help? We can all be so independent at times, to a fault. A very talented and well-known photographer friend recently invited me to an event at his art space. Calling to double check I remembered how to get there, I was joyfully informed that the party was the next day but I was more than welcome to come over anyway, and so I did after changing into street clothes.
Just a block or so away from the central area of the new fashionably artist area of Miami is a very non descript commercial building on a corner sheltering the most amazing work/live space I’ve seen in a while. You enter into a highbrow uber white beautiful gallery tastefully filled with amazing work of photography and mixed media. As you move about you find yourself in a comfy living section decorated by experts who are genius at making the space look effortlessly elegant and casual- some people pay a lot of money to get their space to look and feel like this- some people. But on this night the place was in pre-art show chaos and with the help of another friend and a bottle of wine we got to work. Oh there was a team of volunteers ready to take over at the event but few were there to get the venues ready for the next day because he "didn't like to ask for help with the computer stuff..."
I AM happy to help, plus its part of the karma yoga we learned in yoga teacher training. We should strive to do things for others without any recognition for our actions. I also so happy to help him I feel deeply in debit to this friend for just a year ago when I was not aware I was an artist nor was I in a “good place” he acted with such generosity, kindness and an unselfishness I was amazed and grateful (still). He was one of the people who encouraged, recognized and helped me display my work and ideas and was one of those key people who guided me through my first art show.
Never forget those who have helped when you needed it most, those favors are be repaid again and again…
Mac girl hat on and we are rocking through all the much-needed printing for the next day. Lesson learned: too much logo doesn’t work for gallery
In flip-flops and jeans I’m being taught/directed by this great artist “whoa thank you GOD and he’s asking me >my< opinion?” “What!?" "Oh yeah this vibration thing is working.” Being an equal opportunity helper I go on to answer a midnight call for some much needed supplies at a near by rave so I left the art world and stepped in a world of rainbow colored bras and glowing neon fingers, flames, and technophiles.
Where I had the idea of what I would like to learn to do next.
At the gallery event I was asked assist with the very important job of organizing the Chinese Auction (a.k.a. raffle) “be a greeter” so I smiled, a lot.
Principle 2 of Dale Carnegies’ Part 2 of How To Make People Like you: Smile.
That simple action we must think about to bring about which is so priceless a tool/gift. I smiled and greeted and it got me winning a participation invitation to an upcoming future art show. “What?! SHUTUP!” I was floating in happiness, I floated over to the bar for a tiny taste of Merlot, floating oh so gracefully past the amazingly catered spread of select goodies (even Buggles) I was tempted and so, I oh, so, lightly reached for a cookie on the table and kept floating back to my greeting and smiling post when suddenly out of no where came a body: not floating or graceful, but smack in the middle of the graceful floating motion action I had going across the gallery.
The following is best to be envisioned happening in SLOW MOTION:
I come to a sudden stop, luckily avoiding a for certain crash encounter and everything came to a halt except for the red wine in the glass. This small amount of red wine manages to escapes the glass in a Titanic size wave out, into the air and onto my dress and straight down to the floor where it demonstrates its power to humiliate and upstage any master piece on the wall by multiplying and expanding in size into a H U G E bright red color puddle taking over the uber white floors. “Oh Lordy, Lord, Lord swallow me into the ground now puh-lez!” As it was as if my prayers were heard because right at that moment the Earth broke apart, naw just kidding, but time stood still. I was able to grabbed a handful of napkins and just as if I was in a Bounty commercial all the wine was wiped clean in one wipe and no one had seen!
Oh, except for one set of eyes which met my horrified face, these eyes had seen it all, these eyes were as shocked wide as my own at what had just happened. "Oh the horror!" But these eyes, they just smiled, thankfully they belong to the one other late night helper from the night before…phew! Helping others helps us with our own lessons.
TO DO LIST:
Hook up with famous DJ to design and control side stage light shows/ex. for tour.
