A Temporal Madness

The other day while perusing Magpie Girl's blog (here), I read, "I believe you don’t have to be mad to be an artist, but a little bit of crazy helps. Creative people see things differently. Sometimes this makes you feel nuts. (Me too!) The key is to manage the crazy, so the madness becomes an asset." It resonated so loudly within me that I very nearly called the woman and invited her for coffee!

Are you prepared to take a dive into the deep end of my head?
~Jason Mraz

I don't know how many times I've had an idea or an image in my head that left me thinking, "Maybe I'm just crazy." Too often this thought has kept me from implementing the idea, or pursuing getting the image worked into a tangible form. I'll even go so far as to admit that, at times, it's been a bit frightening.

You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just might be a lunatic you're lookin' for.
~Billy Joel

A few months back I finally found peace with my inner "madness" though. I came to the conclusion that... so what? Maybe it is madness, maybe I am crazy, but... ought there not be a purpose to it?! I began to create those images, to get some of those more insane thoughts out on paper (or whatever medium struck me as valid at the time). Therein, I found the key to managing "the crazy." It's been ultimately satisfying and freeing.

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
Alice: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.
~Alice in Wonderland

I'm convinced that all the best people are at least a little bonkers. This is certainly true of those in my inner circle, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love people who look at the world in a slightly (and maybe more than slightly) off-kilter way, people who see faces in the trees and galaxies in a blade of grass. They keep perspective interesting and fresh, they lend a sense of child's play to an otherwise mostly serious world. Even better, they are usually the kinds of people who believe the impossible is possible.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm off to get "a little bit crazy"...

‎A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.
~Eugene Ionesco