Thursday 10 June 2021

You can't be a resource for others unless you nourish yourself. Alexandra Stoddard

 When I first saw this prompt, I thought of food and lamented how much I hated my cholesterol lowering diet, as it had taken away one of my favourite past times and ruined it. I do just eat for nourishment now, and that is very dull indeed.  

However, once I got thinking. I realised I thrive on a different nourishment. I am a firm believer that you can't pour from an empty cup, and so whenever I feel my mood dip, or feel I deserve a reward (or let's face it, just want to) I sneak off to an art exhibition, the theatre or a concert. I have written about it many times - too many times to list here. I always find myself elated in these experiences, or transformed, or energised by thought provoking ideas.

"The arts, quite simply, nourish the soul. They sustain, comfort, inspire. There is nothing like that exquisite moment when you first discover the beauty of connecting with others in celebration of larger ideals and shared wisdom". Gordon Gee

I love being in an audience. Sharing the experience with strangers. Dancing in a crowd or laughing, crying in unison. It's not the art itself, but the feeling of community that brings the nourishment I need.

Julian Barnes sums it up best in The Noise of Time, when he says "Art does not exist for art’s sake: it exists for people’s sake.”

COVID has hit the Arts sector hard. If you can, make sure your getting out there in support. I know it can be expensive but there are events put on by the government, or you can use your Discover vouchers at most Sydney theatres to reduce the price by $25.  Look also at Today's Tix or other reduced rate offers. Go to bars that are putting of free live music.  Go to the galleries, many are free like White Rabbit. Remember, use it or lose it. And I really don't want to lose more than what we already have with this thing...and you might discover it makes your heart sing too in the process.




What nourishes you?

Linking with #TrafficJamWeekend


19 comments:

  1. I see we're both doing the same diet for the same reason. You have the arts and we have our boat. It does the same thing for each of us.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ugh. It's the worst!! I eat non stop too - for some reason I'm hungry all the time but even though I'm eating about double what I used to, I've lost a tonne of weight. I miss all the nice foo tho....:(

      Delete
  2. Writing nourishes me a bit, hearing from my readers nourishes me more. I write my 'family meme' type blog Fridays now and another now with mostly poems I write.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Lydia, nice to meet you in #lifethisweek! I need to lower my cholesterol but I refuse to take statins. Seems like your diet is working! I eat healthy most of the time, still trying to track food through WW and I exercise a LOT. We are in summer mode here so no excuses. I love all things arts--music, photography, crafts, etc. Hopefully culture can be out front in our minds again as we return to normal! Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well this I can very much relate to Lydia! I've started nourishing myself more in a non-food way too. I take myself off to Art Mentoring classes every Tuesday morning and just recently a girlfriend and I went to see 'Chess - the Musical' at QPAC. The first bit of theatre I've been to since Covid. It certainly nourished my soul enormously! I had missed it so much.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My mind immediately goes to the creative kind of nourishment as I realised it was the best word to describe how I often felt after spending time with like-minded people. I don't mean close friends, but those with the same passions who 'get' the same stuff you do and you come away feeling kind-of invigorated.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great to read your thoughts on nourishment Lydia. I too can relate to them, as the others have said. Writing and sharing experiences nourish me at the moment, it can be harder in winter to feel nourished by things that aren't warm, cosy and delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hear you on eating for health...that is my lot because so much of what I ate for enjoyment and comfort are now denied to me forever. But, I still can sneak in stuff that feels good. I like how you changed as you wrote...I have learned how to nourish myself in ways that are nothing to do with eating and drinking. I like seeing something amazing as I did today...I watched pelican take off and it was like seeing a 747 get airborne. Thanks so much for joining in #LifeThisWeek link up on Monday 14 June. Your presence, comment on my post & adding your blog post too helps make a caring, connected community on-line. Next week the optional prompt is Share Your Snaps. Warm wishes, Denyse.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love all those art forms you named, and, certainly, all those things are thought provoking and can help out your own creativity.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Such a thoughtful post. I love the theatre too - gosh how we miss it, but I'd say it's reading that fills me up with inspiration and comfort :-) Thank you for joining us for #mischiefandmemories

    ReplyDelete
  10. Totally agree with this. The theatre absolutely nourishes my soul, as does singing in my choir - can't wait for rehearsals to start back next week!! :) Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love theatre trips and I agree with that quote that the arts nourish the soul. I often remind myself that you can't pour from an empty cup too. Hope you're starting to be able to enjoy theatre trips again in Sydney. #MischiefandMemories

    ReplyDelete
  12. Art is wonderful and life giving. Writing moreso for me and hiking with the family. Lovely thoughts. Thanks for linking up. #KCACOLS

    ReplyDelete
  13. I actually find it really hard to pinpoint what nourishes me. It gets mixed in with all the things I have to do or feel like I should do. Perhaps it would be useful for me to use this post as a jumping off point to actually take some time and really answer the question 'what nourishes me?'

    Katrina x
    #KCACOLS

    ReplyDelete
  14. My children have missed out on so many opportunities during this awful pandemic it makes me so sad to think. However, I especially look forward to catching up on family visits to the theatre we once took for granted xx #mischiefandmemories

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We've been so lucky here but our luck may have run out. Just gone into lockkdown again last night.

      Delete
  15. I've had a tough week and to be honest am near breaking point. Today I went for a run and got some sun to reconnect with myself and blank my mind. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAndMemories

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exercise dos do wonders. And even sometimes just reading a book in the sun. I hope you are okay. It's a rough time at the moemnt

      Delete