A stroll throught Time Square

word of the day:
gewgaw \G(Y)OO-gaw\, noun:
A showy trifle; a trinket; a bauble.

sentence of the day:
Chinatown is full of cheap gewgaw.

I realized this weekend how much of a pessimist I am, and I was a bit ashamed. We were in Time Square and there was an artist on the side of the road spray painting a city scene. He had a crowd around him, and we were all in awe of how easy he made it seem to create such fantastic art. His face looked sullen and serious and each movement he made with his hands and the spray paint was done with such familiar ease that it was almost robotic. When he finally finished, he held it up to the crowd and everyone clapped and oohed and awwed, and then a smile came over the painter's face. His eyes seemed to light up with pride and for that brief moment everything seemed worth it to him.

I walked along silently for a while thinking about the painter. I felt somehow sorry for him. My friend JU walked beside me, and I took it upon myself to vent. I told him that I felt sorry for the painter....because he almost seemed sad when he was painting. I mean, do you expect me to honestly believe that his heart's desire is to sit on a street corner and paint the same scene over and over again?...All so someone tourist can pay a mere 15 bucks for his work of art? How does he feel knowing his art is worth 15 bucks? Yet, at the end...it's that 5 seconds of crowd appreciation that must keep him going...that fuels his inspiration...that makes him smile.

However, JU had a completely different take on the situation. You see, he's a born optimist. He said when he saw the guy painting, he thought about how he was spending each day doing something he loves...that surely it wasn't the 15$ that brought him back every night but the love of his art and the appreciation he received for it was indeed his fuel. JU said that painting that city scape every night...with the twin towers towering over the rest of the buildings...was a way for him to express himself and his loss/sorrow he felt for the city he loves.

I defintely like JU's theory better. It made me feel happier for the guy and for myself. I guess in a lot of ways I compared the guy to me. His painting was my writing letters for BC, my freelance gigs on topics I know nothing about, and my blogs. I guess in a way listening to JU's theory made me grateful for the opportunities I do have to share my writing with others. I may not be able to sit at home and write books full time...but I need to be more optimistic about the things I'm doing right now while I continue to plan for the future.

Yep...this is what I learned on my stroll through Time Square.