So this week I’ve been hosting a little poetry seminar for my niece (age 12) and my nephew (age 10). We get together on FaceTime each day, and we read a poem together and talk about it. Very casual, and a fun way to connect with them.
Yesterday, my niece suggested that we each try to write a poem, and she suggested the theme of “Change.”
Game on.
So here’s what I wrote:
For the Kids
I didn’t notice this morning
Or even this afternoon
Dinner seemed just regular
But now by the light of the moon
I see that you are different
Much taller than you were.
And something in your eyes –
You seem much more mature.
There’s growing up that’s going on
I’m getting older, too
And what I wouldn’t give for
One more moment with baby you.
We, the people of a grillion ideas, do solemnly declare that as of today, we are officially in service to the world.
No longer will we let our fear, insecurity, procrastination and self-doubt keep us from sharing our work.
Our imagination is at your disposal.
Our innovation is yours to use.
Our stories and jokes and songs and teachings and puzzles and solutions are, as of now, available upon request.
We aren’t going to worry about what you think any more.
You need us too much.
We are going to take our secret passions and multiple areas of expertise and share them without worrying about what our fucking niche is.
We are going to give voice to the truth in our hearts, without feeling concerned that the world won’t get it, because we know the ones who need to hear, will hear.
We are going to haul our inventions, our stories, our screenplays, our paintings, our musings, our poetry, our architectural drawings, our compositions and our “oh, this old thing – that’s just a little hobby” doo-dads and whatnots out of the closet.
And into the world.
Where our work can heal the world in the same way that it has always healed us.
(Look – we were the weird kids. We get that. And maybe we’ve held a bit of a grudge. Now we can see that in this life, everyone gets the same amount of pain. We didn’t have it worse. You didn’t have it easier. We have all struggled to make it to here.)
Now there is no more time for divisiveness. We are here to celebrate that which is best, brightest and most humble about the human spirit.
I pledge my heart and soul to greater good of all concerned.
I offer my brain, my ideas and the work of my hands to the world.
I am willing to charge for my work, or not, and willing to be criticized or celebrated or both.
And whatever happens, I will stay #calmkindandcreative
P.S. Highly Creative People, or "HCP's" as I like to call us, are the most underutilized resource on the planet. Together we can change that because the world needs our unique talents and genius, and there's no time to waste.
Enjoy this interview I did with Sunny Joy McMillan on her inspiring radio show. We got to discuss my favorite topics: overcoming overwhelm, procrastination and perfectionism!
At the Palace Theatre in Downtown LA, several hundred broken-hearted people gathered to pay tribute to my beloved friend, mentor, teacher, boss, and hero, Sam Christensen.
The photo above was taken from backstage by my friend Jeff Davis, and I love that you can see my shadow, and the lights from the balcony, and mostly: Sam’s thoughtful face.
********************
Here’s what I said:
Hello. My name is Sam Bennett, and I am an actor, author, playwright, teacher and the CEO of The Organized Artist Company. I was also a Senior Facilitator at Sam Christensen Studios and Sam’s Number One Work Wife for nearly 15 years.
I say all this with great pride. Because that is one of the lessons Sam taught me: Never apologize for who you are. Never apologize for what you do.
I’ve written several books now, but the first one I ever made was a little book of poetry called, “By The Way, You Look Really Great Today,” and I dedicated it to Sam.
The dedication reads, “To Sam Christensen, who taught me everything I know.”
And that’s how it feels.
As though everything that is really worth knowing – and everything I try to teach others – I learned from Sam.
So I thought I’d recap a few of my favorite lessons. Six, to be exact. Because God knows that man loved a list.
#1: God don’t make no junk.
As I said when I started, never apologize for who you are.
And never apologize for what you do. If you’re an actor or an artist or if you shine shoes – stand up tall when you say it. Don’t shuffle or slouch or demur or say you’re “aspiring.” Claim your work with dignity.
#2: People Have Remarkably Strong Feelings About Tomatoes.
And you can discover a great deal about a person if you just ask them, “So…what are the circumstances under which you will, or will not, eat tomatoes?” Try it sometime.
#3: Trust the Process.
When Sam and I were teaching together, it would sometimes happen that an individual, or a group, would come through who didn’t seem to be “gelling,” and we’d turn to each other, worried, and say, “I’m not sure this person is going to get it. I’m not sure the Process is going to work this time….” But it always did. Trust the process. Trust Sam’s Process. Trust the creative process. And trust the process of your life.
#4: People Tell You Who They Are Almost Immediately
I would sometimes wait in the Studio early, so I could be there as the students came in to take their seats for the first time, and I would write down what they said.
“I got lost 3 times on the way here!” says one. “Umm…excuse me….is this seat taken?” whispers another. “When’s lunch!” bellows a third.
And I would write down those statements and include them in their Essence work, and I was often met with amazement – “how did you know?!?” they would exclaim.
Well…you told me.
#5: Depression Is a Valuable Teacher
Sam and I both lived with depression, and he taught me that it can be a gift. Depression forces you to slow down. To examine the soft, wounded places and see if they still hurt. (They do.) And depression gives you a deep appreciation for the interplay between light and shadow.
#6: Art Matters. Actors Matter. Stories Matter.
In fact, art may be the only thing that matters. Sam knew that being an artist and a storyteller was the most important job in any society, and he dedicated his life to helping creative people use their identity to bring their stories to life.
Your art matters.
Your acting matters.
Your stories matter.
And on behalf of Sam and myself, please do everything in your power to do your work, and to get it out into the world in a way that is so powerful, and so indelible, that when it is your time to go, we’ll need to rent out a thousand-seat theatre to celebrate you.
Thank you.
********************
After, I heard too many people say, “I wish I had called him more often.”
Or, “I wish we’d actually had that lunch we kept talking about.”
And, “I wish I had told him how much he mattered to me.”
If you have a favorite teacher, or maybe just a friend you’ve fallen out of touch with, please let me urge you to reach out to them today.
You will be so glad you did.
Yours,
Sam.
P.S. BTW, the work Sam & I did together is called The Image Design Process, and it was an identity definition and personal branding process by which individuals – many of them actors – could arrive at their “Essences” and end up with a vocabulary they could use for marketing and also in their creative process. It was a life-changing experience for everyone who got to do it. It gave people a chance to feel seen and heard and appreciated. It was a lot of fun – a big word game – and wonderful to help people self-actualize. So that’s the “Process” that I reference above.) – S.
PS: And if it IS January 1st (or there ’bouts), all the better. Click the video image below to begin “Your Creative Year.”
“Thank you so much for your bright mind, right on information, and your acute knowledge about the artist.” – L., Montreal, Canada
“This has been the best way to start the year for this procrastinator!” -S., El Paso, TX
“These questions have helped me see that I am here to inspire and light the path for others, that I don’t need to “save” them. It takes so much responsibility and self-sacrifice off my shoulders and makes the path and process lighter! Thank you.” – L., Los Angeles CA
“Wow, Sam — these questions are amazing – I never thought to ask a lot of them and this has the potential to really help me find out what I want – Thank you!” – T.B., South Africa
If you enjoyed this workshop,
may I recommend my flagship program for creatives who want to…
