Had the most interesting conversation with a stranger in attendance at a kid’s party we hosted this weekend about how little the truly important things are valued in this country. We spend so much on prisons and so little on therapy and training young folks how to deal with the emotion and circumstances that lead to pitfalls. All of us will face some difficulty in life, but we numb ourselves and teach our kids to do the same with material possessions, games and immediate gratification. We laugh and point fingers and scoff at others when they fail to meet some whack standard that we hold everyone but ourselves to. Why don’t we focus on teaching contentment, real joy and how not to react to or be led by temporary emotions? How you can be sad about something without flying off the handle. How adversity and suffer and failure are a natural part of life. How you should try it even if you aren’t the best or don’t think you’ll win or know someone is better than you. After thinking of these things, I am more determined than ever to use Decatur ArtHouse as a vehicle to teach this to others. A blank canvas, journal, sheet or staff paper is a safe and productive place to vent for anger, frustration, fear and happiness. The best art – music, paintings, sculptures, photographs – has all that emotion in it.