Pure and simple gratitude

Something good happened for me yesterday. Actually,
several things, all concerning what I'll very grandly call
"my career." Every creative person lives in the hope-
or survives on the dream- of affirmation. Somehow,
we must endure it when it doesn't arrive. And mainly,
"success" doesn't come, so we have to bear that too. 

Yet, sometimes- perhaps only a few times in a lifetime?-
there is a moment of affirmation. And now it's happened.
But, strangely- and to my surprise- I don't feel the way
I thought I would. I mean, it's not about me; it's about
the Work. The work took over my life. So I suppose
it's also about Life, how I see it, what I wanted from it,
and what I hoped it would mean.

Moreover, in some larger sense, it's also about the things
underscoring work and life. For me, it's a sense of values-
the values of my own generation, the Sixties generation,
of which I remain so proud: our defiant opposition to war,
our willingness to confront racism, sexism and to side
on the side of consciousness rather than materialism.

Therefore, I see that this was never about me, not at all;
it was always about the mysterious ways in which Life
shapes us and reveals Destiny... so I feel only grateful
to have had this life, this opportunity to be used by Life
and to be part of something contributing to what I'll call
a Greater Good, insofar as Art is always about honoring
human values, human beings.