If you buy into the notion that life is a journey, you might also have noticed that apparently, not all travellers are created equal.
There are some who carry a heavy load, dealing with what they are dealt, dreaming of what they are not, all to avoid drowning in the stormy seas of desperation and disappointment that separate the truth from fantasy.
Then there are those whose effortless motion and confident action confront us all, causing our jaws to slacken and eyes to widen, and forcing the sharp intake of breath that we then hold while the spectacle unfolds. These people display bravery beyond question, and their actions reveal the limits that are, for them at least, imaginary.
For these extraordinary individuals, even gravity seems to pause a while and possibility floats as they do - a beguiling vision seemingly within reach of us all, if only for a moment. These masters follow their elegant arcs to a chorus of acclaim through 360, 720, 1080. It's a mastery by degree.
But then there are those of an altogether different order. In a realm beyond even the masters, we find the Artists.
At their most straightforward, the Artists are special, not because they are somehow more gifted than the masters, but because of their passionate disregard for convention, their deep awareness of what it takes to succeed, and an unnatural compulsion to explore whatever lies beyond reach. They are obsessed with the pursuit of their goal, giving everything they have, overcoming all obstacles, and as they chase down their visions of perfection, we ourselves are rewarded with something truly beautiful, something measured not in degrees, points or awestruck gasps, but in soul.
They are individuals and they are often misunderstood. While others may follow them, recording and commenting on their every move, they remain solitary, driven figures, undeterred by the subjective opinions and surface assessments of others, cutting words from those who cannot yet see the beauty, the soul. While the Artists carve new shapes and textures on the face of the world, not everyone respects or understands them: they don't know what it takes, or even what it is. Undeterred, the Artists keep going further in every every respect, cutting through the dark and fearlessly lighting for the rest.
They change the way things are and, as they do, they change us. So what is the essential difference? What name shall we give to sheer defiance? Its Artistry.
Artistry is not the preserve of the supremely gifted or the technical master. There are many talents and technicians who will never be Artists. Artistry demands something more. It belongs to those who make all necessary sacrifices to relentlessly direct every atom of themselves towards their passion, to those who suffer for their Art.
And while all of this may sound grand and inaccessible, everything that is required to transform us into Artists is present inside every one of us. Artistry is born of attitude, not genetics or resources. Yes, in some people it shines brighter than in others, but only because they make it so. So remember this as you read on and consider the Artists of here and now, of then and there:
Artistry is open to all. Provided you are prepared to earn it.
