There are so many lessons to be learned from the old CW drama, One Tree Hill (if you haven’t watched it, write to Netflix and beg them to put it back on ASAP). Majority of these lessons are summed up at the end of an episode through a quote from a famous author or other prominent figure such as William Shakespeare or E.E. Cummings. But one of my favorite lines from the show isn’t a quote from a famous writer. It comes from one of the character’s own lines. A Lucas Scott original.
“Your art matters. It’s what got me here.”
This line always gives me chills because it is a reminder that what we do, what we put out there for the world to see, has the ability to not only affect people but transform lives.
Getting that much out of two lines may seem far-fetched, but try putting it in context.
If someone told you that what you do matters so much that it motivated them to get to where they are in life, wouldn’t that be pretty powerful? The truth of the matter is you don’t have to win the Nobel Peace Prize or publish a book to make an impact.
We’re all creators. We all have a magic at our fingertips, waiting for us to use it. We all pursue a different kind of art in our lives, something we’re passionate about that we want to share with others. It doesn’t have to be drawing or painting.
One definition of art describes it as “skill; its display, application, or expression.” It is a projection of self—what you’re good at, what you find joy in, what you love to do. That is art. For some people, it involves numbers and formulas. For others, it calls for paints and pencils. Whatever your form is, you make it distinctly yours and yours to share.
However, as we’ve seen in our world, that also means people have the power to hurt as well. The wounds left on our country alone, and those we have inflicted on others, attest to that.
But love can have just as much of an impact. Share your art with the world. It is a form in it of itself of love. Trust others with your art, your words, your voice, your presence. Put it all out there because your touch on this world can have a ripple effect that reaches lives you never even knew.
In short, recognize your ability to influence and impact others. Maybe the writers of One Tree Hill weren’t thinking this deeply when they scribbled those two lines for their character, but isn’t that even more of a testament to the power that other’s art can have on us? What you do matters. Be intentional with your art, be open to the impact it can have, and be aware of the love that exists within that exchange.