Grant, your last two posts are absolutely beautiful and really speak to the place we are in individually and collectively. Life is precious and it’s time to step into the place your soul is calling you, seems you have done it.
Thanks so much, Dona! I agree: we're in such an odd place individually and collectively as writers, but the answer is always same: to listen to the soul's calling. Here's to doing that with the bravery of Marta Becket!
I’m so glad you wrote about this, Grant. Marta Becket greatly influenced me in the early 2000’s while I was facing vision loss and early neurological (and unrelated to the eye disease) yet-to-be diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis. I saw a video on Marta wherein she discussed her despair at no longer being able to perform multiple pirouettes (like 18, I think). She thought this signaled her dancing career was done—until she realized people kept coming to Amagarosa to see her perform. They didn’t care about that one physical feat; they wanted to see what Marta could with what ability she had left. Seeing her share this, her awe and tears, snapped me out of my despair over my eroding health. I shook off my self-pity and turned to creating with the wonder of what I could do with what little I have left. Through over a dozen bouts of paralysis, this has made all the difference in my life.
Oh my, what a story you have! Thanks so much for sharing it. And what a coincidence—and a gift—that you already experienced Marta, and while she was alive. Hers is one of the most inspiring and unique artistic stories that I've ever encountered. Once you experience her, her "spell" stays with you forever, I think.
I think the phrase "creating with the wonder of what I could do with what little I have left" is so beautiful. For us all. I had a seven-year bout of carpal tunnel in my 30s, which felt like life robbing me of writing, and I came to a similar conclusion in the end: what matter is the wonder of the creativity, not necessarily the final product. Be well ...
Last night I was staring at Marta’s book and thinking (for the umpteenth time) I really should write about how she influenced me. How’s that for coincidence?
What always stops me: I don’t want to write about all the great details you shared here, even though some readers might need that grounding in who she was. I just want to share how her influence changed me. Hmm… maybe I could link to this piece… hmm… would you mind?
I am sorry carpal tunnel challenged you. I’m DELIGHTED you found a similar conclusion with wonder. May your marriage to wonder be long and fruitful!
PS. I love, LOVE reading your work and this substack.
WITH ANTICIPATION, I WONDER: WHAT GRANT WILL WRITE NEXT?
Oh, that is a coincidence. I think you should write about her any way that you like—and her influence on you is a perfectly good angle (and I bet you'll end up including plenty of background/context as a result.
And ... yes, link to this if you'd like!
I'm thankful for my carpal tunnel in the end. It taught me a lot about life and myself, and it has prepared me for much going forward.
Thanks for your kind words about this Substack—I'm thinking about next week's piece now!
Thanks, Grant, for encouraging me to write about Marta. The angle about her influence on me is where the juice is for me.
Thanks also for the go-ahead to link to your piece on her. I’ll add it to what I’ve written so far… a rainy day project.
Isn’t it ironic how health challenges prepare one for the future? Specifically, once one has sorted out how to cope with one’s unique hurdles, one is freed to get on to focusing on what loves.
I mean my words about your writing and this substack. No hot air here!
Good news too—you’re thinking about the next piece right now. I rub my hands like at the first waft of chocolate chip cookies in the oven.
Love the short film. Thanks for sharing it and her story. I know I saw her theater on a travel show a while back. I love such people, so clear in what they want and who they are and can be.
Thanks so much, Marta. Isn't that short film wonderful? The theater is worth visiting if you get a chance, and the hotel is charming. She also painted the walls of the rooms. It's just a very different hotel stay, and a little bit haunted, but in a good way.
As a child growing up in the desert of southern Arizona, every time a Dust Devil came by I would run to jump into the middle of it, just to experience the energy of the wind.
Thank you for great story, great video and great memory.
Thank you so much for reminding me of her phenomenal story. Good on you for your Borax Death Valley pilgrimage. Perfect for 60. And btw, my 60s were great. And as I cross into my 70s, I'm thinking five acts, not three. If it was good enough for Shakespeare. Happy birthday and cheers.
Hope we can huddle over coffee sometime in the future. I was led to her work because of, of all things, my work at Knott's Berry Farm which included running the Birdcage Theatre which was a very similar theatre structure lifted from its humble and similar roots and brought to Buena Park CA to house old-time melodramas. Honestly, looking back at her story today has given me such a lift. Again, thank you.
What an evocative story. I have visited Death Valley and now I won't ever think of it the same way. The portrait that you paint brings me closer to both her and Death Valley. Thank you, Grant....
Thanks, Thaisa! It really is such a crazy story. To live in Death Valley under any conditions is tough (of course), but to fix up that place and paint the mural in that severe heat and perform there for years ... and then have it be ironically artistically fulfilling ... I can't really imagine. She would wrap a cold wet towel around her head every day when she was painting. Forgot to include that detail.
Grant, your last two posts are absolutely beautiful and really speak to the place we are in individually and collectively. Life is precious and it’s time to step into the place your soul is calling you, seems you have done it.
Thanks so much, Dona! I agree: we're in such an odd place individually and collectively as writers, but the answer is always same: to listen to the soul's calling. Here's to doing that with the bravery of Marta Becket!
I’m so glad you wrote about this, Grant. Marta Becket greatly influenced me in the early 2000’s while I was facing vision loss and early neurological (and unrelated to the eye disease) yet-to-be diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis. I saw a video on Marta wherein she discussed her despair at no longer being able to perform multiple pirouettes (like 18, I think). She thought this signaled her dancing career was done—until she realized people kept coming to Amagarosa to see her perform. They didn’t care about that one physical feat; they wanted to see what Marta could with what ability she had left. Seeing her share this, her awe and tears, snapped me out of my despair over my eroding health. I shook off my self-pity and turned to creating with the wonder of what I could do with what little I have left. Through over a dozen bouts of paralysis, this has made all the difference in my life.
Oh my, what a story you have! Thanks so much for sharing it. And what a coincidence—and a gift—that you already experienced Marta, and while she was alive. Hers is one of the most inspiring and unique artistic stories that I've ever encountered. Once you experience her, her "spell" stays with you forever, I think.
I think the phrase "creating with the wonder of what I could do with what little I have left" is so beautiful. For us all. I had a seven-year bout of carpal tunnel in my 30s, which felt like life robbing me of writing, and I came to a similar conclusion in the end: what matter is the wonder of the creativity, not necessarily the final product. Be well ...
Last night I was staring at Marta’s book and thinking (for the umpteenth time) I really should write about how she influenced me. How’s that for coincidence?
What always stops me: I don’t want to write about all the great details you shared here, even though some readers might need that grounding in who she was. I just want to share how her influence changed me. Hmm… maybe I could link to this piece… hmm… would you mind?
I am sorry carpal tunnel challenged you. I’m DELIGHTED you found a similar conclusion with wonder. May your marriage to wonder be long and fruitful!
PS. I love, LOVE reading your work and this substack.
WITH ANTICIPATION, I WONDER: WHAT GRANT WILL WRITE NEXT?
Oh, that is a coincidence. I think you should write about her any way that you like—and her influence on you is a perfectly good angle (and I bet you'll end up including plenty of background/context as a result.
And ... yes, link to this if you'd like!
I'm thankful for my carpal tunnel in the end. It taught me a lot about life and myself, and it has prepared me for much going forward.
Thanks for your kind words about this Substack—I'm thinking about next week's piece now!
Thanks, Grant, for encouraging me to write about Marta. The angle about her influence on me is where the juice is for me.
Thanks also for the go-ahead to link to your piece on her. I’ll add it to what I’ve written so far… a rainy day project.
Isn’t it ironic how health challenges prepare one for the future? Specifically, once one has sorted out how to cope with one’s unique hurdles, one is freed to get on to focusing on what loves.
I mean my words about your writing and this substack. No hot air here!
Good news too—you’re thinking about the next piece right now. I rub my hands like at the first waft of chocolate chip cookies in the oven.
Beautiful. We all can use stories like these, that uplift and inspire!
Love the short film. Thanks for sharing it and her story. I know I saw her theater on a travel show a while back. I love such people, so clear in what they want and who they are and can be.
Thanks so much, Marta. Isn't that short film wonderful? The theater is worth visiting if you get a chance, and the hotel is charming. She also painted the walls of the rooms. It's just a very different hotel stay, and a little bit haunted, but in a good way.
I needed to “hear” this today. Thank you 😊 The summary is perfect!
I love this story because Marta imparts heroic creative lessons:
*Trust your visions—and pay close attention to what the world is telling you
*Create your audience—real or imagined
*Make your “eccentricity” your normal state
*Find joy in the making of art, not the final product
*You are what you do repeatedly, so Marta was a star dancer.
As a child growing up in the desert of southern Arizona, every time a Dust Devil came by I would run to jump into the middle of it, just to experience the energy of the wind.
Thank you for great story, great video and great memory.
What a great story. I'm seeing a short little film about this. I love your pursuit of just experiencing the "energy of the wind."
Whoa 🌀🩰
Thank you — for this!!! It’s inspiring in such a deep way…
Inspirational. Thank you.
Thank you so much for reminding me of her phenomenal story. Good on you for your Borax Death Valley pilgrimage. Perfect for 60. And btw, my 60s were great. And as I cross into my 70s, I'm thinking five acts, not three. If it was good enough for Shakespeare. Happy birthday and cheers.
Here's to five acts! And that's great you already knew about her story. I've been interested to find out how many people know her story ...
Hope we can huddle over coffee sometime in the future. I was led to her work because of, of all things, my work at Knott's Berry Farm which included running the Birdcage Theatre which was a very similar theatre structure lifted from its humble and similar roots and brought to Buena Park CA to house old-time melodramas. Honestly, looking back at her story today has given me such a lift. Again, thank you.
Beautiful. ♥️
Great story! Like everyone else said, very inspiring! ❤️
What a wonderful story. All the life-jewels still to be discovered.
Delicious perspective. I was chipping away here in a desultory sort of way, then I read this. Transformative, uplifting.
Desultory—one of my favorite creative words! It often leads places. Ironically.
What an evocative story. I have visited Death Valley and now I won't ever think of it the same way. The portrait that you paint brings me closer to both her and Death Valley. Thank you, Grant....
Thanks, Thaisa! It really is such a crazy story. To live in Death Valley under any conditions is tough (of course), but to fix up that place and paint the mural in that severe heat and perform there for years ... and then have it be ironically artistically fulfilling ... I can't really imagine. She would wrap a cold wet towel around her head every day when she was painting. Forgot to include that detail.
Your posts . . . your thoughts . . . are always so interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Marlene!