After so many opinion pieces I have authored for the paper in the past couple of years, I now believe more than ever in the power of art to be impactful down to the fiber of my being. Every waking moment is dedicated to that pursuit beyond meeting the basics of Maslov’s hierarchy of needs. the day job is real and pretty darn good, so no complaints there — just an acknowledgment of the blessings that have been bestowed and never taken for granted. Because I am so immersed in living this life, I have to be reminded by many to eat a meal sometimes and not to forget to take moments to rest. My flesh and blood guardian angels are numerous, and I am thankful for their constant vigilance.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
As I sat in the audience of a recent Dayton Philharmonic concert listening to a particularly visceral perforce of Ralph Vaughan Williams’s London Symphony, my mind was racing, as it is prone to do when the performances are particularly resonant. I started to conceive epic ideas, grandiose visions, and utterly unrealistic flights of fantasy. I even envisioned some ideas for new choreography elements. Then I was struck with a thought: The arts are a sanctuary and safe harbor in uncertain times. And then, I began to question how we can protect these valuable spaces and creative resources.
Is it time to designate spaces as cultural sanctuaries free from the noise and hubris of this messy but vital experiment called “democracy?”
One of the definitions of a sanctuary is a port in a storm, which feels fitting for these times. Spaces that celebrate the beauty of our connected humanity rooted in decency, respect, and civility and not the limiting hats of political identity we sometimes wear to give the false illusion of security and power. Life is not a zero-sum game, but a place to imagine better possibilities.
As I enter the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I am grateful for one sanctuary in particular that has inspired me through good times and bad for decades, a person who is the embodiment of that safe space. A person who has crafted a welcoming and inviting space for family, friends, and strangers. Built on love and sacrifices that I will never fully understand but will forever be indebted to. A person is skilled at crafting spaces filled with laughter and good cheer, even in the darkest times. A person filled with a ferocious level of strength, common sense, decency, and candor, who, each time I leave the safe embrace of their welcoming shores, I know they are silently praying for my safety, which is never lost on me. I am an amalgamation of all the power, spirit, and creativity that they instilled in me, and I pour it into mission-driven purpose, the sanctuary that the arts can provide to many who don’t have access to the same safe harbor that they have provided my brother and I for so long. This work is not easy and has no guarantee of success.
Mom, you have proven it worth the effort, and I give thanks. We all need more nurturing.
Rodney Veal is the host of ThinkTV/CET Connect and President of the board of OhioDance.
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