So, true to my nature, I’ve tricked you.

*distant noises of Hannah and Stan locked in a dusty closet, begging to be let out*

This post was not what you thought it would be. I told Hannah I was going to talk about having a place in the world. My exact words were: “I want to write about how everyone has a place in the world and you can use whatever you're doing to make a positive impact - not sure quite how to phrase that in a condensed form lol but yeah!”

I suspected I might do this to you. To myself.

Shush, don’t tell anyone.

I’m actually going to talk about secrets. (See above: the thing you’re supposed to be doing with my shenanigans). But first, lemme introduce myself.

I’m Caroline Meek, artist of many forms. I write speculative fiction and various kinds of poetry, and have recently taken to Spoken Word. My place of permanent residence is over yonder at Of Stars and Ink-stained Things. I also have a huge heart for musical theatre (the world will NEVER be wide enough for my love…), instruments (piano, guitar, ukulele), and singiiiiinnnggggg - I sing *nonstop*, basically. This year, I’m a senior at a public high school - though I was homeschooled for ten years of my life and still consider myself as such. I TURNED 18 ON THURSDAY!

Anyway, enough about me. Wasn’t this supposed to be about keeping secrets?

Right. Shush.

(here marks the part of the post where I stop joking around and wax poetic)

((and if you read till the end of the post, seriously, I love you))


Sometimes, you gotta keep a secret. They say that secrets don’t make friends, buuuut… I mean, who needs friends anyway? Just kidding. Sometimes, the greatest friend you need is yourself.

As artists - whether it be of word or sight - we WAY TOO OFTEN get caught up in creating things to be shown to the world. Shown, appreciated, commented on, paid for, hung up in a gallery, framed, praised….you get the idea.

Think of the last thing you created just for...yourself. Think of the last time you made something without wondering what your audience would think about it.

Some would argue, what’s the value of art if no one sees it?

Well that, my friends, isn’t a valid argument, because YOU see it.

And God, of course. I say keep secrets from EVERYONE, but of course you can’t keep secrets from God, so technically it’s you and God in on the party.

Your creations can go rotten from over-exposure.

Or rather, that piece of your heart dedicated to creating. If you constantly create things for other people, you stop being true to yourself. You stop creating from your heart, and start instead creating from the constant input you crave and receive.

Lol, I’m not saying to go become a solitary hermit in Southeast Madagascar and bury all your work in the sand……

But sometimes you need to keep a secret. Not everyone needs to be in the room where the magic happens. (omg these references are too much for me)

Everyone should have secrets.

Things you don’t tell others, or show others. An ordinary thing you do in secret and let have extraordinary significance. Because that way, you don’t have the pressure of succeeding in front of others. If you mess up, no one will know. You can let the art ripen (but not quite like that gorgeous banana up there), and bloom inside your chest and let it inspire you. You don’t always have to project for others.

I’m not saying to always do this. And maybe, you’ll do something in secret and at the end, show someone. Or show the world. But do let yourself slip into the trap of production for the sake of recognition.

My dear, God recognizes you. And yes, that’s enough. Don’t just say it is. Really believe it. It’s not enough to say it, then proceed with posting ten pictures of it on twitter for people to see and approve of. Our Father’s opinion really does matter and sometimes we need to stop and really believe it. After all, He created us, He should know.

So stop comparing. (Because that’s what comes from so much creating for an audience. There’s always someone who does it better. And so it becomes a game, not an art.)

So stop performing for the world. (Unless you’re in theatre. But you know what I mean.)

Here’s my challenge for you (not gonna keep this one a secret, sorry, you need to know):

Start a secret for yourself.

Doesn’t have to be today, tomorrow, but sometime, please...give yourself a secret or two to hold on to. Don’t even tell anyone you have a secret.

Thanks for listening, guys.



Come visit me at Of Stars and Ink-stained Things! <3 I blog about similar stuff...well no, not really. I honestly just blog about any random thing that commandeers my noggin. Oops. But I promise, it’s usually related to writing or art or God or books or life or---yeah. You know.

Aaaaand now - - -

CONGRATS FOR READING THE WHOLE THING!

…..I just finished writing this, and reread Hannah’s last post, and realized that this is the first guest post ever. Oh my, no pressure. NO PRESSURE, RIGHT? Cause I’m not performing for this world, just myself and a few lovely writerly penguins on the Internet with me, right? <3

Aaaaand I also just realized that this was my first guest post ever. How fitting. Wow. Go me. That wasn’t at all awkward like I thought it might be.


PS - if you are a fan of a certain musical referenced maybe a few hundred times in this post, PLEASE shout at me. Sorry if I got out of hand.


And…

One last time, thanks for reading. ;)

~Caroline



*casually lets Hannah and Stan out of their little prison*