The Lardner Report

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The Art Of Savoring The Moment

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(Pic #1) Monkeybutt – 100% in.  (Photo by Josh Kaplan.)

How the cat (once again) taught us the biggest lesson of all.

I guess you could call it “complete surrender.” That moment of total submission, when you appreciate every nanosecond of a euphoric experience.  In the case of Monkeybutt (above) this photo pretty much captures the essence of his luxuriating in the garden, stretching his neck heavenward, breathing in every lavender bloom’s heady scent, and whatever else his sense of smell finds interesting. We are witnessing total joy.

I’m so jealous. While pure joy is achievable for humans too, most of us don’t take the time to snatch it out of the air. It can be easily precipitated by a chorus of music, an abstract painting, a simple line in a Robert Frost poem, or the sound of a baby giggling. And guess what. Experts tell us that taking in these moments can improve our mental and physical well-being.

“Lingering in positive experiences and immersing ourselves in happy thoughts can increase creativity, improve sleep and even strengthen our immune systems. Coping skills help diminish the effects of painful moments, while savoring helps amplify the beauty of joyful ones.”

Recent studies published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggest that “even short bursts of positive emotions and feelings in specific areas of the brain can help build neural pathways that may make you feel happier. This kind of joy can last for hours while decreasing negative emotions and depression.”

Not sure Monkeybutt understands any of that. Nor do I think he’s subject to a bout of depression anytime soon. But like most cats, I know he is way ahead of us. So I’m taking notice.

The Year Ahead: Think Like An Artist

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LEAP 2012 New Year 4tlr

(Pic #1) Lonnie Lardner leaps into the New Year – with purpose. (Photo by Josh Kaplan)

Bend it, Twist it, Make it yours

It’s funny, I’ve been asked more times this year than in any other to share my New Year’s resolutions. I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or my generation is starting to really care about its accomplishments and impact.  But one thing is clear to me: if we live our lives as artists do — everything we do will be better.

Consider this. Typically, artists:

de la Torrepg

(Pic #2) Acrylic and thread on paper by Raul de la Torre, an L.A. based artist who lets his paint surprise him (note bottom drips).

1) Thrive on happy accidents. Just watch an abstract painter slap an overloaded brush onto his canvas. The unexpected drips and rivers of color can invigorate, inspire, and lead to even more exciting work — but only of we are willing to trash the need to control every drop (See Raul de la Torre’s painting in Pic #2).

2) Know your passion is your purpose. You would be hard pressed to stop an artist from creating. Her mission runs so deep to the core that NOT making art isn’t even an option. Inspiration comes from the soul, and nothing is more authentic than that.

3) Genuinely savor every moment. This is crucial. If artists stopped observing and therefore stopped creating visual commentary, we just might find ourselves in a colorless, spiritless society. By examining the world around us, and feeling what we are supposed to feel — our lives are enriched.

My good friend musician/producer Andre Fischer (multiple Grammy winner and drummer for Rufus) once told me that his father, (jazz great) Dirk Fischer set him straight about the value of time, at an early age. Andre was late to meet his Dad, and Dirk told him to look at the second hand on his watch, because “every second you live — you die. And I hope those precious seconds of my life you wasted we’re not spent in folly son, because every second counts.”

In 2013, I hope to do things differently. I want to step out of my comfort zone at every opportunity. I want to appreciate more – and whine less.  And like a great artist, I want to embrace what I can’t control. The surprises could be spectacular.