While walking seventeen miles through New York City, I invited individuals to respond to my interactive art as I stopped on sidewalks, waited in line at famous tourist attractions, or sat in Starbucks. I challenged others to live generously and be part of the solution to healing our broken world. My artwork spoke of compassion and living large hearted. But do I actually live that way myself?
At the end of one day after challenging others on the streets of New York to help impact our broken world, I missed a valuable chance to connect with a stranger. After a woman who was drinking alone at the bar saw my husband pull out my chair at the table, she said, “Aren’t you lucky.”
We chatted for a quick moment. But I kept thinking of her as I ate my meal. When she pulled out twenty dollars to pay her tab, I had an urge to offer to pay for her drink. But I didn’t act.
I did say goodbye, though, and wished her well. This restarted another small conversation. But as I watched her leave the restaurant, I felt an emptiness—a lost opportunity. I didn’t have any more maps left to invite her to interact with my art. But this woman probably needed something deeper than an interactive art experience. This woman may have needed the artist, herself, to live out her art message.
Today I’ll look for another moment to connect. This time I hope to respond like Babette and offer the next stranger an opportunity to experience infinite grace. Then my artwork will actually have an impact across generations because the artist will have learned to live with an open hand.
Babette’s Feast is now playing at the Theatre at St. Clements located at 423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036
#BabettesFeast
@babetteonstage
