This quote fell out of one of my old journals while I was flipping through some past pages. I love this quote. Finding it was like encountering an old friend.
"There is a vitality, a life force,
an energy, a quickening that is translated
through you into action.
And because there is only one of you in all of time,
this expression is unique.
And if you block it, it will never exist through
any other medium ...the world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable
nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly,
to keep the channel open."
The Life and Work of Martha Graham (1991) by Agnes de Mille, p. 264
Martha Graham, the great modern dancer and teacher, asked her students to do the work and to not judge. I had a vague recall that she said something along these lines, but it was inspiring to find the exact quote and to recall the power of how she said it.
If a quote had meaning and power to inspire you on the first reading, it is very likely that it will speak to you again. Journals are a good place to collect the bits of wisdom that you encounter as you go through life: the wise quotes, the off the wall statements and stories that resonate for you.
It's good to shake the pages of journals past and see what falls out.
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