William Steig

William Steig, winner of The Caldecott Award for Juvenile Literature for his book, Sylvester and The Magic Pebble, wrote this as part of his Caldecott acceptance speech:

"Art... has the power to make any spot on earth the living center of the universe; and unlike science, which often gives us the illusion of understanding things we really do not understand, it helps us to know life in a way that still keeps before us the mystery of things. It enhances the sense of wonder. And wonder is respect for life. Art also stimulates the adventurousness and the playfulness that keep us moving in a lively way and that lead to useful discovery."

We know the mystery of things through art. Art enhances our sense of wonder. Wonder is respect for life!

I am all about respect for life. My experience is also that I know the source of creativity through art, not because I can categorize that connection and make lists out of it in some left brained, logical way, but because I can have a relationship with that source. It is an ongoing, shifting relationship and the terrain is unpredictable, at least from my side of things. It is often difficult to wrap my arms around it and ever, ever call it "known." It is not struggle, though, unless I let it be. It is not a wrestling match, unless I let it be. No, it is more like a dance with something so much larger than me that all I can do is be swept up by the music of the universe. The first step is simply showing up for the dance. That's the piece that is just... me. Everything after that is a two way street, a partnership. I take no enormous credit for anything that comes out of me other than that I am so willing to let the mystery of it all work through me. Paradoxically, this is the best tool I know to get to know myself better.

At its best, Life is Love is Art. Living this philosophy naturally encompasses a deep respect for life and this seems a worthy goal to me.