The Process as a Living Work of Art
Small Daily Endeavors Worth Investing In
Here’s something I’ve learned from this photo of my stove: I am free to give myself time and space to be in process. I’m allowed to see the act of cooking as a worthy endeavor even before the meal is ready for the plate. In its own way, this process is a work of art.
There are many definitions of art, but many view it as an endeavor that reflects experiences, emotions, and ideas, among other things.
There’s a tendency, however, to think of art only as a final “thing,” but what if there was room to see the process of cooking, making, and creating as an endeavor that was a form of art on its own?
An endeavor is “an attempt to achieve a goal” (Oxford Languages).
Art is an endeavor.
Cooking is an endeavor.
Living is an endeavor.
And perhaps, we can see the attempts we’re making as valid…even before they’re “finished” in the form of a meal or a canvas.
Maybe we can see our lives as art before they’re finished, too.
And here’s the thing: if you spend enough time pursuing an endeavor as a work of art, stirring and experimenting with a process-as-art such as “cooking,” giving everything adequate time to marinate, sear, and caramelize, eventually someone might find you cooking and began to inquire:
“What are you cooking?! It smells amazing! Can I taste it?”
And even if you’re in the zone, still stirring all your ingredients in different pots at different temperatures, you are free to say, “Sure!” and let them try it.
The significance of this other person in my life as a writer and artist is that I see the other person complimenting my “cooking” as the editing and publishing process, the product creation process, etc.
And when that happens, I am grateful! I am hopeful that the editor, interviewer, or art director will enjoy what they’ve tasted and experienced and share it with others.
But at the same time, them tasting my “dish” doesn’t mean I have to stop being “in process.” And as I continue to engage with my process, even after having made some “meal,” I’m not wasting time by returning to that process again and again…even if I don’t know what that next “meal” will be.
Being in the process is something we can spend a lifetime making space for.
You’re not “wasting time”
…if you’re not always focused on a final product with everything.
…by meandering from one book to the next, even if you don’t finish the previous book.
…by being in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond and not having a “game plan” like your peers.
Instead, you’re allowing yourself to keep a few pots going, trying new things.
You’re allowing yourself to pick up the cooking utensils of life and use the available ingredients to be present in the process.
Even if the ingredients you have are just conversations with the people you live with, a much-needed nap, or a book that is helping you grow, your process is a meaningful endeavor worth investing in and, in its own way, a work of art. Others may not experience it that way, but the thing is: you can. You are allowed to peer down at the ensemble of pots and pans on the stove and let the aromatic, auditory or visual experience of the process speak to you. As you engage in the process of being present in this way, let your senses confirm what your heart already knows: slowly but surely, you are learning to come alive to what you are experiencing and creating in this life, and that alone is a work of art. — Morgan Harper Nichols
