It's a Shame, Really

I am a complex and interesting human being with diverse interests, talents, goals, dreams, and ideas. Unfortunately, no one really knows. Off the top of my head I can name three people in the ward who know more than base level of the entity known as Matt Fife. I can name one who probably knows me as well as anyone ever has, but he had the advantage of living with me for a considerable amount of time when walls were down and there was really nothing else to do in the evenings except share life.

Pop Quiz:
What is my middle name?
How many brothers and sisters do I have? (Alex Hoffman can count them, name them, and tell an interesting story about each, but I'm just asking for numbers)
When's my birthday?
What do I want to be when I grow up?

I'm not writing this so that people can say, "Dang, I don't know anything about Matt," though that might happen (and probably will). How well do we know the people around us? Every day we interact with people and talk with them, and how many of them are we actually going to get to know? That guy that was sitting at the table in the WSC when you sat down to eat your lunch very well could have been the most interesting person you've ever met. That person in the ward that you hear about and superficially interact with when you say "Excuse me" as you pass in the hall could fit that title as well. Are we doing enough to make an impact in people's lives? I know I'm not. I can chalk it up to being eternally busy (which is of my own doing), but since when are activities more important than people?

I've heard that every experience in life worth having is just outside our comfort zone. I would propose that there are a lot of people worth knowing right outside our circles of friends, the people within our comfort zone. There's a lot of loneliness in the world. Some of it is self-imposed (like me keeping everyone at arm's length). Some of it is beyond our control. Most of it can be fixed with kindness.

Take it from me, let people in, seek people out, lift people up. If you never let anyone in, eventually you are left with a whole lot of emptiness that seems like it can't be filled. Don't get to that point. Don't get complacent. Don't stagnate. I'm working on it, but some walls take considerable amounts of time, and some thought processes are hard to alter.

Be a friend to all. Be an enemy to none. Scatter sunshine.

Sincerely,
Matt

P.S. - Most people generally get to know at least one side of me. Those of you who mainly know my competitive side, I humbly beg your forgiveness. That's me .0001% of the time, but it seems like it's always the same people around when it's turned on. It is potentially worth it to get to know at least another 5%.

I Love What I Do

As I sit here in rehearsal, running through the entire show, throwing down on lines and doing what I can to tell a story and bring life to life, I realize that I love what I do. I don't think I would enjoy doing anything else. Are there lots of things that I could be doing at this moment? Tons, but none quite as enjoyable as finding truth and expressing true emotion. I don't express a lot of emotion in everyday life, so the expression of emotion through acting is most important for me in order to remain sane and whole.

Everyone needs some form of creative expression. The times I have been happiest in my life are the times when I have been engaged in some creative pursuit, be it acting, writing, music, etc. I think without creativity in our lives we lose sight of our humanity and our divine potential. Art is the act of creation, and I have found that it is easiest to feel close to the Creator when I am creating. I am better because of art and creativity. I'm not saying you're in danger of becoming a soulless automaton if you do nothing creative. But it can't hurt. If nothing else it will add a little flavor to your life.

Try it. You don't need to be an expert, you just need to enjoy doing it. The more you let the inner creator create, the happier you will be. Less stress. Less anger. Less confusion. More joy. More fun. More clarity. Art saves lives, and it saves mine.