Times are hard. Make art.

[@mikaylajweighill]

As an emergency and disaster responder, what you did was perfect. If you don't have the skills to help or the strength, just stay clear. You are often doing the most helpful thing by knowing you own strengths and skills

[@0hN0es203]

"We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for." Dead Poet's Society

[@theartofworthiness8266]

"When the Gods are at war, Salvation is in the arts". - Alphonse Mucha

[@varunchandrasekaran9245]

Damn, that hits

[@hmadrone]

The immortal Elizabeth Zimmerman wrote ”Knit on with confidence and hope through all crises,” and I think the same principle applies to all creative pursuits. I started drawing about the time my mother was locked down on the Grand Princess cruise ship at the start of the pandemic. I was completely calm as long as I had a pencil in my hand. This channel is a comfort to me in times of stress.

[@wa7pP986]

I grew up in Asheville and was visiting my family when the hurricane hit. It was epic, to say the least. I was there to help my parents through the ordeal and was so thankful to be there for them. At the same time I was so sad to see the devastation; seeing places I enjoyed in the past being destroyed or altered forever. I am also an artist/writer (comics mostly) and I have found any art form is so essential to my sanity. I think artists and writers do play a tremendous role after the dust has settled and people get back to "normal" on a physical level, because the group trauma is still there. Artists and writers can be the most important people at that time. A doctor can heal a single person, but only an artist can heal a whole culture. By making the unconsious conscious; shining light into the shadow of the unconsious collective through story and visual abstraction, they allow groups of people come face to face with the pain and fear and anger that eats away at them. Thank you so much for sharing. I often look for good writing and storytelling "how to" channels and stumbled upon yours. It was a pleasant suprise to see you are from WNC!

[@melodyhollis4422]

In regards to 14:23 there's an old saying, "It's never so bad that it couldn't be worse," and I find myself thinking of that so often these days.

[@pendlera2959]

It baffles me that people find that comforting. As someone who feels they're barely holding on, it's horrifying.

[@griffox]

@pendlera2959 oh, it's not meant to be comforting at all, so you are right about that. It's pure pessimism, which I myself enjoy, because I would rather life exceed my (low) expectations than be disappointed. I hate disappointment. I'm sorry you're barely hanging on. I have to admit, the seasonal depression hit me extra hard this year. I hope you do find something that brings you comfort. ❤

[@reluctantphoenix]

Thank you for this encouragement. I've lived here since I was eleven, and my little town is such a mess - almost half the people lost their homes in the hurricane. Once I got through the basic survival period of no electricity, etc (which actually went pretty well, all things considered - I live in the countryside near the town, and we pulled together as a neighborhood and helped each other), I have been emotionally exhausted since. I feel like I'm going through the motions most days, and it's been like pulling teeth to get back in the flow creatively. However, I find when I do force myself to sit down and write, visiting with my characters makes me feel so much better. Thanks for talking about Rilla and Emily - Rilla of Ingleside has always been my favorite book from the Anne series - it helped me process some childhood difficulties - and the Emily series is so delightfully edgy in an L.M. Montgomery way. There's a bite to Emily's perspective and story that I love. I recently reread the Emily books and Rilla of Ingleside - you are so right about the tough comforts of studying history. Because of my love of reading historical fiction and fact, history was my major and has been part of several "day" jobs, and I have used historical events and people to inspire my fantasy world. History can give us a better bird's eye view to current events and take away some of the immediate urgency of the present, which can become a prison of narrow focus if we allow it.

[@rosannebowman2592]

My favorite LM Montgomery book is Blue Castle, but I really loved the Emily books. I felt like I was more like Emily even though, when I was young, I wanted to be more like Anne (we both had red hair and were adopted so there was some relating going on there). Hard things seem to make me want to write. Between 2015 and 2019, I lost my brother, my dad and my best friend. I started writing my first book 2 months after my dad died from cancer and I published the last book in my first trilogy 2 months after my best friend died from a rejected lung transplant. In 2020, I wrote 3 novels. So, mostly my writing is an escape for me, but it also brings a bit of guilt. It doesn't feel as important as being able to help in tangible ways like being an EMT or using a piece of heavy equipment to clear out fallen trees or what have you. I did stall out writing last year a bit because I felt a bit of that does what I do matter in the big scheme of things? But I'm back at it because, in the end, stories are important for all of us. I love this video. Thank you so much for sharing this. :)

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

Oh my goodness, big virtual hugs, that is so much to process all at once. But I do feel like...if the EMTs and heavy equipment operators are how we survive, artists are why we survive. And some of art will reach more people than others or affect them more deeply, but there's no way of knowing what art will affect which person until you just put it all out there.

[@BooksForever]

Also, whenever you find your arts hard, make time. 💃🏼🕺🏼

[@colorblockpoprocks6973]

i've had a lot of tangled feelings regarding this for so many reasons, and it's such a disheartening fact of life that this struggle is kind of inevitable for most creatives. i wish i had more emotional bandwidth to hear more people's struggles, to "use whatever platform i have for the greater good" and whatnot, but it is simply too taxing for me to do because of the intensity of the emotions that i feel when it happens. that's certainly a relative privilege when compared to people with no drinking water, and that makes the mental inability to expand my empathetic scope even harder to stomach of myself. i care so much about the people i have in arms length, and my brain tries to care that much about all 9 billion of us lmao i've always been someone who copes best with escapism, thus fantasy being my bread and butter. people not seeing the value in art unless it addresses a tragedy directly can really diminish my ability to detach from the world and how cruel it is, and it can feel almost like a misguided attack on me when people insist that i shouldnt be creating things unless it serves to end world suffering. but, to that, i usually idealistically say that through all the world and all the suffering, art persists because thats what gives people hope to carry through hardship. song, art, has it's place in the human timeline and shouldnt be treated as an addition to survival, but an integral part of it. we shouldnt besmirch the idea of creativity as escapism just because it doesn't have tangible resources to contribute; the resource is morale. the importance of mutual aid and solidarity is never to be understated, but morale can be the difference between a community hopeless to rebuild and a community coming together to make a future.

[@malazkarar1171]

Thank you for sharing. I am glad you are doing better and that you have such loving friends to lean back on. As a muslim, my advice for everyone is to remember the countless blessings because you are never short of blessings but the devil likes to inject fear into the heart of man. The other thing is to not trivialize any effort or intention you have towards good. So do what you can and find peace in God only wanting from you what you can do and never what you can’t.

[@kstari]

I really enjoyed your last video with the vintage clothing. I had a few things I wanted to say but I didn't know if you'd see it so didn't bother, but just know I found it fun. I was in the live chat talking about my big feet (LOL) so had watched it again that night and it helped with some anxiety I was having. Looking forward to this one!

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

It's always really nice to hear my videos helped someone with anxiety because I often watch my favorite KZbinrs to help me with anxiety too ❤️

[@constancecampbell4610]

Hi Lydia! Hi fellow cozies! 🤗

[@peroroh]

really needed to hear this. thank you.

[@ClaireKinmil]

I think that making art (or, at least journaling) is how I process things. Thank you for the video!

[@vritarita6871]

Great ideas, but I personally had to get to the level of “nor super doom/dread/below zero” before I could make any art. I think it has something to do with resistance on both physical and mental levels. If both of your health planes are not well, you can’t even start helping yourself with art. Also thanks for the cat purr!😊

[@katendress6142]

I tend to write really escapist stuff when I'm actually going through the hard times.

[@r.l.howard8459]

What a beautiful video. I needed to hear this... and thank you for 1 healing minute of purring at the end TT_TT Your cats are so sweet!!

[@benpayne677]

Art is pain leaving the soul. War is clearly seen in the works of Tolkien. The stories someone writes can be a reflection of their life experiences. That is not to say only great explorers can write epic stories, it is saying they are given premium material to build with. Any story that is written or told is not done when the artist or story are ready. It is when the story or artist are ready enough.

[@mh8704]

Thanks for being such a friendly soul!

[@ellendurkee5444]

Canadian here. Its always good to see LM being loved around the world. I love Emily too :)

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

She is my favorite author ever!

[@DrNanite]

i reread my novel i wrote last year and was astonished how good it was.

[@morleywritesbooks]

My go-2 for a comfort read is always "a little princess" for just how dignified the characters are despite their hardships and the gentle prose it uses to tell the story I'm not the sort of person who can crate when i'm in distress. Usually i'm the one putting out anxiety fires, ignoring my own, and saying "i'll deal with me when everyone calms down by half" i'd like it if just once during a stressful event i could be the one who falls apart. Without being chastised. Because we're only human and sometimes we crumble under pressure. So i don't fault anyone who needs to shut down and do some self care after the immediate danger is over.

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

A Little Princess is a favorite of mine too. It is hard to take that permission to fall apart in collective disasters, for sure...as well as to give people grace to fall apart when you are on edge. I've seen a LOT of people struggling with that around here. There is a tremendous amount of kindness to each other but also, sometimes, everyone is just STRESSED. I am not that good at creating until things have calmed down a bit, but I do tend to go escapist as soon as I possibly can.

[@TMIvey-gk4mw]

Thank you for sharing your progress update. It is good to know that you have found some forms of solace and perspective and are able to begin processing all the feels.

[@merandasomnolentgamer8323]

Apart from the language, Sam's diary could have been a social media post right after lockdowns ended.

[@authormdluna]

This came right when I needed it. Thank you. 🖤

[@yadeneehailu3498]

incredible video! i loveddd this niche conversation!

[@oneviewcornwall8200]

realistic topic - it's good to hear about such potential happenings or natural disasters in a candid realistic way - well discussed

[@pendlera2959]

I've realized that I can't make art when I'm miserable. Art just takes so much effort that unless I have a surplus of mental energy, it ain't happening.

[@PauladaleMcLean]

I would say that being depleted works against being creative. So top order of business is staying inspired rested fit. But yes I totally understand that. Right now I am trying to Prep cook food for a couple of days as I resent the extent eating and cooking impinge on my creative time but not eating is super unhealthy and will definitely worsen depletion.

[@woodlandlady7011]

I have used my grief for a character in an urban fantasy series, but haven't yet published it as it still brings me so much emotion when I read it, so it's not fully edited.

[@rudegarami6738]

Canadian here, thanks for mentioning the Anne and Emily books :) I grew up with Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea being staples in the house. The First World War was huge for Canada. At the time, Canada’s population was roughly equivalent to that of modern NYC. More than 65,000 Canadians were killed and 170,000 wounded in four years. A good book about the Canadian front line experience is Generals Die In Bed, very similar to All Quiet On the Western Front.

[@TheSquirrelsgonewild]

Hello from your neighboring county. We also feel the same since the disaster. While listening to an audiobook, there was a quote that just hit me with how ironic it was at the time, “What are men to rocks and mountains?” From Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. Reading books was so important during the beginning of Helene, especially when there was no utilities. Anyways, thank you for this video ❤

[@SNAFU2025]

Thank you so much! Really really appreciate you! ❤️🇨🇦

[@PauladaleMcLean]

Staying inspired is just so important. I think creatives need mentors and role models and you kind of have to go and find them for yourself. I haven't thought much to look in the 16th century(ish) zone as my time travel fantasies usually have me hanging out with the Romantics, Victorians and beyond. But as models of enduring adversity they must surely have had something going on from Hieronymus Bosch 1450-1516 to Leonardo 1452-1519 both ushering in. Interesting that they were contemporaries who lived in psychologically different centuries with very little means to compare notes. How to survive and keep going is a much bigger deal than anyone factors in. Usually the image of artistic people is that of unpractical persons or it would seem a lot of people like to see it that way. I love Biopics and just recently watched "The Man Who Invented Christmas" - probably about the third watching. If you haven't seen I highly recommend it. Admittedly with all the 19th century surrounds it makes running around going crazy with massive $ stress and artistic block struggles seem pretty glorious.

[@brausthesunbringer]

I always get an urge to write when im very busy and everything in life just crumbles on me

[@lindsaysharman]

Nodded along to all of this. Personally, I take a looong time to process things before I can start to understand my own thoughts and feelings about an event. I can't articulate much at all for a good while. I wrote something while I was still in the thick of something once, and it was not at all fun. My husband says it's some of my best work, but I have a weird relationship with the finished product. It feels a bit muddled to me. But maybe that's an accurate reflection of where I was at the time of writing, and so even the muddled parts have value. I dunno. Part of me thinks I should have waited until I could parse my feelings/experiences a bit more. Part of me thinks I can't look at that piece of work clearly because it takes me back to a painful time a bit too effectively. I guess we do all that we can do at the time, with the information we have available to us, and there is no right way or wrong way to go about these things.

[@pilgrim2377]

Too bad you don't consider writing non-fiction. You have a special way of being in the world, I'd read anything memoirish from you.

[@PauladaleMcLean]

Some people write non-fiction about being creative!

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

Oh, I might write something memoir-ish or tied in to the channel eventually. Just probably not much else.

[@PauladaleMcLean]

Well generally it's the case that when you think somebody else ought to do something - it's actually you that wants to be doing it. I've done some visual art and sold it at fairs and people would often say what they thought I ought to do next - and I would think - yeah you should do that! But it was nice to inspire them.

[@BronsteinEmily]

I love The Indigo Girls. Wondering if you've read the book The Hours by Michael Cunningham and / or seen the movie.

[@emmelinesprig489]

🐱❤️

[@emmelinesprig489]

🖌️🎤🪘🎭🎨🧵🖍️🤹‍♀️🎸

[@DarrylParker1]

Is this the ballad swap channel? www.youtube.com/@collred

[@darintroxel3295]

As a writer myself i would really like to get your opinion about this video from Brandon Sanderson kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHe7qIaQZqZ3eqc&ab_channel=Veronw%C3%AB this video kind of took me by surprise and I am on the edge either way to which way I should step.

[@pilot-kfp5599]

Wtf why did you put that awful automatic translation in your video?! It started with an awful robotlike portuguese voiceover that is 100% AI generated. For a creative channel, It was very bad to see

[@lidiyafoxgloveauthor]

Do you know how to turn it off? I've been trying to find any kind of way to turn it off! I had no idea it was there until someone else mentioned it. KZbin doesn't tell me, they just slap it up there apparently.