You know you want to read it!
A few weeks ago I read Jen Lancaster’s very funny book, The Tao of Martha. Very much in the vein of her other extremely funny books, it had a surprisingly poignant thread running through it: her dog Maisy was dying of cancer as Jen wrote the book, and she wrote it looking for a deeper meaning to life. She found it in her dog’s life, and formulated her new philosophy very simply.
Here it is.
THE TAO OF MAISY
Be Awesome.
Give Awesome.
Get Awesome.
This isn’t brain surgery or something you need a philosophy degree to understand. It’s just a very simple guideline for living one’s life. But somehow the words struck me. Maybe it’s because I hang out with an amazing group of friends who seem to live by it. I am so lucky to have the Inkpunks. When things get rough in my world, a card or a tiny gift will magically appear just when I need it most. When one of us needed a whole new kitchen because their life took a left turn, the Inkpunks whisked a care package onto their doorstep. Time after time, I’ve seen that these are the most caring, thoughtful people in the universe. In short, they’re awesome, and they give awesome every single day.
What the hell does it mean to be Awesome? It means a lot of things: Being packed with positive energy. Being a good listener. Being an artist, both of life and craft. Living in tune with one’s inner principles. Being friendly. Having fun! Sucking all the marrow out of the bones of life. Being the people in the room that everybody wants to sit with, because the atmosphere at the table is brighter and happier and more welcoming than any other. Fighting the darkness of entropy and despair.
Yeah, I want to be Awesome. It’s something to strive for.
How do you give Awesome? Easy. You just give. You give Awesome when an editor asks for a story, and you write one and turn it in on time, with a smile, and it’s great work you’d be proud to put on a shelf next to anything by Neil Gaiman or Terry Windling. You give Awesome when you meet someone at the airport and they say they’re starting to write, you invite them for coffee or to hang out at the upcoming con, and you really do. When someone you know is throwing a Kickstarter, you tell everyone you know about it, even if you have nothing to gain by it. When someone you don’t know is struggling and you offer your help. When you volunteer. When you introduce two people who should know each other, but don’t. When you call your mom/best friend/sister/cousin/grandma just to chit-chat for a few minutes. When you bake your kid’s favorite cookies for no reason except maybe it’s Tuesday. When you smile at somebody on the street.
We can all give more Awesome. Sometimes it’s tempting to give too much, to stretch yourself too thin, but there’s probably a tiny bit of time every day to do something kind or generous for the other people in this world. Don’t forget to give yourself some Awesome every now and then, too!
What about Getting Awesome? It sounds pretty damn amazing, right? I tell you, it is. I have been on the receiving end of so much Awesome that my mind boggles. I have almost nothing in my life that wasn’t the result of someone else extending Awesome to me. I’ve gotten so much Awesome that I’m pretty sure I will live in karmic debt for the rest of my years on this planet. I hope I can give a little back!
Well, that’s as deep as I get on a Wednesday morning. Despite my BA in philosophy, I usually spend more time reflecting on monster design than on ethics. I’m off for revisions, but I’d love to hear about all the ways you’ve found to be/give/get Awesome. After all, Awesome is all about sharing!
And speaking of sharing, here’s a great roundtable on best media tie-in works. Check out the recs from James Sutter and Chadwick Ginther–they’re brilliant guys and great friends. In my interview, I sound pretty dorky, but that’s how I usually roll!