I was reading an article the other day on happiness. It said that one way to increase happiness is to look at, listen to, or participate in the arts. What a joyous thought! We are actually doing something good for ourselves by engaging in something pleasant.
I know that not everyone finds reading or going to a play exciting, but I'm using art in the broad sense. I consider making a table or running a marathon an art.
Shouldn't we enhance our children's happiness by increasing their exposure to art at a young age. I know a lot of people believe we need to push math and science on our children, so they can be world leaders in the future, but what about being happiness leaders? Can't we find time for an arts education to help our children increase their sense of well being. After all, isn't a sense of well being the reason we want to be world leaders in the first place?
For me, at least, engaging in art is a great thing because by becoming detached momentarily I can become a more inspired, authentic me when I "come back." Concerting all your energy into creating something or enjoying something another artist has created is a great thing that makes us human.
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