Can things just be pretty?

I briefly considered a career in photography while I was in undergrad.

Along with a brief consideration of a career in nursing and another one in neuroscience.

The photography thing quickly dwindled when I decided that “starving artist” just wasn’t going to be my vibe but, at that point, I’d already taken 2 art classes and actually really enjoyed them.

I decided I would finish out the Studio Art Minor with a concentration in photography leading my undergraduate career to come to a close with a major in Psychology with minors in Studio Art and Business.

If I couldn’t find a job with those things, I was out of luck.

I did just fine, landing in third party recruiting a few months after graduation.

For my photography minor, I had to take 5 art classes.

Something about the history of art, drawing and then 3 photography classes including 2 in film where I learned how to navigate a darkroom.

My first photography class was a gen ed that a ton of people took to satisfy the requirement.

A digital class where you’d go to a lecture to learn about various photographers and then a recitation where you’d slap your photos depicting whatever the topic was up on a wall for the entire class of 20-some people to give you their honest opinion on.

The process started out innocent enough and exactly how you’d expect.

“Oh, this picture feels very moody. I think the artist is trying to say that they were hungry while taking this photo.”

“The lighting in this photo makes me feel very uncomfortable, as if the artist is making a statement about political unrest.”

And the other stereotypical art student comments that would make you roll your eyes.

Week after week, I’d put things on the wall for the grad student instructor to ask me at the end of the critique to talk about the meaning of the photos.

And, if we’re being completely honest, I was just a 20-something kid who thought some of the graffiti in our neighborhood looked cool.

I wasn’t trying to make a political statement.

And for another round, I was just borrowing my roommates guitar because the reflections that I could get the light to make were fun.

I wasn’t trying to create commentary on how music can help unite people in our world filled with unrest.

Grad student would ask for meaning and I would get so frustrated.

I wanted to shout “Does everything have to have some meaning behind it?! Can’t it just look pretty?”

I find myself now asking this on a regular basis as I navigate the worlds of coaching and social media.

The masses shout at you “What problem do you solve?”

Then the Marketers yell “Now say it in less than 10 words!”

The pressure to solve a problem is unreal.

It’s like, unless we’re solving some big, world issue, our lives don’t mean anything.

I see this at work as our eager new hires come in bright eyed and ready to make a difference and then tell me in their exit interviews that they didn’t feel like they were changing the world so they had to leave.

Does everything have to have a meaning?

Can the meaning just be that it looks pretty?

Can the meaning just be a temporary escape?

Something that you can relate to?

You tell me.