Some of us on this planet are too passionate for our own good. Passionate about stuff to do, passionate about stuff to buy…You name it, we are excited! View us from any angle, we do look like normal people. Then why the ten dessert spoonfuls of overenthusiasm?! We are even excited to be excited all the time! Yes, paint me guilty with a wild pink — I AM one of them. I am someone who sees the CEO of her company walk past her and happily chirp out “Hello!!” with a goofy smile. The poor lady probably spends weeks wondering who I actually could be and why I am so enthusiastic every time I see her! But hey, I genuinely can’t contain the excitement (No, I am yet to reach stalker levels). But then again, not that bad a deal sometimes.
Enthusiasm and passion leads to the most extraordinary creations ever known to man. For many, the products of their enthusiasm leave a highly significant mark on people’s mind. These people make a difference.
The person on my mind as I write this piece is the world-renowned Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. An artist par excellence whose work we yearn to absorb into every pore of our mind and body. He who had a dreamy, magical reflection and an unrestrained ardor for everything “life!”
Since the 1880s, Van Gogh was intent on creating on canvas the magic of “night effects,” which he believed would present a greater drama to the eyes than a typical sunny day. The thought haunted him day and night—he just had to showcase to the world the beauty of a night sky from his perspective.
The painting did get created in 1889, and what a marvel it was! Van Gogh’s La nuit étoilée, aka to those of us who call our beloved darling instead of mon cheri as “Starry Night,” was an instant hit among art connoisseurs around the globe. Sure, it was a painting he always wanted to make and he HAD to get it out of his system. But what made this particular painting the all-time favorite of all who had the privilege of seeing it? One, as the name implies, it’s all about the stars and the fantasy land it transports you to, as if on an expensive silk magic carpet. You don’t feel a bump, definitely no thud. Even those of you who don’t seem to get that HIGH after seeing the painting just can’t deny the fact that they feel themselves to be a part of that scene…looking up at the star-studded sky, feeling all warm and peaceful within. Yes, one does admire the town structures below the sky, and more so as the dark hues reflecting from them further highlight the mystery presented by the celestial bodies above. Everything about the masterpiece is an enigma and pulls you toward it as you gaze utterly spellbound.
Unfortunately, Van Gogh had already settled comfortably into a mental asylum by the time he finished perfecting the last stroke of his painting, completely oblivious to the millions of “Starry Night” replicas that were being created outside the claustrophobic prison walls. But, the Starry Night shines on!
We may never really know what led this great artist to commit suicide so early in life. But one thing is for sure, he sure lived his life fully being his overenthusiastic, passionate self. Plus, he left behind his works of art that touch and soothe the soul of millions across geographies.
So, I think it is perfectly fine to live with overenthusiasm and passion. If it makes us happy, who cares what the others think? We will just continue to live our happy lives in our own quirky little way and make people wonder what made us mutate so badly. ‘Cuz in the end, all that matters is life and the way we lived it. And who knows what little masterpieces we may create along the way!
A Wanderer's Postcards 