Three pages

Several years ago when I was going through a rather difficult time in my life I began the practice of waking up each morning and writing. Writing by hand my thoughts, my lack of thoughts, the first thing that came into my mind, anything at all - sometimes it made sense and other times it was complete gibberish. I filled three pages each day. I would write before I did anything else, emptying my brain of all the clutter that had accumulated during the unconscious hours. For me, that is a lot of clutter. My mind is more active at night...it goes into hyperdrive working out problems, solving math equations, staging reunions with old friends, dreaming up the next big idea... It's not uncommon for me to wake up feeling exhausted yet glad to be out of my own head.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my over-active mind. It makes me crazy that it rarely turns off. But I love that it rarely turns off. It's been my saving grace, the one thing that has been consistent throughout my life. Like an old annoying, nagging friend that only has my best interests at heart. It keeps my secrets but never lets me forget my mistakes. It dreams big and helps me to follow through. It's cocky because it's confident (and has therefore earned its right to be cocky). Its connection to my heart is a strong one and it will defend its honor like no one else. Yes, I am talking about my mind as though it were a separate entity. Sometimes I think it is.

Lately, my mind doesn't know where to go or how to empty out. It's so full of clutter, both good and bad. The good: creative thoughts, fresh ideas, a constant flow of newness. The bad: other people's lack of those things. I walked into a large chain crafts store the other day and came face to face with jewelry components that look just like some that I make. No, they are not made of clay, they are metal, and there are slight changes, but I know my ideas when I see them. And I know the manufacturer friended me on Facebook several months ago, out of the blue. They know who I am and now I know what they are all about. And it's disappointing to say the least.

It's hard to say what is more disheartening - being ripped off by a large corporation or by an individual person. The next day I logged into Etsy and came face to face with a copy of one of my oldest and best-selling designs being made by someone else. This is a person who has done this in the past so it comes as no surprise. Her lack of imagination is well documented. This is something I really can't get my mind around. I mean, why would someone want to make something the same as someone else? Do they want the whole world to know that they are not capable of coming up with their own ideas? I realize the temptation is there. I make molds from all types of things from buttons to stampings... anything that has a design that is in the public domain. Public domain means that no one owns the rights to them so any artist can come along and do what they want with it. HOWEVER (!), what they do with it then becomes THEIRS. That is where original thought comes into play. If you did not think of doing it, then don't do it.

But I've said all this before. It's nothing new. Copying isn't new and it will continue. And I will continue to bring attention to it because my original ideas are worth defending. And my mind won't give me any peace if I don't say something. Until the day comes when people develop a sense of respect for the work and ideas of others and acquire some dignity of their own, I will keep writing my three pages. Which means I'll be writing three pages for the rest of my life.