Tension is the glue, the gravity of our lives. Tension is ever-present. Without tension, we’d fall apart.
Too much tension can harm us. When we are too tense for too long our health suffers. Our thinking suffers too.
There is a certain beauty in tension. Books, shows and movies use tension in their plots. A premise is set up with conflict. The tension builds and builds until it’s released (usually at the end of the story). This pattern exists in nearly every story we tell.
It’s the tension that keeps us along for the ride.
There is tension and release in music, paintings and great speeches. Without tension, the audience loses interest.
There have been tense circumstances in my life these past few days. I have felt the pressure building. It’s tempting to fight against that tension, but that only wears me out, makes me weak.
If I close my eyes, breathe deeply and watch the tension, I see form. I see beautiful patterns. I can see that tension is always shifting, changing shape.
I have written several songs these past few days, and they’ve come out very easily (usually a sign that they’re keepers). Tension allows me to tap into the hopes, fears and beauty beneath the surface of everyday life.
Tension breeds art.
In college, I wrote lots of songs during finals week, when I had plenty to do. Deadlines + Exams + Papers = Tension. Tension is a great conduit for the creative process. When I finished my last exam, the tension was released and I’d have a handful of new songs to sing.
Everything is in flux.
Chronic tension kills us.
Temporary tension helps us thrive.
It takes pressure to make diamonds.
published .
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