I was having somewhat of a frustrating day a week or so ago.
It was late in the afternoon and I was driving back to the office sulking a bit more than I should have. Nevertheless, it was a bummer of a day. I was listening to the Dan Barreiro radio show, and he was doing a segment on how important the arts really are.
He was trying to convey the message that we never really can comprehend the impact the arts have on people — be it music, dance, painting or any of the different spectrums of art.
He added that one’s interpretation of the arts may vary dramatically from one individual to another.
His example was from an interview Bill Murray had done relating to his early years of his career.
The Bill Murray he was talking about is the Bill Murray of “Saturday Night Live” fame and films like “Caddy Shack” and “Ghost Busters.”
Murray was telling the story of when he was having a bummer of a day (his day was much worse than mine).
Very early in his career he had just finished his role in a stage play in Chicago. It didn’t go well, and the crowd let him know it. Once his part was over and he left the stage, he walked out the door and decided he didn’t want to go on living. So, he walked to Lake Michigan to end his life that night.
He was walking along Michigan Avenue and came across The Chicago Art Institute Museum. For whatever reason, he walked into the museum and found himself gazing at a painting on the wall.
He said he felt somehow drawn to this painting of a woman all by herself in a field with what he felt was little purpose or prospect of a better life ahead. Yet, behind the woman was the rising sun of a new day.
He studied the painting and came to the conclusion that with the sunrise of a new day, maybe that woman had a new chance of a better life.
Murray walked out of the museum and decided to walk away from the lake and hope for a better day when the sun came up in the morning.
The irony of this story is the painting is called the Song of the Lark by Jules-Adolphe Breton painted in 1884.
Some believe the painting is of a setting sun, but Murray’s interpretation was of a sunrise, giving hope and saving his life.
I encourage you to check out the YouTube video, “Bill Murray admits a painting saved his life.”
My hope is that tomorrow or at least someday soon, America will wake up to the prospect of a better day.