What Makes a Classic?
I read an interesting article this week that was about how we read and observe for deeper meaning vs. how we read or look for content. The idea was that we return to the ‘classics’ over and over while ‘content’ we generally only look at once. The example they gave was that we don’t re-read yesterday’s newspaper but we will read a classic novel many times, finding new meanings and insights with each reading.
This made me think about art as well. We don’t look at a classic painting by Monet or Van Gogh one time and feel like once was enough. We revisit those masterpieces many times and each time find that we are moved by them in new ways all over again.
But not all artworks or books move us in this way. So, what really makes something into a classic – intosomething we want to return to?
In my own art collection, my favorite pieces - those that I would call my classics - continue to bring me joy and meaning every day even though I’ve lived with some of them for many years. Each time I see them they feed my soul, making me feel better for looking at them. They bring me comfort and joy.
Not every piece of art can do this for me, but the ones that really resonate with me do this magical thing of bringing joy out of nowhere just for me.
To me these pieces are my personal classics.
Children read and listen to their favorite stories over and over again. It’s not that children don’t remember how the story ends so they want to hear it again. They know exactly where the story goes but still enjoy repeating the journey in their imagination, just as adults do when we read a favorite book again. We already know the ending but we want to savor the journey again.
Maybe there is something comforting and safe in the repetition? Maybe the familiarity makes room for us to explore deeper within ourselves? No matter the reason, we begin as children developing our own collection of personal classics. I still remember my favorite children’s books and I’m sure you remember yours too.
As adults we continue building these personal classic collections of art and literature. Our favorites that continue to bring us joy throughout our lives.
Friendships are like this too. Friends who become our ‘classics’ bring us joy and comfort. We look forward to seeing them just like we look forward to seeing a favorite piece of art.
Not every friend fits this role any more than every book is one you want to reread or every artwork moves you. But those people who we really connect with are every bit as much of a classic in our lives as the masterpieces in the art world.
So, enjoy those classic moments. Savor a good book many times, gaze at an artwork and let it carry you to new places, and enjoy the people in your life who really see you and let you truly be with them and they with you.
What is classic in your life?
