April 27, 2026
Personal Reflections
Everywhere I turned last week, both in my work and personal life, I was met with complicated topics and discussions. When seen in the arts, it was intriguing, but in my personal life, it was stressful.
Along with the above mentioned trends, I kept hearing people say “it’s a sign of the times.” I hate that phrase, but I understand it too.
We cannot run away from the fact that these are deeply complex and troubling times. In theory, you could move somewhere that appears to fit your own definition of “better” whether it be a different city, state, country, or planet. The façade of the other side will begin to fade as you are exposed to its equally troubling problems. Thus, the idea that the grass is greener on the other side is an illusion.
The grass is greener on the side you water it, but it doesn’t make the actual task of watering or tending to the grass any easier. This is why we need the arts — to tend to our souls so we can continue to live empowered, protect our community, and advocate for change. In short, the arts give us hope, and hope is the fuel that keeps us going.
On our way home from a show this weekend, my mom and I were talking about observations we have made about our arts scene. We were discussing how something we saw was intended to make us filled hope-filled, but it actually did the opposite.
Throughout our conversation, we came to realize that hope itself can be interpreted in different ways and come in many shapes, sizes, and varieties. In this way, what fills each person up will vary, and that is okay.
At the same time, remember hope does not always have to make us feel light and fluffy. Hope can give us a jolt of inspiration and passion, and present itself in deep discussions or moments of critical thinking as it lingers on the forefront of our hearts. I love the fact that I write for a paper literally and appropriately named JOLT News.
I encourage you to get out there — explore and enjoy as much diverse art as possible. Embrace a mindset that allows you to be in the audience for life itself, not just staged events.
You never know what will speak to you…it could be as simple as a bush of pink flowers on a warm spring evening.
This Week in the Arts
Coming up this week, I will be publishing three pieces in my JOLT Column including:
A review of Olympia Little Theater’s “Love/Sick”
A review of Theater Artists Olympia’s “Anna Considers Mars”
A sneak peek of Studio West Dance Theater’s “Coppelia”
To read my articles as they come out, I invite you to subscribe to the JOLT News and/or follow me on Instagram and Facebook, then invite a friend to do the same! :)
If you read a story that inspires you, I invite you to share it with others and help spread the word about the incredible things happening in the Thurston County Arts Community.
Then, make a donation to The JOLT News so that we can continue to celebrate everything happening in our arts community.