“The man who follows a crowd will never be followed by a crowd.” R.S. Donnell (from The Painter’s Keys)
The world is full of quotes about different drummers and roads less traveled, not following the crowd and so on. Who are these different drummers, these solitary travelers? They are the ones who get things done, who see different horizons. They are the creative people, the artists, the inventors, the innovators, musicians, actors, dancers, writers, and photographers. How do they break from the crowd to seek the solitary path?
It takes courage to listen to the creative heart. Hanging with the crowd never gets to the road less traveled. That noisy crowd obliterates the sound of the different drummer, obscures the horizon. The creative heart longs to be heard but never raises its voice. It quietly continues to whisper, “create, create” hoping to be heard. The creative heart is polite, never speaking over the crowd. The only way to hear the creative heart is to stop moving and actively listen.
Breaking away from the crowd takes strength, as well as courage. The crowd always fights to stay intact. As soon as one starts to separate, the crowd moves in threatening to bowl right over the upstart. To gain freedom will require a bold move, a quick sharp slice through middle of the pack. Once in the clear of the cacophony, the heart can breathe, its whisper can be heard. Those with the courage to listen will find the path. To do anything less is to suffocate.