Chasing Down the Muse: No questioning this muse’s virtue

Slut (n.)—a lazy, careless, or slovenly woman; a lewd or dissolute woman.

My muse is no slut.

Recently, while attending an art gathering, one of the first things I heard was, “The muse is a slut.” The humor was lost on no one as the room erupted in laughter. But a slut, I wondered? Really? No way. My own muse seems to me anything but.

The muse that I chase after is spunky, quixotic and often flighty. She is quirky and changeable. Elusive at times, at others she is downright evasive. She is definitely a tease.

My muse is not lazy, careless or slovenly. She is neither immoral nor depraved, though she might at times be rather self-indulgent. She is now and then a little crazy, perhaps, but in such a charming and delightful way as to be very endearing.

This muse of mine definitely keeps me on my toes. Sometimes she is serious and intense and at other times fanciful and filled with laughter. There is never a dull moment, except maybe those when she flies out too far ahead of me to even catch sight of this ethereal being. At these moments, I must hurry to catch up.

Every so often, my muse leads me down dark, mysterious paths that appear far too difficult. Still, I trust her to know more than I do. Most of the time, there seems a lightness of spirit about her, a quickness to her step, as we tread nature’s paths. She constantly asks me to use all my senses — to see more, to listen with greater intensity, to touch with heightened sensitivity, to taste the exotic strangeness of flavors, to smell the subtle nuance of things.

My muse sends me down unexplored pathways to an unknown, unplanned end. This is exciting and often a bit scary but never in any sinister or depressing sort of way. Instead, the mystery of it all is titillating and most often leads to opening up the mysterious channels to greater creativity.

In fact, the only thing sluttish about my muse is that, as with most sluts, she can be a bit messy, but only in the most positive ways. Creativity is often quite messy and disorganized. Out of the chaos comes the something wonderful that each artist seeks.

So I shall continue chasing down the muse. She continues to inspire me. With Daylight Saving Time upon us, there are just that many more glorious sun-drenched hours to chase shadows and sprites and ideas.

CHERRIL DOTY is an artist, writer, and teacher who embraces the mystery and magic of all that is life. You can reach her at (714) 745-9973 or by email at [email protected].