Your art matters

Every once in a while, a quote comes along that sticks with you because of the valuable life truth that it holds.

While many of these obviously come from Full House, there's one in particular that can only be found in the incredibly profound One Tree Hill.

There's a pivotal moment in the first season when Lucas enters the gym after contemplating not playing basketball, and he says to Peyton (the girl he has loved since the moment he saw her), "Your art matters. It's what got me here." Peyton is an artist and sketches often, but she had told Lucas that what she did wasn't important. He disagreed.

Years later, Peyton returns to Tree Hill and throws Lucas' words back at him: "It's like you touched my soul. And a few days ago I was ready to quit again, but you saved me with the words you wrote about me in your novel. So, if you're struggling to write the next one, you should know that your art matters, Lucas. It's what got me here."

We all have different things that we do that help make us who we are. Some of us are artists, some are musicians, some are writers, some are athletes, some are performers, and some are able to impact the people around us in various other ways. But, regardless of whatever it is that makes you special, it matters.

And sometimes we don't even realize how much we are impacting others with our "arts."

My sister is one of the most precious gifts to this world, and she always knows the right thing to say to me at the exact moment I need it. In a sense, I think this is a special art that she was given to be able to provide both comfort and smiles to others when their hearts are hurting. I honestly cannot recall a time when I've been feeling down and not felt better after talking to her. And it's not like she always says things that are full of deep intellect or insight—sometimes they are just so flat-out ridiculous and witty that you have no choice but to forget all of your troubles and let laughter lighten up your soul.

Her art matters.

Whether she knows it or not, her silly words and attitude are important and impactful. Whether you know it or not, the gifts you've been given are important and impactful, as well. It's one more reason I think it's so essential that you need to be the best you possible, because God gave you unique characteristics about you that were meant to shine light into the world in different ways.

You may not write the Great American Novel; you may never conduct a famous symphony; you may never have a sculpture or painting displayed in a museum; you may never win a Grammy or an Oscar or a Tony; you may never make the SportsCenter highlight reel; you may never do anything that makes headlines of any sort. But you have the power to impact people in your life more than you may ever know, so don't ever think that anything you have to contribute to this world is insignificant.

Because, to the One who matters more than anything, your art matters.