The Art Of Showing Up Novels & Stories

Jordan opened the door for me as I entered, and we were on our way. *** As I made my way to the River Arts Convention Center for my highly anticipated art exhibition, a rush of excitement and confidence coursed through my veins, replacing the usual pre-show anxiety that I often feel. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Jordan who opened the door to unveil a visually stunning red carpet that stretched out in front of me, further elevating my already positive mood. The vibrant color of the carpet was impossible to ignore, drawing my attention and adding an extra layer of elegance to the already impressive environment.

*Harper* I’m practically vibrating with excitement when I burst into the apartment, nearly knocking poor McKenzy off the couch. She’s got paint in her hair, a bowl of popcorn balanced on her lap, and her laptop open to some DIY tutorial. The moment she sees my face, her eyes go wide. “Okay, what’s got you bouncing off the walls like a caffeinated squirrel?” she asks, grinning as she sets her popcorn aside. “We’re doing it!” I practically sing, spinning in a circle. “We’re having our art show. And it’s going to be huge.”

I told him with my eyes brimming in tears. “Weren't you always a real artist? What does...” I walked to where he sat and handed him my phone. He scanned through it and stood up. He picked me up and spun me around. That was when laughter spilled out of my lips. To have someone to celebrate this milestone with was a beautiful addition to my life. “I'm so proud of you babe. I can't wait to be there.” Then worry set in, “What if people don't come? Who wants to come to the gallery showing of a newbie? Or if people don't like the painting? Or...”

"You think so? I am not so confident anymore, have you seen the work being displayed at Paul's shows, they are masterpieces and I can't compete with that," "Well, it's not a competition, think about it this way, Paul is someone you look up to, he and there are a lot more artists here that you look up to, they are not here to judge you but to cheer you on, you sent out the invitations right?" She asked. "Yes I did, I have been doing that every year and he has never once showed up and I thought he won't but I was shocked when I saw him, my voice literally flattered when I went to greet him, it was embarrassing,"

Something moved through her expression, small and complicated and there before she contained it. “Why?” she said. I crossed the room. Not fast. Not with the urgency of someone who had been waiting. Deliberately, the way you moved toward something when you had decided and you wanted the movement itself to be the statement. I stopped close enough that she would have to look up at me. She did. Those steady eyes. That stillness. “Because you asked me to show up in the moments that cost something,” I said. “And I am trying to figure out what that looks like.”

she replied, without turning to face him. The moderator opened the discussion: “The Rise of Art in a Fractured World: The Role of Aesthetics in Collective Healing.” Evelyn spoke first. Her voice was steady, her hands unwavering as she shared about art as a sanctuary for trauma. Her words flowed with clarity and depth. William followed, offering thoughtful insights on how visual expression could reshape narratives of pain. “Sometimes,” he said, glancing briefly at Evelyn, “art is the only way someone survives what they can’t say out loud.”

Silver watched me, heat filled his hooded eyes. “You glow when you smile,” he murmured, his voice was low and rough. I laughed, nervous but flattered, my core already warming up. And while the woman walked away, my eyes lingered on her. “It’s incredible, all of it. You turned people into… masterpieces.” “That’s the point,” he replied, stepping closer, his body heat enveloping me. “Art isn’t on canvas tonight. It’s about breathing, feeling and experiencing.”

Matt didn't give me a chance to refuse before hanging up again. I blinked. Only then did I realize I'd forgotten to start the recording. But it was just one or two sentences—probably not important. I was only calling my mother-in-law to meet with her son. That should be fine, right? I called my mother-in-law. By the time she arrived, I headed over as well. When I got there and went to look for her, I was told she'd already been sent into the operating room.

I type, “ E x h i b i t a r t i d e a s ” I search for a place to match Jodie’s identity as an artist. Jodie Springer is a budding artist who got discovered earlier last year in a street in Italy. I personally saw her artwork before she even became famous. Actually, one of her pieces is in my apartment right now. So when I heard about her rising popularity, I immediately volunteered to hold her exhibition without checking my prior schedule. So here I am rushing things up.

He was quiet for a moment, and she watched him make the decision — visibly, the way he made every decision now, without the old instinct to manage her around it. “Then we find him together,” he said. “Not because you need managing. Because I’m not going to let you walk toward whatever this is alone, and because…..” He stopped . “Because?” I asked “Because I’ve spent five months learning that showing up isn’t a single grand gesture. It’s every ordinary Tuesday after that. This is one of those Tuesdays.” Something in her chest loosened, just slightly, the way it had been loosening by degrees for weeks now against her own better judgment.