Artificial Happiness

The world of art surrounds us. Some people make art, some people appreciate art and some people are even named Art. 

Art is a great way to escape and express yourself. Unless you express that you’re bad at art, then it’s best to escape. 

It comes in many shapes and sizes. Either through music, theatre, literature or a frizzy haired-man teaching painting tutorials in such a serene voice that you fall asleep before learning anything. 

Speaking of learning, in the fifth grade we were taught about the artist, Vincent van Gogh and immediately I was fascinated by his paintings and life story.

Thinking back on it now, I’m not really sure why – it’s not like he was hunky. 

That same year my oldest brother went on a school trip to France and brought me back a book about Vincent van Gogh. I remember being ecstatic that my 17 year old brother took the time to get me something so meaningful in between misbehaving on the trip (I’m certain he doesn’t read the blog, so I think I’m safe in sharing this).

After I received the gift, I remember sitting on my bed with my legs crossed, feeling the crisp pages turn for the very first time, to find the book was written entirely in French. My knowledge of the french words for colours and the days of the week wasn’t about to help me in this moment.

However, day after day I found myself analyzing the photos and coming up with my own conclusions about Starry Night, Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters. (It was easy to predict what the potato eaters were all about).

Through this experience I learned that art can be interpreted differently, but the success of this trip could not…

In Van-ished Co-Worker, I couldn’t locate my co-recreation therapist. Today, I couldn’t locate the outing destination.

Community recreation and community reintegration can be an important aspect of recreation therapy in long term care. For people with injuries and illness there are a variety of benefits, dependent on the individual’s circumstances:

• increase independence
• develop meaningful relationships with others
• learn social behaviours
• increase leisure awareness
• escape their annoying Recreation Therapist

At work the therapy aides typically attend the community outings without me. However, at times I am lucky enough to attend if we have a shortage of staff, the particular activity requires more assistance or I selfishly want to check out the attraction.

In this particular case, we were short staffed, so I bundled up for a museum exhibit located downtown in a beautiful.. blizzard. 

I informed the bus driver that due to construction, this particular museum was now located in a temporary location. He assured me he was aware and did not require any assistance. So I sat back and enjoyed the 15 minutes of relaxation…

Once we were off the bus, I looked around disoriented as though this was my first time downtown. The museum was no where in sight and neither was our bus as he had already sped off.

I did not know which way to turn, but I did know I could turn to Google Maps. 

The GPS Gods stated that we were five blocks from where we wanted to be. So our only option was to trek through the snow. Unfortunately, due to last minute cancellations, we had ended up with more people who use wheelchairs than assistants. So we were about to test our coordination and strength. 

**The actions in this story are performed by professionals. Do not attempt this at home. Or at the very least do not attempt in the snow as it can result in serious injury, adverse health effects and stupidity.**

Now due to our unexpected excursion, we were going to be late for our booked tour. So while walking, talking, hauling and not thawing, I phoned the museum to inform them of our current situation.

When we did eventually arrive at the museum as quiet as a family fighting on a road trip, it seemed the exhibit was not as I had perceived from the website. It was a confusing, gruesome, silent graphic novel. 

The arts can have a liberating effect on people, but we all just wanted to be liberated from this experience. 

Thankfully, the exhibit wasn’t very long, so we were ready to be picked up much earlier than expected. So I phoned the bus driver and informed him of our location – the correct location. 

But we weren’t out of the woods (or snow) just yet. The driver ended up parking in a hotel’s valet parking across the street due to space. 

Once again, we found ourselves trekking through the snow, giving friendly waves to unfriendly downtown drivers. 

As we loaded onto the bus in front of the ritzy hotel, looking disheveled and out of place, one of the residents turned to me and said, “I still like you after this but I am f—ing freezing.”

As the stylish Bob Ross once said, “we don’t make mistakes just happy little accidents.”