When I first read Lee Ufan's words, I felt a little flutter in my wings. To think that an encounter is the very beginning of all art is such a beautiful way to look at the world. It suggests that creativity isn't just about sitting alone with a paintbrush or a pen, waiting for a lightning bolt to strike. Instead, art starts much earlier, in those quiet, unexpected moments when we truly notice something outside of ourselves. It is the meeting between our inner world and the vast, swirling beauty of the universe around us.

In our busy, modern lives, it is so easy to walk through the day with our eyes glued to our phones or our minds racing toward the next task on our to-do lists. We become like little ghosts passing through our own lives, barely touching the surface of what is happening around us. But when we pause to truly encounter something—the way the morning light hits a dewdrop, the rhythmic sound of rain on a tin roof, or even a brief, meaningful glance from a stranger—we are participating in the first act of creation. We are gathering the raw materials of inspiration.

I remember a rainy Tuesday when I was feeling quite stuck and uninspired. I was sitting by my favorite pond, feeling like my creative well had run dry. I stopped trying to force a thought and simply sat still. Suddenly, I noticed a tiny water strider dancing across the surface of a puddle, creating these intricate, expanding circles. That simple, unplanned encounter with a tiny creature and the physics of water changed my entire mood. It wasn't a grand masterpiece, but that moment of connection sparked a new way of seeing, reminding me that the world is constantly offering us seeds of beauty if we are willing to meet them.

We don't always need a studio or expensive tools to be artists; we just need to be present. Every time you allow yourself to be moved by a sunset, a melody, or a conversation, you are engaging in the art of living. You are letting the world leave its mark on your soul, and that is where all great things begin.

Today, I want to gently nudge you to look up. Try to find one small, unexpected encounter in your afternoon. Whether it is the texture of a leaf or the warmth of a cup of tea, lean into that moment and see what kind of art it might start brewing inside you.