My Friend fear
by Meera Lee Patel
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Dear Meera, Thank you for taking the time to talk to us about your newest book, My Friend fear. Who is Meera Lee Patel in her own words? I’m an author and illustrator interested in creating work that helps connect people to themselves, each other, and the world around them. Is your new book, My Friend fear, a reflection of the theme you’ve concentrated on with regards to or in lieu of resolutions you’ve made for 2018? 'My Friend fear' is a mediation on all of the fears that have followed me my entire life, up to now. I created a resolution last year, while writing this book, that I’ll never turn down an opportunity—whether it’s to say hello to a stranger, meet someone new, or a chance to teach others—because I am scared. |
Photo credit: Ojus Patel |
This is a resolution that has opened many doors for me and helped me become more comfortable with my fears, and it’s one that I will continue keeping in 2018.
How long did it take you to turn the tables on Fear and consider making it a Friend instead of an Enemy?
It took me my whole life (30 years!) and is a practice that I continue investing my energy and heart into every day.
Fear is not something to be conquered—it is not a consequence or punishment for being weak or anxious. It’s an indication of our truest desires and dreams, and it’s something that can help guide us, if we learn to let it.
You talk about being a self-taught visual artist and your initial fear, desire, and expectation to be acknowledged and praised for your talent. Do you remember the moment when you made the decision to embrace your fears?
I began learning that the best work I made that others connected to and felt understood by was the work I made for myself, not the work I made in order to be validated by others.
I had to make the very difficult decision, over and over again, that I was going to create meaningful work even if it got me nowhere—even if it never let me quit my job, even if it no one ever saw it, and even if no one ever liked it.
I had to create the work because the work needed to be created. The work didn’t become easier or less scary when I made that decision—but over time, it became easier to continue making that choice, over and over again.
How long did it take you to turn the tables on Fear and consider making it a Friend instead of an Enemy?
It took me my whole life (30 years!) and is a practice that I continue investing my energy and heart into every day.
Fear is not something to be conquered—it is not a consequence or punishment for being weak or anxious. It’s an indication of our truest desires and dreams, and it’s something that can help guide us, if we learn to let it.
You talk about being a self-taught visual artist and your initial fear, desire, and expectation to be acknowledged and praised for your talent. Do you remember the moment when you made the decision to embrace your fears?
I began learning that the best work I made that others connected to and felt understood by was the work I made for myself, not the work I made in order to be validated by others.
I had to make the very difficult decision, over and over again, that I was going to create meaningful work even if it got me nowhere—even if it never let me quit my job, even if it no one ever saw it, and even if no one ever liked it.
I had to create the work because the work needed to be created. The work didn’t become easier or less scary when I made that decision—but over time, it became easier to continue making that choice, over and over again.
In addition to your delicate and colorful paintings, your beautiful writing is also what makes your book an enchanting treasure. What or who do you credit with your writing skills?
My liberal arts education! I’ve always enjoyed writing and my parents encouraged it very much.
I went to a visual and performing arts public high school where I was in the creative writing program, and I went to college to study English and Journalism, where I continued reading and writing for a large portion of my days.
Writing, like any other skill, is developed by practice—and I hope to improve as I continue practicing.
Did you have a particular audience in mind when you decided to write your book or did you just pour your heart out on this very real-life subject that we all feel affected by whether we like to admit it or not?
I knew that fear is something that every single person on Earth is affected by, so my target audience was, and continues to be, pretty broad. I do hope people take the time to listen to their own fears and see if there is something they can learn from them.
Is there a public figure who could really use a copy of your book in order to deal with and hopefully overcome his/her own fear?
I do feel our current president has a lot of fear that he isn’t comfortable voicing, understanding, or working through. When we run away from our fear, we give it the power to make our choices for us, and it’s evident that most of the decisions he makes are entirely out of fear.
You’ve recently moved to Nashville from Brooklyn. As an artist, what have you found in your new adopted city that makes you feel happy?
A wonderful sense of community and belonging. Nashville has welcomed me generously with open arms and I feel very lucky to be here.
What do you miss the most from Brooklyn?
I miss the people, the noise, and the energy of Brooklyn. I miss the power of invisibility that a New Yorker has – the choice to be seen or not seen amidst so many beautiful and different people.
What are your expectations for the weeks and months ahead? Do you have any promotional events you’d like to share with us and our HocTok community?
I hope the book will be well-received by anyone who reads it, and most importantly, I hope it will help them evaluate their fears and decide for themselves which fears are useful—and which ones are better left behind.
I have a few book readings, talks, and signings coming up—in Nashville, NYC, and LA. Details for the events are available on my website: meeralee.com
Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about you and your work. We wish you all the success you deserve for your latest work. Hope you can keep in touch!
My liberal arts education! I’ve always enjoyed writing and my parents encouraged it very much.
I went to a visual and performing arts public high school where I was in the creative writing program, and I went to college to study English and Journalism, where I continued reading and writing for a large portion of my days.
Writing, like any other skill, is developed by practice—and I hope to improve as I continue practicing.
Did you have a particular audience in mind when you decided to write your book or did you just pour your heart out on this very real-life subject that we all feel affected by whether we like to admit it or not?
I knew that fear is something that every single person on Earth is affected by, so my target audience was, and continues to be, pretty broad. I do hope people take the time to listen to their own fears and see if there is something they can learn from them.
Is there a public figure who could really use a copy of your book in order to deal with and hopefully overcome his/her own fear?
I do feel our current president has a lot of fear that he isn’t comfortable voicing, understanding, or working through. When we run away from our fear, we give it the power to make our choices for us, and it’s evident that most of the decisions he makes are entirely out of fear.
You’ve recently moved to Nashville from Brooklyn. As an artist, what have you found in your new adopted city that makes you feel happy?
A wonderful sense of community and belonging. Nashville has welcomed me generously with open arms and I feel very lucky to be here.
What do you miss the most from Brooklyn?
I miss the people, the noise, and the energy of Brooklyn. I miss the power of invisibility that a New Yorker has – the choice to be seen or not seen amidst so many beautiful and different people.
What are your expectations for the weeks and months ahead? Do you have any promotional events you’d like to share with us and our HocTok community?
I hope the book will be well-received by anyone who reads it, and most importantly, I hope it will help them evaluate their fears and decide for themselves which fears are useful—and which ones are better left behind.
I have a few book readings, talks, and signings coming up—in Nashville, NYC, and LA. Details for the events are available on my website: meeralee.com
Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about you and your work. We wish you all the success you deserve for your latest work. Hope you can keep in touch!