“Surrender to not-knowing” was the catchphrase of poet Wislawa Szymborska who offered this as a guide to participate in the wonder of creation as an artist. Whether a scientist, poet, or everyday worker we are all artists as we become co-creators in life. As we step into each moment with the willingness to allow for the unexpected to unfold, we make art with the stuff of our lives. The alternative for some is to control and define with closed minds what life should be instead of what it could be. Instead of contracting back into certainty Szymborska challenges us to live bravely in the “I don’t know” that defines the inexplicable nature of our existence here on Earth. By opening themselves to the unknown, artists of all kinds have been led to discoveries and inventions that have changed life on Earth for the better. Read more about Szymborska and her perspectives on uncertainty.
