I feed the crows in the morning. They remember and wait.
They judge whether what I bring is worth their time.

Otis watches the birds intently.

“You like the crows,” Otis says. “No apologies for what they are. Efficient. No wasted motion. They don’t overextend.”

I say something about intelligence.

“They’re good at being crows,” Otis interrupts, “That’s the trick.”

Otis starts chattering at the crows, then looks up at me.

“Most artists get this wrong. They borrow strategies without asking whether those strategies fit their own nature. They copy the behavior of what works elsewhere and wonder why it feels forced.”

Otis yawns.

“I can learn from a crow,” he says. “There is a resonance I can learn from. But I don’t need to inherit its instincts.”

Then he does his stretchy thing. “Creativity isn’t about absorbing everything you admire. It’s about knowing what doesn’t belong to you.”

He starts chattering at the crows again and then drills his eyes into me.

“I study what I am not. That’s how I stay myself.”

Can We Help You?

Are you learning from what inspires you, or trying to become it?

The crows are watching. Otis is judging.

Comment, share, and subscribe. Otis is grateful for the company, especially watching crows.

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