Whipple_CreativityAndQuest

8/6/2019 Whipple_CreativityAndQuest

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/whipplecreativityandquest 1/15

CreativityandQuest

GailTuckerWhipple

InstituteforTranspersonalPsychology

AuthorNote

ThispaperwaswrittenonMarch21,2011infulfillmentofApplicationofCoaching

Processclassrequirements.



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CREATIVITYANDQUEST

Vision,Mission,andPhilosophy

Throughoutmylife,myvisionhasbeenthatunderneatheveryworldlypurposeeachof

ushasadivinepath—acallingtodowhatwehavethepowertodotocreatealifeof

positivepurposeforourselfandothers(Pearson,1992).Havinggrownupinahousehold

wheremyparentsstrivedtomakeawayintheworldforpeoplewithcognitivedisabilities,

Iearlyonexperiencedthearcofthehero’sjourney:Heedingacalllargerthanoneself(even

ifatfirstonewishestodemur),takingthetransformativejourney,findingthegiftsand

sharingthemwithothers.

Oneofmybirthgiftswasafacilitywithwordsandmusic,andIalsobecamefamiliar

withthecreativeprocessatayoungage:Preparation(practice!)incubation,illumination

andverification(oroutcome)withtheprocessresultingingrowth.Myenvironmentwas

richwithart,music,andbooks,includingallthepossibilityandtruththeartscelebrate.

Therefore,myearliestlearningechoesboththeheroicjourneyandthecreativeprocess

ofmovingfromaplaceofmusingpossibilitytomaking/being/feeling/seeingsomething

wholeandnew.EverytimeIexperiencedthisground,insmallorlargeways,consciousor

unconscious,IfeltdeepinspirationandbeliefthatthehandofGodwasatworkinthe

world,thattherewashope.Icametounderstandthatweeachcould—andwould—makea

differenceofsomesort,justbybeingborn.Whynotmakethepathacreativeandheroic

one?

Inmyparent’scase,alongfortheirjourneyattheearlypartofmylife,Isawtheir



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incredibleresults—andfrustrations—ofworkingforsystemicchange.Therefore,Idecided

mypersonalapproachtodoingwhatIhadthepowertodowouldbetochangetheworld

bychangingmyself.That’swhytodaymylifeandcoachingpracticeisdedicatedtothe

followingmission:

Istrivetoembodymyhighestpotential,andassistothersinembodyingtheirs.

OnmyjourneytodosoIhaveexperiencedmanytransformations.Oneofthemost

powerfulistheagingprocessitself.AsawomaninmyfiftiesIhavelivedlongenoughtobe

marriedforaquarter-century,raisechildren,buryparentsandlovedones,carefora

brotherwhoisdisabled,earnamaster’sdegreeintranspersonalpsychology,a

transpersonalcoachingcertification,ablackbeltinTo-Shin-Do(whichmeans“eventhough

theenemyholdsabladeovermyheartIwillpersevere”),andaspiritualordinationin

honorofmygoodworksinthebroadercommunity.I’vealsobeenabletoworkwithmy

creativity,makingcontributionsalongthewayasawriter,musician,technicalartist,

composer,teacher,andcoach.

AllthishasbeenbornoutofinnatepotentialgivenbyCreationitself,andinspiredby

countlessfellowbeingsthatI’vemetalongtheway,allofwhomhavebestowedmanygems

ofwisdomthathavefoundtheirwayintomyphilosophy:

1. Everyonehasacalling,andcreativepowertopursueit.2. Theworldneedsheroesandyoucanbeoneofthem.

3. Changeyourselfandyouchangetheworld.4. Thereareendlesspositivechoicestobemade.

5. Lifeisnotperfect,butit’spowerful.6. It’snot“TherebutforthegraceofGod,amI.”It’s“ThereIam.”

7. Dowhatyouhavethepowertodo.8. Acceptyourabilitiesevenasyouaspiretoexpandthem.



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9. Peaceispossible,andnon-violenceisthemostcrediblepath.10. Non-violencedoesnotmeanpassivity.

Theseprinciplesarenotplatitudes.Ihaveseentheminaction,andknowthemtobe

authenticmilestonesforwalkingthepathofpossibility.Thefollowingstoriesfrommyown

journeywillhelpilluminatewhythisisso.

Creativity:ThePowerofArtforPersonalandPlanetaryChange

ListeningtoLilyYehspeakatacivicarts&culturelectureforevertransformedmy

understandingofart,responsibility,ministryandcalling.YehwasborninChinaandcame

toPennsylvaniainthe1980’sattheageoftwenty-twotopursueamaster’sdegreeinart.

SheenjoyedsuccessasapainteroflandscapesintraditionalChinesestyle.Onedayata

cocktailparty,awell-connectedstrangerchattedherup,andthencommissionedherto

createagarden.Asanewcomertothecountry,shehadneverbeentotheparticular

neighborhoodinPhiladelphiathathewantedtore-landscape.Whenshevisitedthespace,

itbecameclearwhy:Shestoodinthemiddleofavacantlotlitteredwithrubbish,andsaw

drugaddictsstandinginthedoorwaysnearby.Discouragedandfrightened,shereturned

homeandtalkedtoherfriends,whoofferedtohelpherfindawayoutofthecommission.

Thatnightwhilesleeping,Yehheardasmallvoicethatsaid,“Ifyoudonotcreatethis

smallgarden,nothingyoudowillamounttoverymuch”(personalcommunication,

February4,2002).

Yehreturnedtothevacantlot,pickedupanabandonedtimberanddrewacircleinthe

middleofthedirt.Shecalledouttoaloiteringdrugaddicttocomehelphermovethe

rubbish.NotonlydidJoJocometoheraid,hebecameanimportantfixtureinthe



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communitythatshecreatedonthatspot,aplaceofartandhopecalledTheVillageofArts

andHumanities.Itwasatthispointthatshesteppedintohercallingasartist,leavingher

identityasamerepainterbehind:

I'vebeenpaintingfordecades.IstartedwhenIwas15.Ialwayscalledmyselfa

painterthen,neveranartist.Ipaintedinthestudio.Ishowedinthegalleries.Ihada

niceteachingjobatUniversityoftheArts,butIwasstillsearchingformyidentity.

WhoamI?WhatamIdoing?Ididn'tfeelthisdeepsenseofrootedness.In1986,I

steppedintomypath,whichisthelifeofanartist.ArtisnotwhatIdo,butitiswhat

Iam.Tobeanartistisatotalcommitment.WhatyoucallentrepreneurIcallthelifeofanartist.(Yeh,n.d.)

TheVillageofArtsandHumanitiesisamulti-blockareaofbuildingssurroundedbya

gardenthatisfilledwithmosaicsandsculpturemadefromrecycledcement,glassand

stones,asshowninFigures1and2.Thespacesandbuildingsareusedforcomingofage

andothercommunityrituals,asprayergarden,andcommunitycenter.

Fig.1:PrayerGardenatTheVillageofArtsandHumanities(2009)



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Fig.2:Jojo’sMemorial(2009)

Yehhasgoneontocreatetransformational,healingartvillageswithgenocidesurvivors

inRwanda.WhenIthinkofhowtospendmylife,Ithinkofherexample.Althoughshedoes

notknowmeatall,sheispartofthepreparationformyownheroicjourney,andaseedof

herinspirationispassedtoeveryoneIcoach.

Quest:BringingForthPositiveChange

EarningmyblackbeltatStephenK.HayesQuestCentertransformedmyunderstanding

ofpower,heroicjourneyandnon-violenceasawayoflife.HayesisaBuddhistpriestand

founderofabranchofamartialartsbasedonanancienteasternlineageandpracticed

throughouttheworld.Myhusbandandtwochildrentrainedwithmeinhisschool.His

curriculumchangedourlives,andisthefoundationfortheworkImyselfnowdo,asmy

ownbranchonthetreeofheroicjourneys.Thefirsttenantofourart’sfourteenpointCode

ofPowerfulLivingis,“Iprotectlifeandhealth.Iavoidviolencewheneverpossible”(Hayes,

n.d.).



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Thiscontextforpeace,alongwiththemessagesintheotherthirteenpoints,plus

severalyearsofpracticingthisartofperseveranceandaligningthought,word,andaction

towieldoptimumpersonalpowermademeabletorespondtomyowncallingandbegin

mycareerasacoach.Asamotheroftwostudentsandastudentmyself,Ibecamekeenly

awareofthevalueoftheseteachingstothedevelopinghuman.

Onedaymyfriend,PastorBriceThomas,calledacommunitymeetingtodiscussunmet

needsofyouthinthecity.Iclearlyrememberknowingthoughtheremightbe

understandableexplanationswhyanychild’sneedsgounmetthereisnocrediblereason.I

wentfrombeingaparentoftwototheparentofmanyinthatinstant.

ThomasandIbecamethemotherandfatherofanon-profitdojo,orschool,bringingMr.

Hayes’teachingstohundredsofyouthandparentswhowouldotherwisenothaveaccess.

OurSpiritQuestprogramoperatedinspiteofmanychallengesforoverthreeyears—until

itfinallysuccumbedtoalackofsupport.

OutsidetheLinesonPaperorPath

SpiritQuestwasmypersonalpinnacleofoperatingintheimpossiblefuturemuchof

coachingtheorycelebrates.I’mgratefultoknowitispossibletoliveandworkoutofthe

boxinsuchaway.Iamalsogratefulforwhatittaughtmeaboutgrounding,sustainability,

andfailure.Itremindsme,asIdeepenmyselfincoaching,thatalthoughweareallinlove

withsuccess,thetruthislifeisfilledwithrisk.Thearchetypeoftheheroicjourneyis

repletewithrisks,showingweunderstandthisatthedeeplevelofthecollective

consciousnessandmyth(Armstrong,p.143,2005).Whattheheroicjourneycallsustodo



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istotransformchallenges,includingfailure,intogrowth.I’mintheprocessofdoingsoby

creatinganewprogramthatexpandsonthepositiveimpactofmyformerwork,while

attemptingtoavoidthemodel’spitfalls.Itrulyexpectthisnewprogramtodogreatthings

foryoungpeople.ButIwouldn’thavethisnew,improvedvisionifitweren’tformyability

toexperiencethedignityofrisk.

IfirstheardofthedignityofriskconceptwhenIworkedasanevaluatorofprograms

forpeoplewithdisabilities.DignityofRiskisthetitleofPerske’sfamous1972articlethat

claimedpeoplewithdisabilitiesmusthavethesameaccesstoriskthataveragepeopledo.

Perske’sperspectivehelpedchangethewaythewholeworldseesandservespeoplewith

disabilities:

Aseverelyretarded10-year-oldnamedBilly,wanderedawayfromaninstitutionwherehelivedandbecamelostinthewoodsnearby.Thetemperaturewasbelow

freezing.Alloff-dutypersonnelwerecalledhacktotheinstitutiontoformemergencypartiestosearchfortheboy.

Twomoderatelyretardedteenageboys,RayandElmer,askedastaffmemberifthey

couldsearchforBilly,too.Thestaffmember“movedthroughchannels,”andaftersometime,receivedapprovalfortheboystojoininthesearch.Asitturnedout,Ray

andElmerfoundthelostboy.Thesuperintendentgavethemspecialrecognitionand

lettersofcommendation.Asaresultofthisincident,thestaffbecamemoreawareof

the75othermoderatelyretardedadolescents(boysandgirls).Theseteenagers

mighthavebeenmobilizedmoreefficientlyandquicklythanthestaffhadtheynot

beendeniedtheirfairandprudentshareofrisk-taking.

Manywhohaveworkedinthefieldofretardationforanylengthoftimeareaware

ofthecleverwaysinwhichvirtuallytotalavoidanceofriskhasbeenbuiltintothe

livesofthementallyretardedbylimitingtheirspheresofbehaviorandinteractions

inthecommunity,jobs,recreation,relationshipswiththeoppositesex,etc.Evenbuildingsconstructedforthebenefitoftheretardedaredesignedtohelpthe

residentsavoidrisk.Fortunately,thereisagrowingawarenessofthesefacts,and

manybeginningeffortsarebeingmadeinAmericatoallowtheretardedtoassumea

fairandprudentshareofrisk,commensuratewiththeirfunctioning(Perske,p.1).



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Thedignityofriskisaqualityoflifethathealthy,ablepeopletakeonnaturallyaspart

oflife,anddemandaspartofbeingfree.However,asshowedbyPerskeandotherslike

WolfenbergerwhospearheadedtheNormalizationmovementinthedisabilities

community(Armstrong,2011),collectivelyandindividuallywehaveaproclivitytolimit

therisksorfreedomsofthosewhobyvirtueofadisability,age,gender,culture,orrace,we

consciouslyorunconsciouslyconsiderlessvaluableorpowerful.Whenconsciously

applied,theselimitationsmightbesaidtobedoneforsomeone’s“owngood”althoughin

actualitythelimitationistohelpthosewhoholdpowerfeelmoresecure,comfortable,

beneficent,orpowerful—itdoesn’tnecessarilyworkforthedevaluedpersonorgroupat

all.ThroughtraininginWolfensberger’sphilosophyofNormalization,Ilearnedhowto

quantifiablyassessthequalityoflifeininstitutionsandsystemssetupforthesedevalued

peopleandgroups.Ibegantoseepower-over-othersatplayinplacesweliketothink

sacrosanct,likereligiousinstitutions,schools,politics,andinourlaws.

Throughouttime,whathasbeensoughtafterasgoodandrightforthosewithinfluence

hasnotbeenallowedforthosewithoutit.Aswebecomeamoreglobalsociety,dailyseeing

differentculturesinaction,itiseasiertounderstandthatmuchofwhatwethinkgoodand

rightismoreaviewpointthanagiven.Itisalsoeasiertosee(shouldwewishtolook)that

thepreferencesofthosewithpowerbecometheprevailingmeasureofwhatisbestfor

everyone,althoughitisalmostalwaysunfairtosome.Therefore,whenwearemovedto

bestow“good”uponsomeone,itiswisetorememberweareactingoutofourpower,

makingitworthwhiletocheckandseewhetherourownpreferencesandhiddenvaluesare

atwork.Theyoftenare—eveninthepositive,powerful,professionofcoaching.



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Currentcoachingtheoryseemstofocusonpowerandorderasseenthrougha

corporateexecutivelens.It’seasytoseewhy:Peopleattractedtothedisruptivefuture,the

impossiblefuture,actingboldlyorchangingtheworldareonaheroicjourney.They’re

workingtoobtainthegrail,reachforthebrassring,pushtheboundaries,expandgraspof

territory.Thisheroicdefinitionofsuccessishighlyvalued.However,whencoaching

focusesonthosewhoarewillingto“goforthebiggame”wedevaluethemillionsofother

worthyplayerswhomightbecalledtolessvalued—butperhapsreallypriceless—work

likethatofLilyYehorotherswhowillalwaysremainnamelessbutcrucialfibersinthe

weavingoftheworld.Wealsowindupmakingimportantarenasoflifemastery,suchas

mercy,humility,andcompassion,playsecondstring.

Wealsosometimesthinkwe’repromotingthepowerofthetranspersonalor

transformativewhenwe’rereallyworkingwiththepowerofcontrol.Inclassonenight,

AnshuHayessharedarevealingstory:Whenhebegantooffersecurityservices,he

naturallythoughtintermsofhowtoeliminatepotentialthreats,or“howcanIstop

somebodyhere?”Overtheyearshisreputationgrewuntilhewasdirectingprotection

detailfortheDalaiLama.Hayesrealizedhehadalsogrownintranspersonalways,because

henowsawasecuritylandscapeandfoundhewasinsteadthinkingintermsofservice,or

“howcanIhelpsomebodyhere?”(personalcommunication,June22,2003).

Thoseofusattractedtostrengthandpowerwouldalsodowelltorememberthat

survivalistheseminalskillofbeingalive.Asanevolutionarydrivethathashelpedbring

theworldtothistimeandplacewherepeoplenolongerneedtostrivesomuch,weare

literallystillprogrammedtowantmoreandmore,regardlessofhowmuchwehave(Miller,



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1996).Asubsetofthisdrivecanbeseenintherelentlesspursuitofperfection,playedout

afairamountinthepopularzeitgeistandcovertlyintheheartsofpeopleeverywhere.In

almosteveryway,thispursuitcausesmorepainthangainbecauseintheenditis

unobtainable,sinceitismerelyanidealthatisdifferentforeveryoneandconstantly

changinginthecollectiveunconsciousness.

ThesearesomeofthereasonsI’mwaryofcoaching’sadmonitiontonevercoachtoa

“littlegame”(Hargrove,2008)orwhenthebottomlineofcoachingaccountabilityisto

havebottomlineeconomicresults.CoachingsuperstarHargroveisamasteratpositively

affectingthebottomline.Butheevennotesinhiscelebratedbook,MasterfulCoaching:

AlthoughIaminterestedinotherdomains—suchasgovernment,healthcare,and

education—IhavedecidedtofocusonthisareabecauseitiswhereIhavethemost

domainexpertise.Takeheart,however,theMasterfulCoachingvision,mind-setandmethodscaneasilybeappliedbyleadersnotjustinbusiness…Alltheaspiringcoach

needstodoisreadthebookextrapolativelyandimproviseaccordingtotheirsituation.(Hargrove,2008)

YetthecoachesItalkandtrainwithhavetheimpressionthatthemajorityofthe

coachingliterature,theories,andmethodsfocusonourinfatuationwiththepowerof

westernworldC-levelexecutiveaspirationsandaccountability.Thisinfatuationwith

mainstreampreferencesandhiddenvaluescausesdevaluationofother,important

destinationsthatmightbesoughtbythepersonseekingthepathtohisorherpersonal

powerandcontributionintheworld.

CallingandCreativity

Theaboveiswhymycoaching,whetherintheexecutiveorlifearena,isgroundedfirst

incallingandcreativity.Mycallingistohaveclientsunderstandtheirdeepestcallingfrom



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atimelesslevel,thentohavethecouragetoanswerthatcall,themaptogetthere,andthe

encouragementtogothere,nomatterwhatobstacles,challenges,setbacksorfailuresthey

meetonthepath.Thefinalstepoftheheroicjourneyisreturn,bearinggiftsforothers.But

Ibelieveajourneycanbeheroicevenifyoufailtogetback—evenifyouonlyreturnto

yourself.

Oneofmyclientsishavingsuchadiscussionwithmerightnow.Helikenedtwo

potentialnewjobstohisexperiencewithtwomajorroadsinFlorida,I-95andtheFlorida

Turnpike.Theyrunparallelformiles,rightnexttoeachotherasiftheywerethesame

road,andthereisnowaytocrossover.Atsomepointtheydivergeandifyou’regoing

north,itlooksliketheroadontheleftwilltakeyoutoOrlandoandtheoneontherightwill

takeyoutoConnecticut.Butafewmilesup,thehighwayscrossagain—stillwithnoway

changefromoneroadtotheother,andtheOrlando-boundfindtheyareonthewayto

Connecticut.Youcandriveformilesthinkingyouareontherightroad,butyouarenot.

ThathasbeenoneofthemostsoberingvisionsIcanthinkofinhowalifejourneymight

end,anditscaresmepersonally,ifI’mtellingthetruthaboutmyownpersonalchallenges.

Butinevitablyinanexperimentasgrandaslife,someofusaregoingtowindupfinding

ourselvesonthatkindofpath.Atthatpoint,Iwouldwantatravelingcompanionthatcould

helpmedowhateverIhadthepowertodotocrossover,orifIhadto,accepttheroadI

wason,seetherewardattheendofit,andhelpmefindmeaningineithermyabilityto

continuetowardit,ormakepeacewithmyfinaldestination.

Inhisbrilliantdiscussionofheroicleadershipbasedonhisexperienceasaformer

Jesuitpriest,LowneytellsthestoryofthedisruptivesuccessoftheJesuitreligiousorder.



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Manyoftheexamplesheusesarepeoplewhodiedinobscurity.OnewastheearlyJesuit

BendettodeGoes,whoin1602becameoneofthefirstwesternerstojourneytopointsin

Asia.AlthoughMarcoPoloclaimedtohavevisitedChinainthe1200’swemustremember

theEasternworldwasveryclosedtowesterners,somuchsothatbythetimeColumbus

sailedtotheCaribbeanin1492,hethoughthewasdaysawayfromIndia.AsLowneysays,

“explorersslowlyassembledtheworldjigsawpuzzle”andGoeswassearchingforthat

piecethatwasonlyknownasthemythicallandofCathay(2003,p.68).Hediedafterbeing

onthatpathforfouryears,ostensiblyhavingfailedtofindCathay.Buthismapsofhis

explorationsactuallyconfirmedCathaywasamyth.AsLowneysays:

Appearancessometimesdeceive.Goesmayhavediedbrokeandmoreorlessalone,

buthewasnotafailure.ThoughtheromanticnotionofCathaycontinuedtohaunta

fewdie-hardexplorers,Goeshadessentiallyresolvedthevexinghistoricalquestion

ofCathay’slocationbyprovingwhatsomeofhisJesuitcolleagueshadbegunto

suspect:ChinawasCathay.(Lowney,2003,p.71)

OnehopesGoeshadhisfaithtosustainhim.Ifhe’dhadacoachonthetripwithhim,I

wouldhopehe(itwouldnothavebeenashe)wascoachingtooutcomessuchas

compassion,empathy,wisdom,intuition,self-observation,insight,attention,expansiveness

anddeeperlevelsofmeaning,tonameafewofthequalitiestheInstituteofTranspersonal

Psychologycallsoutastranspersonal(Rowe.n.d.).

Thisconscious,creativecompassioniswhatIwanttoseehighlightedinthecoaching

discussiontocome.I’dalsoliketoseeavarietyofwaystoaddressaccountabilityofboth

coachandclientthatusequalitiesoflifeasmeasures,insteadoffocusingonjustthe

economicbottomlineasvaluedbysocietalnorm.Thisvision,then,ishowcoaching

becomesmyjourney,thispapermydeparture,mymissionstatementmyroadmap.Ilook

forwardtofindingandcreatingtranspersonalgiftsthatIcanbringbackintothe



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communityasaresultofmyquest.



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REFERENCES

Armstrong,K.(2005) Ashorthistoryofmyth.NewYork,NY:Cannongate.

Armstrong,J.(n.d.).FurtherinformationaboutDr.Wolfensberger.Retrievedfrom

http://www.socialrolevalorization.com/training/trainers/wolfensberger/index.ht

ml

Hargrove,R.(2008)Masterfulcoaching.Thirdedition.Kindleedition.SanFrancisco,CA:

Jossey-Bass.

Hayes,S.K.(n.d.)14-pointcodeforpowerfulliving.Retrievedfromhttp://www.daytonquestcenter.com/2009/02/14-point-code-for-powerful-living/

Lowney,C.(2003).Heroicleadership:Bestpracticesfroma450-yearoldcompanythat

changedtheworld.Chicago,IL:LoyolaPress.

Miller,T.(1996)Howtowantwhatyouhave.NewYorkNY:HarperPerennial.

Pearson,H.(1992).Dowhatyouhavethepowertodo.Nashville,TN:UpperRoom.

Perske,R.(1972)Thedignityofriskandthementallyretarded.ReprintedfromMENTALRETARDATION,Vol.10,No.1,February,1972.RetrievedMarch3,2011from

http://www.robertperske.com/Articles.html

Rowe,N.(2011).SyllabiGuidelines.Unpublishedmanuscript.

Yeh,Lily.(n.d.)VillageofArtsLilyYehinherownwords.Retrievedfrom

http://www.wallacefoundation.org/KnowledgeCenter/Pages/VillageOfArtsLILYYE

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