Simmons Here And Now

What does it really mean to survive through art?Alex and Chris take a thoughtful detour from craft mechanics and dive into something deeper — how writing, storytelling, and the arts help us survive difficult seasons of life.From Chris’s college epiphany (when a professor bluntly told him he loved music… but wasn’t a musician), to reflections on Stephen King writing his way through trauma, to stories of young artists in the Bronx finding sanctuary on stage — this conversation explores how creativity becomes more than career.It becomes identity.It becomes a refuge.It becomes survival.We also talk about:Knowing who you really are (Aristotle would approve)The difference between loving an art form and being called to itWhy self-reflection matters more than external labelsHow artists like Josh Johnson find their voice in chaotic timesSurviving expectations — especially other people’s expectationsWhy your art doesn’t need to fit someone else’s definition to be validWhether writing is your sanctuary, your profession,