“Creativity” … now there is a word that has always made me cringe since I see myself as missing even the tiniest sliver of a creative gene. I thought that only “artists” could claim to be creative. People tell me that I am creative but I still don’t know what they are talking about. I’m not a writer, or a cook and I don’t draw, sew, paint, sculpt, act, dance, etc., … you know, all those things that come to mind when one hears the word “creative.” (I realize that the definition of “creative” that I am using here is a narrow one but that’s a discussion for another day … soon, I promise.) Early on I learned that the creativity was a word that did not apply to me. I remember the crushing disappointment every time I saw that over sized “C” next to Art Class on my report card. The grades in other classes responded to harder study … not so with Art. I could not color inside the lines nor form anything identifiable out of clay no matter the effort. Even my handwriting was worse than that of the boys which in those days was about the most embarrassing thing one could say about a girl’s penmanship. But wait! Despair no more! Just a few weeks ago a wise soul told me that we are all, each one of us, creative my nature. Though one’s art may be, by one’s own judgment, less than exhibit fair, or one’s poetry seemingly too poor to share, it is nevertheless Art! Your creations have value simply because they are yours. You are unique in all the world so no one can produce what you can. When my granddaughter was younger we enjoyed coloring books. Coloring with her was more fun more than it was when I was her age and to her my pages were always perfect. My dear friend, Wendy, told me that she takes coloring books wherever she goes … for herself! Thanks to her liberating statement I, too, bring coloring books with me especially when travelling. So today do something creative be it doodling “abstract art” in the margins, drawing bold strokes of color with markers, writing a few lines of poetry, tweaking a recipe or engaging in whatever mode feels good to you. Most important … have fun and suspend judgment. Carl Jung wrote: “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” Happy play time! Let me know how it goes.
whatnoreally 
I enjoyed your creative message!! I look forward to reading more!
Chris, what wisdom! You and I would have been best gussies in school. I had to stay in from recess because my crayons didn’t stay in the lines on the Blessed Virgin! I thought I was much too realistic to be a poet. Over the years I have mellowed. There is creativity in the colors of my garden, in the decor of treasures displayed in my home, and nothing is more crooked, creative, or colorful than the gingerbread houses I make with my grandchildren!
Oh, Dawn, you had to color the Blessed Virgin, too? You have great insight to understand that you are creative in all the ways you described. And aren’t grandchildren the greatest gift in the world? Thank you so much for your comments.
I have to chime in on this. My grandfather used to ALWAYS sing his heart out in church service every Sunday. He would just stand there in the congregation and sing along the entire time. The only problem was: He was AWFUL! I do not mean a little off key, here, I mean HORRIBLE. never on pitch, rarely on tempo, and really had a difficult time even trying. However, he always sang at the absolute top of his lungs. He would suffer glares & raised eyebrows from those around us, and snickers from the littlest church-goers on a weekly basis.
Now, myself, being raised singing all the time and lacking the decorum and tact that come with age, I decided to inquire about his reasoning behind this practice… Was he just completely tone deaf & thought he sang beautifully? Was he even aware why people kept turning around in the pews to stare? So I asked one day: “Papaw, you love to sing so much, why don’t you join the choir and sing up there with everyone else? Mamaw is up there, and so is my other Mamaw & Papaw… why don’t you join them?” His quite startling reply really took me by surprise…
“Well, Mark Allen, I’m no good at it. I can’t join the choir because I sing so badly they wouldn’t want me up there.”
“Well, then Papaw,” I followed up, “If you know you’re so bad, why do you sing so loud in the pews?”
My grandfather, never one to not have an answer, did not disappoint…
“Well you see, Mark Allen, everything the Lord gives us is a gift. Some people get amazingly beautiful gifts, and sometimes people get gifts that others don’t find beautiful. The Lord gave me my voice as a gift, and so every Sunday it is a great pleasure for me to give it right back to him – whether he likes it or not!”
So – all creativity is a gift… whether you think it is good or beautiful or not is not really yours to decide. So you take whatever gift you were given and give it right back to others! Whether they appreciate it or NOT! =)
Lovely article & I look forward to many more! In my personal opinion, you ARE very gifted creatively…
Mark
Hey Mark,
That was a touching story. Would you mind if I put it in my blog. I would give you full credit.
Thank you from my heart for taking the time to read what I wrote and to reply so eloquently.
Not at all! Share away! =) You are very welcome – I love the direction you are taking this. As you know, I suffer some pretty frequent chronic pain, especially over the last year. Your outlook is refreshing & also very eloquent! Blog on, my dear, BLOG ON!
Thanks for the encouraging words. You right really well, too!