Creativity

Do you feel places?  Do you walk into some locales—like Walmart, for instance—and feel surrounded by still lifelessness?  By contrast, do you walk into a creative, individually owned venue and feel the personality of the place itself?  Do you feel the huge, almost overwhelming, breathless and free presence of nature when you walk out into the woods, climb a mountain, or walk along a quiet beach?  When you stand in the ocean, do you feel the strange, nearly electric tingle of life?


If so, you may understand what I mean when I say that creativity is far more than inventiveness for me.  It’s a state of being, a way of looking at the world, and something sacred and indefinable.  The closest I can come to describing it is to call it a simultaneous connection to the creator of the world—whatever you wish to call that creator—and a reflection and expression of one’s own spirit.
In several cultures, people with great creativity and talent were once viewed as somewhat otherworldly, and to an extent I think this may be an accurate perception.  Those who are blessed with a great deal of imaginativeness and artisiticness are connected to something that's both deep within and so external that it's rather alien.  That unfathomable "something" is not accessible-- or fully understandable-- to others.  Of course, nothing comes without a price, and we tend to be rather eccentric-- sometimes entirely crazy-- but that only makes life more fun.  :)

I cannot speak for others, (though I suspect they feel similarly,) but, for me, writing, sketching and such are more than hobbies.  I need to create.  I often feel that it is as great a necessity as food and shelter.  True, I could probably continue surviving without making or enjoying pieces of art, but something inside of me would die.  And that something is a massive part of my personality as well as my purpose and joy in life.  To put it plainly, food, water and warmth are imperative for life, but art, music, literature and theatre are what make life worth living.  Since I first began writing and drawing as a young child, I have never had the ability or desire to stop.  In fact, I don’t believe a single week has passed since I was five or so that I did not create something.

So yes, when I see an empty cigar box, I see an opportunity to create a new purse or jewelry box.  When I look at people, I wonder about their lives and sometimes begin spinning silent tales about them.  I notice details and emotions and fine undercurrents, and I like to seek out unique places and soak them in.  I look beyond the surface, and find magic and wonder in the mundane.  I enjoy taking full delight in the small pleasures my existence has to offer.  Most of all, however, I love to unbind my spirit from the confines of daily drudgery, follow my inspirations wherever they may lead, and create.