Fri-Yay: Creativity

Happy Friday, y'all!

As you get to know me, you'll discover that I am an unashamed Bohemian and, as a result, the Broadway musical, "Rent" really resonates with me. Like whoa. One of the lines from "La Vie Boheme" has stuck with me in the many years since I first saw the musical: "The opposite of war isn't peace, it's creation."

So, why does that line resonate with me so much? I'm so glad you asked. What? You didn't ask? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway.

The reason that I believe that creation is the opposite of war is because peace is its own kind of war. Striving to keep the peace often creates a war within us and it ends up exploding when we least expect it.

And yes, I am shifting into metaphor land here. Just go with it.

Of course, most of what I'm saying here holds true with regards to actual, bombs-dropping-on-people wars, too. But for most of us, we fight a personal war each and every day, and that's the war I'm talking about right now.

For me, art, and the creation of same, help me soothe my own soul on a regular enough basis that I can help others soothe their souls, too. Tapping into the creative ideas and thoughts and ideas so far outside the box they'd need the TARDIS to contain them helps me ground myself in reality.

Talk about juxtaposition. And welcome to the irony inherent in being a creative person.

And, just so we're clear, being an artist does NOT mean that you need to be able to draw/paint/sing/dance to the level of the professional. For me, and this is something I always stress when I teach, if you feel an emotion and you put pencil/pen/brush to paper or you sing out or you dance a jig, you are an artist. Go ahead and try to change my mind, but here's a tip: you won't.

So, my challenge to you this week is simple: make something.

Make a painting.
Make a drawing.
Make a poem.
Make a song.
Make a dance.
Make a cookie, a garden, an outfit...

Feel something authentically and express it. How did that help you with your personal war?

Because, let's be honest here. You don't find peace through simply not fighting that war. You find it by CREATING it.