Creativity intrigues me. I spent most of my life believing that anything I did was not good. It was my dad's voice inside my head and when his voice faded away it was replaced by my voice.
Since I was 19 and picked up a guitar I realized my head was filled with voices and thoughts. It was a deep curiosity about everything. I didn't realize not everyone had the same thing happening. My head was always filled with melodies and lyrics and phrases spilling over into the world. It still feels like I've only scratched the surface of my creativity. It's part of my belief that when it comes to that point I realize I am taking my last breath my only thought will be "I'm not done; I still have more.!"
I heard a phrase today that rang with truth. It was from the lead singer of Nickelback who said "good creativity exists on the edge of chaos." It;s more than that. Classic creativity is a direct channel to our personal Divine weighing in on some human aspect in a eaw and opened heart.
I'm reminded of Graham Nash (from the groups The Holllies and Crosby, Stills, and Nash) who told the story of going to Neil Young's house and telling him about Kent State. Kent State was the college campus where the National Guard opened fire on stidents and killed four.
Nash said Young walked out into the woods nearby and came back in twenty minutes with the song "Four Dead in Ohio" which is a beautiful commentary on the event.
Nash went onto tell the story of being in relationship with Joni Mitchell and living with her. "We would go and do a gig in town and I would come and tell her about the gig. she then would say she was working on some songs and she would play three or four songs for him." The frustrating part was all four songs were hits. Her creativity knew no limits.
We just finished a conversation with a dear friend. She is exploring a dream of creating a sanctuary, for humans and animals. We talked about the fact that when we start to take steps to fulfill a dream there are those who are dream squashers. They are often people who have dreams but haven't taken steps to fulfill them.
This happens to all of us in one way or another growing up. We are finding our way with the opportunities and then someone reminds us we can't make the sky green. Or that we can't color outside the lines. Or we sing too loud. Or that we aren't athletic. We believe those things because after all these are adults and they know the truth.
Well now here is a foundational truth that we never learned. We are extremely creative. Our personal creativity is tailored to our talents and our job is to find them.
One of the precepts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is to fulfill our talent. That is one of the things that the youth program teaches. The children are required to try all sorts of things to find out who they are. Years ago they had traveling shows. The shows were musicals written and composed by the teenagers. They also built the sets, made the costuming, and arranged the choreography. So it is a part of growing up.
We did not have that but I also believe it is never too late. Is there something you love but may not have done? Take the step; explore your creativity. Write, paint, sing, or take up an instrument. Do something which is in the spirit and heart driven part of you which states your passion. Explore more of who you are. Remember change is really connecting with hidden parts of who you are!
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