This is Words by James, previously Words That Encourage. I invite you to reply with your own reflections on creativity. I’d love to hear what resonates.
Unofficial Creativity
Human beings are constantly creative. You, for one, are creative every day of your life. You have creative powers which could enable you to make uplifting music, string poetic words together, and mould clay into a lifelike sculpture.
More basic still, your creative powers enable you to live, grow and shape the world. Your daily actions, words, conversations and more each can bring a fresh dynamism and hope to a world in need. Together we can shape all things towards the good and beautiful.
Creativity is at the core of who we are: it’s the supreme resource at the heart of human life. All of us are in the business of creating a life together with our fellow human beings and the earth of which we are a part.
We can call this “unofficial creativity”. We do not need to become as profound as Rembrandt, as poetic as Mary Oliver, or as playful as Taylor Swift. Every day you only need to continue to create, and things of value and significance for our world will emerge.
Rembrandt’s self portrait from 1660, one of 40 he prepared over his lifetime.
When we live our way into a more intentional creativity, we channel the essential life force at the heart of all things. Getting creative with purpose enables us to craft our lives with joy.
At work, I built a short course on this vision of creativity. So far, I’ve had had one rotation teaching and learning with school students about how creativity animates their lives. Taking inspiration from the Russian novelist Dostoevsky that “beauty will save the world”, I enlist my students in the project of creativity that is essential to their very person. We read compelling writing, listen to spirited music, and observe beautiful art. We pause for thought.
May all people encounter the creative spirit residing in the very room of the self.
Today I invite you to listen to Smile by Gregory Porter via YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Music. The celebrated Jazz musician sings with silky voice and depth of emotion this Nat King Cole classic.
Have a great week,
James
