Encouragement
THE WELL OF CREATIVITY….by Felix Obi
Dear Friends,
After a long spell of lying in limbo, I’ve chosen to resurrect my inspirational writing outreach, “The Nuggetz Project”. The period of silence has enabled me to review my purpose in life vis-à-vis writing which occupies a major part of my being. In the next couple of weeks, I’d be sharing with you series of articles with creativity as the central motif. We would explore the world of people who were creative and possibly haunt and tap into some of their trade secrets. Why creativity, one may ask?
In my opinion, “creativity is the only antidote to extinction”. If creativity heralded the beginnings of this world we live in, by conjecture, we can posit that only creativity can possibly sustain it for the Bible tells us in Genesis: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. In book of Hebrews, the writer affirms that, “God sustains the world by the word of His mouth”. In essence, the same dynamics that orchestrated creation is same as the one that sustains it. So humans can only become extinct only when we lose our power of creativity for we were commissioned by God to “increase, multiply, and replenish the earth, and have dominion….”
I love hanging around creative people especially artist; (poets, writers, painters, dramatists, musicians etc). Though they look eccentric in appearance and behavior, one dominant essence they exude is CREATIVITY. Creative people are responsible for all the beauty we see around us. They often don’t flow with the status quo, and may act irrationally, but deep within lies a fountain of creativity from which exquisite paintings, sculptural pieces, song, poems, books, buildings etc that have enriched our lives. Without creative people around us, life would have been bland, boring and full of monotones.
One hot afternoon while passing through Yaba Market in Lagos, I ran into traders who hawked cheap clothing materials. They spread their wares on the dusty ground. Ordinarily, my sense of decency wouldn’t permit me to look their way. Yet one particular cloth caught my attention and I bought it at a ridiculously low price. But in the canvas of my mind, I saw a clear picture of what I’d be sure to do with that piece of “worthless” cloth. When I got home, I picked my jotter and drew the design with my pen. The design was simply modest but unconventional. I took it to my tailor and gave him the sketch and dimensions. It was my first attempt at designing my own shirt.
I wore it to church the next Sunday and was amazed at the response from friends. Some asked where and how much I bought that cute shirt. Some asked for the designer, so they may place orders. To my surprise, some even “threatened” to strip me so as to collect my shirt. Mind you, it was a mere piece of cloth, which was dumped on the ground at Yaba market, but a touch of creativity has given it value. I went on to wear this shirt for two years, and even after it faded, for it gave me the joy that creativity promises those that dare to be creative.
All people were born with a well of creativity on their inside but not many have explored or tapped from that source. Though there are degrees and dimensions of expressions, creativity runs in the blood every man or woman on earth. The earlier one reckons with this truth, the better. Often times we get discouraged when we compare our creative output with those of others. We all, may not reproduce such enduring artistic legacies of Leonardo Da Vinci who gave us the beautiful “Monolisa”, or the avant garde frescoes of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and the sculptural piece “David”, yet creativity runs in us all. Once you know this truth, you’re well on your way to rediscovering the beauty of being creative.
This truth is evident in all kids. They don’t complain of boredom like adults because of their creative restlessness. They scribble and draw with just anything and deface just any book with crayons, pencils, biros etc. Their role plays have variety and unrehearsed before being premiered! Why do kids like cartoons? And is their anything as creative as having animals and inanimate things talk, walk and acts as humans? That’s the thrill that cartoons offer children for they love creativity.
But as we get older, we become too cautious at what we do so as not to be labeled “childish”. No sooner, we begin to lose that creative instinct in us, and by the time we become adults, only a few expressly show they are creative. But to be creative, you need to be like and think like a child. You need not seek the approval of “adults” else you block that well of creativity on your inside. Creativity has so many enemies: parents, family, friends and even loved ones. Many a time, a creative child who likes to draw is bullied to drop his crayons, and as he grows older, he loses the interest to draw and, may not produce a painting before he dies.
Like Isaac whose wells were blocked by his enemies, we need to fight all restraints and constraints so we can unplug the wells of creativity in us. When we do, we would experience the refreshing spring that flows from us to bless people around us and generations to come.
Concluding thoughts:
“We must accept that this creative pulse within us is God’s creative pulse itself”…Joseph Chilton Pearce.
“It is the creative potential itself in human beings that is the image of God”…Mary Daly.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up”…Pablo Picasso.
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong”…John Chilton Pearce.
“Why should we all use our creative power…? Because there is nothing makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate, so indifferent to fighting and the accumulation of objects and money”….Brenda Ueland.
Have a wonderful week and be sure to send a response or share this piece with your friends.Till I come your way again.Shalom and cheerio.
Nb;The author is a physiotherapist/health management consultant who lives and works in Abuja Nigeria.he can be reached via: [email protected],or [email protected]
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