Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Taking the Dream Out of the Box – The Beginning


When I was growing up, making things was a given. We didn’t think about whether we could or whether when we got through it would be good enough. We just did. We didn’t think about failing or falling. If you’ve been a reader here for any length of time, you know what a great influence my mother had on my life. She was always making things. And people would come up to her, call her by her name and tell her how amazing she was that she could do so many things so well. I don’t think she stopped long enough to give it much thought to tell you the truth. Even when she was somewhere else, I would have people come up to me and tell me what an incredible talent my mother had. It’s true she did have a gift, but she would never say she was anything exceptional.

So when I was young, I would make things too. Some of them were rather primitive looking objects, but we all have to start somewhere, right? But my mother with reams of patience would sit and teach me how to do something. Mostly it was how to sew, but it also included knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and a bunch of other stuff as well. And then people started coming up to me and saying with a bit of incredulity in their voice, “You made that?!” It was during those times that I realized that not everyone had the opportunities to learn and create like I did, but I never thought that what we did was all that unusual or spectacular. I think I believed even then that everyone was creative in some way.

I still do. Just look around.

Yet a lot of people still think that creativity manifests itself in just a few select people and in a certain preconceived way. They believe that creativity is a magical, mysterious quality that only a few are blessed with. They have expectations of what creative people look like, how they behave, what they produce, etc.


(Click to enlarge.)



While it might be true that some creative people look different, a creative person doesn’t have to look differently to be able to think differently. Creativity is the expression of “normal” people – the scientist as well as the artist. By definition the word create means “to bring into existence”. We ALL do this! Anyone can poke, prod or push their creativity to the forefront of their existence if they want to.

It’s the first step in taking the dream out of the box.



This topic is to be continued . . .

. . . most likely next Tuesday. In the meantime, I’ll be posting other random things from my brain but I’d love to hear your insights on creativity.

5 comments:

  1. Enjoyed this post. TY for sharing.
    TTFN ~ Marydon

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  2. You are right. Everyone has something. I have great ideas even if I cannot make all of it happen! Thanks for sharing. I'll check back to see what else you share!
    hugs, Lisa

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  3. I couldn't agree with you more...we all have talents that might shine but then there are some that are hidden, release them and step on out of that box...into a world with endless possibilities..here's to those possibilities! 2 Bee or Not 2 Bee, its for you to explore! Grace Peace & Joy 2 "U" Marlene :O)

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  4. My mother was also an extremely creative and talented person and to my greatest dismay now, I never took the time to learn from her - thought she would be around forever. On and off through my life I tried my hand at various crafts and arts but then became too busy raising two daughters as a single mother and there was never really money for the materials. So when my children both emmigrated from South Africa, there was a huge gap in my life and I started wanting to create. Six months down the line I am so involved in my own creativity and a little bit of my mother's talent is emerging but also her determination and staying power, which I never really thought I had. And I am also remember a lot of her crafting habits! So yes, I dared to think outside of the box and am amazed at my own creativity. We all have it in us and each of us has a unique ability to create, we just have to develop it and practice, as with everything other thing in life. Thanks for opening this topic Ginger!! Let's hear some more.

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  5. I enjoyed this post very much and find it sad that people don't think they have a *gift* ... everyone does ... you just have to look for it ... some are great baseball players, singers, teddy bear makers, knit, crochet, etc. We just have to TRY.

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