Earlier this week, I wrote about three different pathways of creativity: inspiration, aspiration and perspiration. I want to give an example of what I think are the two ends of the spectrum. Let’s start with perspiration, probably the kind of creativity none of us is fond of but most of us have experience with.
I was a new father at home three days a week with our first baby. I was also taking and making phone calls and doing work for my job as Methodist minister as I could. One day, I notice early in the morning that we were almost out of diapers. Note to self: “I need to get to the store today before we run out.” Sadly, a few hours later, all the diapers were used up, and our baby needed a new one. I began to sweat. But there was no solution except one that I might come up with. And I did. It’s called a cloth napkin, which we have always had in our house. A red checkered cloth napkin became the temporary diaper while baby and I made a run to the grocery store. Whew! Lesson learned. I did not allow us to get caught in that situation again!
A couple of years ago, I signed up through a CUUPS network to buddy up with an anonymous
someone in the national group and swap Yule gifts. The rule was that the gift had to be something that we created. After I signed up, I wasn’t sure what I would do, but I had in the back of my head that I would do a watercolor painting for my buddy. One weekend morning, I woke up and I had this image of what I would paint. I got my water colors out and within an hour, I had this painting ready to go.
I wish it always worked that way, but I was grateful for this time, and my buddy reported later how happy they were to receive it.
Our creativity and what we produce with it is always a gift that comes right out of our lives. They are always, whether a napkin-become diaper or a painting, something to celebrate.
~Bob Patrick
