Creative Outlet

Once upon a time, I won a senior superlative. I was voted Most Creative (girl...John Rapp was my boy counterpart). And it was a period in my life when I felt creative. I was in drama. I took art classes. I made a collage cover for my binder. I even sewed flowers on my jeans. I rearranged my room on a monthly basis. Super creative, right?

I went to college on a theatre scholarship. My work study assignment was in the costume shop. I learned how to make hats (just call me a regular old milliner). Another creative period. And then my parents stressed their concern that I might actually earn a degree in drama and then I would be homeless and penniless. I changed my major to education...you know, where I was bound to make the big bucks. But I still felt creative. I spent hours designing and writing lesson plans and units of study. I attended conferences and conventions. I co-directed a musical theatre class which ended in a full length play performed by 8th graders. I was a fellow in a national writing project. As part of my grad program I took storytelling classes and poetry classes. I was still creative.

And then I decided to move to the media center, where I envisioned book clubs and reading incentive programs and display cases and book fairs and all sorts of fabulousness. But really, the life and time and energy and creativity is often just sucked right out of me by the logistics and procedures and paperwork and other demands and the lack of hours in a day.

I fill my creative void with my jewelry. I think about it on the drive home and what I would like to create that night. I also fill my creative void with this blog. I think about it on the drive home, too. Its mine and I can write what I want in the style of my choosing. I can write a short post or a picture post or a novella length post. I like looking at the layout options, backgrounds and designs. It is all up to me and there is no one there to tell me that what I can and can't do. (I mean, clearly, I understand the lines - I don't post about my job, or my parents or my husband...at least not without his permission.) I have had people tell me throughout my life that I should be a writer, and the thing is, right now, at this very moment, I am a writer. I actually write everyday (which is more than I have done even in my creative peaks) and my blog is a record of that. Am I going to win an award? No. Am I going to be published? Not by anyone other than the good people at blogger. But, right now, I am a writer and I feel creative. In 30 minutes after all 3 of my children have gone to bed, I will become a jewelry designer and I will feel creative.

So, I thank you, for listening to me ramble on about creativity...and the few moments of my day when I actually feel creative. Now, perhaps you should go and do something that will make you feel creative too. :)