Into the Zone – #reverb14, Day 4

Creativity is Subtraction art by Austin Kleon on  Brain Pickings by Maria PopovaWe are all lightning rods, conduits for that which the Universe wants born into this world. What energies did you channel this year?

While day 2’s post I sang my song of multitudinous life, there’s a hidden secret to what drives my writing.

When I am writing, I am “in the zone.”

It is a certain kind of single-mindedness that I have learned over the years. It is learned, the way that a marathon runner’s body learns the right kind of stride.

It has a location in my mind, and yes it is VERY often terrorized by the existence of my beautiful wonderful spectacular children.

A Creative Question

There are people I’ve known who question: Am I an artist? Am I a writer? Should I go to art school or should I play the guitar? 

And there are people I know who never have to ask that question. For them, being a “creative” person is not about discovering a part of your identity. It merely IS their identity.

That is not to say that an artist cannot be made. Or that an artist cannot be made better. In fact, the act of being creative makes every artist — every PERSON — better, I feel. It drives the engine of enlightenment and evolution.

It makes life worth living. It is life.

Life, and The Lack Thereof

You know, trying to explain to a kid what happens when someone dies is really tough. Of course, it is OK for kids to not understand something totally. It’s ok for them to wrestle.

The creative spirit and the body are “seen” by kids as one. But as we get older, we start to understand that the essence of who we ARE is not the body, but in the mind and this ephemeral thing we call our “spirit” or soul.

And when the soul’s vessel stops functioning — when creativity is subtracted from functionality — then “life as we know it” ends.

The creativity ends.

Quite simply, this was the year, that I got “work time” back. I am “stay-at-home” parent, and this was THE year, the year I felt the momentum again in my creative spirit. My kids were in school and I could be “in the zone” for longer block of time.

I am working, yes. I am multi-tasking, true (to keep the family afloat).

But best best best of all, I am LIVING.

 

(A deep bow and acknowledgement to Maria Popova, uber-blogger who inspires me everyday with her massive blog, Brain Pickings The image is from a book by author Austin Kleon) and links are to there. Feel free to get lost over there. Her work will blow your mind).

Reverb Button 300x300This post is part of the December group posting project, #reverb14, hosted by the wonderful Kat McNally. Follow reverb14 on Twitter.

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