“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” – Osho
Sometimes I think about my urge, my need, to be creative. I had it for as long as I remember. I was drawing detailed pictures when I was very young, and started writing poetry in grade school. Then came fiction writing, blogging, painting, making music. I’m captivated by all of it and love exploring all the different ways to express myself and my ideas.
I stumbled upon the quote above while cleaning up my workspace recently. It was on a scrap of paper from what appears to be a calendar. I don’t remember where it came from – maybe someone gave it to me – but I kept it because I understood what Osho was saying.
It’s said that many creative people struggle with depression and other issues. While that may be true, I think that creativity is how they deal with it. Despite the thoughts and feelings in their heads, they still love life and try to embrace it, try to bring a little beauty, a little light, into an otherwise dark world.
And that’s how I feel. I create for myself, but I do so in order to brighten my world a little bit, to make myself smile, to make myself feel good. And if it brightens someone else’s day, then all the better.
How do you feel about creativity?
RB
This creative drive for me isn’t just about an output, but a deeply personal method of coping—a way to counteract inner darkness by consciously bringing a little more beauty and light into my own world, finding self-affirmation in the process, and hoping that light might, in turn, resonate with others as well.
Thanks Richard, for such a beautiful thought-provoking read🌷😇
That’s wonderful, Aparna. I think we should always create for ourselves, first. It doesn’t matter why we do it, really, just that we get the words out.
I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Thank you.
I love this quote! I never really gave my ‘why’ a thought, I just know I have to get the words out when they start circling. 💞💞💞
I get that, Dawn. Why isn’t necessarily important. It’s just something we have to do.
Thank you for sharing that inspiring quote and your thoughts. For me, creativity—especially writing—has been a powerful tool to navigate through challenging moments.
I’m glad the quote resonated with you. It’s nice to know that others feel the same way.
An extremely creative person passed away yesterday: the architect Frank Gehry. Many of his buildings are mind-blowingly modern and original.
I don’t think I’m familiar with the name, but I’ll look him up and check out his work. Thanks for letting me know about him.
I love finding little things like that when I’m cleaning up!
It’s like finding forgotten treasure! 🙂
Creativity is something I rarely analyze. It can be therapeutic to the mind in the way a physical workout can be. However, usually, serendipity causes me to want to enlarge on something I encounter.
Definitely agree with that, Swabby. After a creative burst, I often feel exhausted and need a good nap. Thanks for stopping by!
Nice post, Richard. I create to brighten and lighten my world. I think my grandmother quilted, embroidered, and crocheted to brighten hers. Creativity lifts us. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
So it runs in your DNA, Devonne. I don’t think there was much creativity in my family prior to me, so I must have absorbed it from somewhere.
For what it’s worth, your short stories and vignettes are wonderful and I’m glad you share them.
It’s a quote, an other person’s observation, a coincidence of 2 events that trips the latch on my creativity.
Most of my writing (other than trade books, articles and reports during my career) happened after I quit work, retired and recuperating from a life altering injury.
I wrote hundreds of stories and poems during my career, but none of them on ‘paoer’, all in my head, my imagination.
In my retirement, my reflective part of life, my open ended schedule has afforded me the opportunity to put thoughts to paper. It’s the reflection on challenges, on beauty, on witnessing human interactions, whether loving or hurtful that prompts me to write.
I think you’re onto something Richard when you say that love of life is a strong motivator to create
I can relate to that, Jasper. I enjoy writing fiction, but I’ve probably created hundreds of stories in my head that have yet to make it to the page. One of these days…
I’m glad you have the opportunity to write more and to explore the new terrain that offers.
I am with Osho and you on this!
I absolutely hate the days, and sometimes even weeks, when I have a creative block. Mainly for my illustrations, of course.
So I am always happy with these festive months and even experiencing every day annoyances, because they can easily lead to a drawing.
But even as an engineer, creativity can be useful when the budget is tight (as it is pretty much always is 😅).
I love being surrounded by creative people 😄
So nice to hear, Andrea! One of the reasons I like to do different things – write, paint, etc – is so when I’m blocked or stuck on one thing, I can switch to another. That usually ends up helping me out later one.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, my friend. 🙂
It made me think. I can’t draw worth beans, and have always fiddled around with words and rhymes. I think that 10+ years studying piano may have helped me calibrate rhythm in a poem, because for one count of music (like a whole note) , you can play two or more different notes: 2 (half notes), 3 (triple notes), 4 (quarter notes), etc, within the same time span. So maybe music has helped my writing and vice versa.
I’m sure you’re correct, Pat. Music is all about tempo and rhythm, just as poetry is. I didn’t know you were a piano player, but now that I do it’ll bring a new aspect to reading your verse. Cheers!
I am a mostly untrained and probably untrainable musician, but I believe that music and writing definitely have a symbiotic relationship. I’m not much of a poet, but celebrate the rhythm, syncopation, and rock-and-roll backbeat I hear when I write. Creativity is a type of magic.
I love that feeling when I get into the rhythm of a piece of writing and it takes over, like getting carried away by a strong current.
I work well with Blue Sky thinkers, they come up with the ideas and I make them happen. I save my creativity for the kitchen.
Bravo, Sheree. You blog supports that claim.
Thanks Pat, much appreciated.
Oh, I agree with that sentiment, Sheree. I enjoy cooking and the creative aspects of it.
😎
Thank you for sharing this beautiful quote along with your reflections.
Creativity, which for me is writing, has often helped me overcome difficult times.
My pleasure, Luisa! Creativity is a wonderful form of therapy. 🙂
I truly appreciate your kindness 🤗
I love the quote and resonate with your post. I have art and creativity passed down in my genes. It’s my life and my healing, it’s my expression and my why. It’s my number one go-to if I’m bored, lonely, happy, waiting, needing to express emotions or thoughts or dreams. Poetry, writing, art, craft, piano, guitar, dance. I feel like we’re made to be creative but maybe not everyone feels like that .
I enjoyed reading your post and thinking about my creative process. It made me smile .
Sounds like we have similar DNA, Morag. I truly think that people could find more happiness in their lives if they explored their creativity more often. So many people think they don’t have a creative bone in their bodies, when the truth is they just haven’t found the right outlet yet.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, my friend. Cheers!
Yes it does. Yes agreed. I used to run creative workshops in South Africa because I absolutely believe everyone has creativity in them. When people left some went on to do fabric painting, others took to photography and others found their niche doing art.👋👋