Creativity—Food for the Soul
And Healing for the Heart
Issue #27
Many people treat the creative spirit as an unnecessary luxury for living the good life. And they are entirely wrong. Creativity is a vital element of living.
If I had no outlet for my creativity, I would either go crazy or die. Creativity is at the very core of who I am. If I go too long without writing, without putting words on paper, I begin to feel a hunger growing inside me. I strongly need to create and produce something through writing or painting.
Creativity is as essential to my life as water, air, food, shelter, and companionship. Without it, my spirit would wither and die. We need food for the body and food for the spirit. Creativity provides the food for the spirit.
Some would say that our hearts and souls become clogged with the emotions of living. We suffer real and imagined hurts at the hands of others. Over time, this pain begins to clog up our metaphoric arteries, blocking our hearts and souls. We become unhappy and disenfranchised. We are discouraged and depressed.
One avenue to salvation is involvement in the arts — writing, painting, singing, etc. Writing opens the attics of our minds and allows us to clean out the cobwebs, chase away the mice, and restore sanity. Painting airs out the musty smells in the basements of our hearts, removes the boxes of ancient memories, and fills us with hope. Music soothes the soul and heals the heart.
Has your involvement in the arts helped you to heal the heart and cleanse the soul? Has creativity brought you happiness and salvation? Are you on the road to healing the hurt of yesteryear? Are you a better person today because of your creative work?
The creative arts are not about fame and fortune. They are about creating. If you seek success, you ought to pursue another profession.
For every actor who becomes rich, famous, and invited to the Oscars, thousands act in small community plays for the love of it. For every writer who reaches the best sellers list, thousands toil daily with neither recognition nor financial rewards, simply for the love of writing. For every musician whose songs top the music charts, millions sing at church or in the shower.
Our work is to create, not to become rich and famous. Are you focused on creating or are you daydreaming about being rich and famous?
Be sure to plant seeds of hope in the hearts of others!
