Why do you create? Why do you snap a photo, write a poem, paint a picture, or do any of the hundreds of things you can do? The reasons are as numerous as the creative acts themselves, I’m sure.
Here’s a reason that seems to keep popping up for me in the strangest places.
Immortality.
Have you watched Woody Allen’s film Midnight in Paris, starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams? If you’re an artist, you should give it a try. You’ll really get to know some greats of the past like Picasso, Gertrude Stein, Hemingway and others. What is striking about this film is the notion that, though these greats are no longer with us, their work remains. It’s easy to pick up a copy of their work anywhere – maybe not as easy to actually get through the writing, depending on your genre preference – and the fact of the matter is, they’ve made an impact: a creative footprint on this planet. How cool is that?
This made me think of my own writing projects. Without my realizing it, this is what has motivated many of them. Letters to my daughter, my work in Heartmind Wisdom and Tending Your Inner Garden, my poetry collection, this blog…I want them in the hands of generations to come. I’m not coming from an egotistical place, but from the sheer joy of my message being read by countless people. A gazillion bonus points if these words heal and inspire others.
The other day my dad brought over a couple cardboard boxes stuffed with dusty books. “Keep what you want,” he said. “There are some great biographies in here.” And there, in those boxes, I found Grace Kelly, Hillary Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Onassis, Amelia Earhart…and other people I’d never heard of before! This was another awesome example of leaving an impression on the world, leaving something behind that says “Hey, I existed and I did some cool things here on this planet!”
The other place I found immortality in words was at a celebration of life for a young girl who passed away last month. During her breath-taking and tear-jerking ceremony, a slide show displayed tweets from her Twitter account. She was gone, but there were her words for all of us to read and be inspired. She wrote about God, joy, family and her love of life. The energy in them was undeniably hers and it was continuing to do its magic for her family and friends the way she had done in life.
Why do you create? What plunks you down in front of the computer, at the easel, or at your desk? What prompts you to pick up your camera, your guitar or your child?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Hi Taslim sorry i have been away for so long. I have been busy doing many different things and have been neglecting my blogs a lot. The reason i like to create things is i get pleasure from doing it. Plus i can express myself in different ways. I hope you have a great weekend my friend. 🙂
Hi Bill – welcome back! Doing something for the pure pleasure of it is priceless. Thanks for stopping by – hope to hear from you again soon 🙂
Taslim,
For each creative person, there is a process. Many are similar, but I feel as though none are quite the same.
We all find inspiration in different places, process it through our own set of values and experiences, and then present it to the world (or purely for our own satisfaction) via whatever medium which we find most comfortable.
My inspiration comes from everywhere and from nearly everything I hear, see and do. Generally however, my most profound source of inspiration and best reason for logging it all down in some way, is my daughter.
She inspires my creativity and she is the reason that I try to capture those thoughts and feelings. I hope that one day she and possibly the rest of the world can see what I see in the process of babies becoming children and children becoming full grown people.
Most parents find several points in the lives of their children which they wish might last forever, and I am no exception. Yet I find with each passing day that, while my daughter is transferring out of one fabulous phase of her development, she has merely entered into another, equally amazing facet of her young life.
Infancy is so beautiful with the intense helplessness and neediness but also thrilling as we notice perfect features which our child will carry through life; fingers with perfect little finger prints already in place, bright eyes with tiny, beautiful eye lashes around them, and facial expressions which chill us with such stunning range.
Toddlers, crawlers, terrible two as some would say, and all of the challenges involved there; learning to stand, to walk to reach and never once thinking that they can’t accomplish whatever they attempt. They have unending spirit and commitment to whatever natural motivation which strikes their fancy.
The first day of pre-school or school where parents stand outside of doorways with tear filled eyes, waving “bye-bye” to strong little troopers anxious to see a new world unfold.
Our children just go on and on, growing and changing and developing into individual little people with their own mind and standards, much of which we have struggled to impart to them from our own life experiences.
So, when I sit at the computer, grab my camera or even start to sketch out a quick image, it has often begun with something that originated in the micro universe which is my daughter.
Richard, this is very sweet. I hope you share these words with your daughter. She’s very fortunate to have you and I’m sure you inspire her just as much. Thanks for sharing!
I create because I can’t help myself! 🙂
Andrea – I love it!! Your response made me giggle…thanks so much for sharing it!