Creative or Original?
The challenges it presents can be overwhelming at times. They stretch us. They surprise us with the unexpected.
Creativity is one of the best ways to turn pain into purpose during hurtful times.
The opportunity is there. But you need to think and feel creative when you experience yourself getting damaged.
A lot of us don't see ourselves as creative. We often associate "creative" with "original." So we feel insecure. And already blocked even before we start.
The truth of the matter is, you don't need to be "original" to be "creative." In fact, it's healing to realize that there's no "original!"
Music genius and prodigy, Mozart, didn't see himself as "original." He claimed that he never wrote an original melody in his life.
He said that his creations were pulled from varied sources. Recombinations of old folk melodies, lyrics, and songs.
I like what T.S.Eliot said to describe "creative:"
"Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling, which is unique, utterly different from that from which it was torn."
There's really nothing new under the sun, except rearrangement.
Scripture says you're created in the image of the Creator. Because of that, you must, therefore, be creative.
That means being integrative. Being reflective of all the things He created under His Creation grace.
And, putting or rearranging them altogether to make life work for you.
With creativity, you can start producing all kinds of solutions and plans.
Even the unexpected or surprising in order to face any challenges that life throws at you.