Who is Creative? #MFRWauthor

Unique ideaDictionary.com (yes, nothing but the finest resources for me!) defines creativity as: “the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.” Thesaurus.com (you aren’t surprised, are you?) gives synonyms like cleverness, genius, originality, vision, inventiveness. So this topic of creativity is wide open. It can cover things like Michelangelo “seeing” David in that piece of marble to a gardener creating a kangaroo topiary. Or the visionary drawings of Leonardo to a kid making a building out of Legos. Or, more suited to our creativity, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien to the first person who committed “Twinkle, twinkle, little star…” to paper.

Aren’t we all creative in some way? I have a good friend who doesn’t write Cupcakebut she makes some of the most beautiful jewelry. I might eat a simple cupcake, but I love watching chefs like Bronwen Weber and Duff Goldman create pastry magic on TV.

How many people-watch in the mall? But then, how many take their observations and write a book about the old man half asleep on the bench or the mother hustling the crying toddler toward the exit just before dinner time? Not many. That’s us. We see what everyone else sees and then write it into something extraordinary. That’s a real talent. That’s creativity.

How to explain creativity? I don’t know. My mother-in-law had a knack for making a beautiful garden. The colors complimented each other, her designs—which often changed from year to year, depending on her whim—Gardendrew you in and made you want to explore what was just around the side of the house. Me? I can’t grow a cactus in a pot. On the other hand, grocery lists were her idea of “writing.” We saw things from different perspectives.

I think creativity comes down to that—seeing the world from unique perspectives. God and nature gave us the sight. It’s up to us to use that sight in the best ways we can in order to improve the world.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!

Gardening and other tortures #MFRWauthor

My husband once told someone that I kill silk flowers. And sadly, he’s right.

GardeningI truly admire people who garden. They make the world a brighter place, a happier place. I could sit for hours surrounded by green plants and brilliant blooms…and talk to the person digging in the ground. But ask me to dig and pull weeds and plop a tiny seedling into rich loam? I’d destroy the whole setting in a matter of hours. I can’t tell a weed from a begonia. I don’t know which roots go shallow and which go deep. I can’t differentiate between a creeper and a tall plant that needs support. In short, I’m hopeless in a garden. Please don’t ask me to help in any way.

When my mom, aunt, and I went to England and Scotland several years ago, I was astounded by the yards, first in Edinburgh and then throughout the rest of our trip. Front yard might measure 10×12—not much compared to a lot of American yards. But every inch, save the walkway, was chock full of plants. The roses were spectacular, and every yard had some variety. I English gardenmade the comment to my mom and aunt that I wondered how one particular yard had such beautiful, big blooms, and a woman I hadn’t seen standing there said, “It takes a lot of work.” I imagine so!

But it would take me no time to wipe it all out—and I wouldn’t even try. Without touching anything, I went on my way.

Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.

Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!

Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!