Time to Play

Whimsy at Play

“Creativity does not belong exclusively to professional artists and geniuses; it is the birthright of every single human being. Creativity is our common heritage. You don’t need to quit your job and move to Paris in order to lay claim to this heritage—all you have to do is clear some space in your life for whimsy, invention, sensory pleasure, and play. Most of all, you have to learn how to follow your curiosity more than your fear.”

Elizabeth Gilbert

          During this pandemic, many of us are turning to creativity to get us through long days and nights of uncommon isolation. Besides the ubiquitous masks, folks who haven’t sewn in decades are sewing and stitching, painting watercolors and canvases, and, since spring has arrived, planting flowers and vegetables, and making giant bouquets of spring blooms. One of my neighbors who loves to be outside, has mowed her grass twice this week, pulled up every single weed, and mulched all her flower beds. That may qualify as household maintenance to some, but when she does it, it’s creativity. Some of us feel like we’re playing when we plant things—it is hopeful and forward looking.

          I was moved this week to pull from the recesses of my basement, a box of old, mostly dried up acrylics and paint this canvas. I call it “Turbulence,” and believe me, I know it’s no work of art. But it is an expression of an inner awareness of where my life, and most everyone else’s life is at this moment. You don’t have to aim toward creating something to display when you enter into creativity—art is, for most of us, play therapy. When you finish doing something creative, you have a sense of satisfaction even if the finished product is, well…mediocre at best. It’s YOUR mediocre and therefore good enough. Elizabeth Gilbert says that “creativity doesn’t care at all about results,” it is only the process it craves. She advises us to “learn to love the process” and not to worry about the results.

          Whatever your expression of creativity is, and there are millions, just do it. We all need get through this pandemic as wholly as we can. Consider it your birthright to sling some paint, or write a poem, or dig some dirt. “Follow your curiosity more than your fear” and let yourself play. Whimsy, y’all. Carry on.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane