Creative Encouragement

I would tell you the creative gig is not for everyone, but I would be lying, and I make no habit of it.

Creativity is the birthright of every person. We cannot engage fully with life and love unless we are actively creative. This means using our minds as imagination engines. Applying knowledge in innovative ways in all spheres of living.

It is important to note that “liberal arts” are not the exclusive domain of creation. Almost every aspect of working, parenting, relationship, home-making, teaching, communication, recreation, planning, cooking, mechanics, and the list continues, is under the direct influence of our creativity.

The more we recognize and incorporate our creative genius in all our ways, every day, the happier and more fully realized our lives become.

Some ways to assimilate creativity in daily living: write by hand, read extensively, study situations and tasks seeking new more efficient ways of dealing with them, making room for fun in our lives, listening to music, singing, playing instruments, spend time with children or read to them, draw, color, practice an art or craft, encourage others, build something, attend exhibits, help others, pick any of these or make up your own.

Please do not neglect your creativity. Your abilities, gifts, skills, and talent are unique. Part of your purpose is using them. You are the only one who can bring your remarkable blend of brilliance to the world. People need every individual striving to add creativity, love, and value to living each day.

Prompt: Pick up a book or magazine. Turn randomly and pick a sentence. Either use the sentence or a word it contains to spark your thoughts. After consideration and allowing your imagination free reign, create something, or let it inspire you to act in your environment.

I encourage you to journal or at least keep a datebook with notes on your activities. A review of these can often facilitate insight into our lives otherwise missing.

We survived February, you and I. I hope that you accomplished more than you expected and enjoyed life as thoroughly as possible. It has been a whirlwind here. Of course, as the new month comes, all the regular suspects make their appearance. Bills, you know, bills. Paying bills though it may be a hassle, shows we are alive and that we are making a way in the world. Having money to meet our obligations is a blessing.

I hope you find special graces in the coming month and can achieve that you most desire.

Short Story: Unexpectedly Gone

Married to an ex-military man who was crawling back from the abyss of a previous divorce with alimony and lots of child-support. His rising star was Maitlyn’s favorite creation. She invested in all the programs to teach him coding and hardware to help him become an expert with networking and computer maintenance.

Her aversion to being away so long from her little one, she swallowed along with her anger over unmercifully long hours and no corporate support. It had to be okay because, for the first time in her life, she was a runaway success with money in excess.

Sometimes she wished there was time for guitar practice, small jams, photoshoots, and writing more than grocery orders and inventory counts. Making a good life for those she loved was a dream, though, and she held it in her hands. No sacrifice, no fulfilling extraordinary demands, one could not expect plans to bring hopes to fruition. Maitlyn knew from experience everything could suddenly crumple like notebook paper and catch afire, burning totally away as if none of it ever existed.

At moments she felt like a mouse on a wire-wheel chasing forever faster to catch a tablet-sized cheese, which was inevitably beyond her reach. She wanted a quiet life where items could be alphabetized and checked off the list, where nothing was impossible, and joy was ever-present.

Climbing the ranks had been a vertical ascension, always giving more, reaching higher. It amazed her, but the shadow, she was consistently aware of how quickly one could fall from the heights.

She had seniority and was vested, but there came a time when she had to manage several weeks short-staffed working fifteen to eighteen hours in a row. She called her supervisor for assistance, he offered none. One night around 3am, she crawled into bed. At 5am when she tried to get up, she no longer connected with the world.

Logan called the district manager, her supervisor, he explained that she was sick and he was taking her to the hospital. The DM said if she failed to come in, she was fired. Logan kept her home and took her to the hospital, where she was admitted for an extended stay.

Sweet dreams often end precariously.

Two Poems

Reasons Why

Oh, to be the instrument
That encodes the words, sentences,
Opening minds to experience
Places, plans, things visited
Between the magic covers
Where printed pages live
To give their secrets away to those
Who invest the time to comprehend
Every carefully written line
This the poet, author’s fondest hope
To bring stories, wisdom to life
Helping others conquer the most
Difficult moments encountered in time.

Tracks Cleared

The winding paths sought
By hearts afire with passion
A merry chase may lead
Taking prisoner those who
Never dream again, freedom
To be more precious
Than love, if it should succeed,
Even faults and flaws
Forgiven, overlooked, when
Overwhelmed by devotion.

Again

Sometimes the smiles drop,
Belief in love falls limp, strays,
What is left is dismal, drear,
So the smiles get pasted back on,
Nagging doubts are swept off, away.
Even if we pretend,
Eventually, we see
Love staring, sharing,
Toward us generously;
Imagination becomes
A positive proof
No one can refute, deny,
It is plain as reality,
Love chases us down
Coopts our days, fills us completely
Will never give up, cannot stop
Until it proves us precious
Beyond logical understanding;
Love is who we are, what is meant
To be in every event, situation, thing,
We cannot outrun or misguide it
Love knows us intimately,
It brought us alive,
Is throughout our living,
When fear, doubt, tear us apart
Love pick us up, straightens our smile,
Sets us firmly upon our feet,
Whispers, “I am with you, go again!”

The Heart Depends

Crystalline blue days
When the chill makes fires burning,
Cuddle warmth, alright,
Bright stars remind how we are
As spectacular alight.
We choose, choose again
Until matched lives come near, merge,
In a partnership
Meant to cling through good and bad,
Join with loving welds of time.
Believing our one
Finest, best, most beautiful,
To fill our moments
No measure spans such treasure;
Love on whom the heart depends.

Days dancing away
Quick in showy promenade
Leave trails on each face.

When we create, we
Share the rare air of Heaven
Capturing starlight.

I may miss tomorrow. I am having a procedure, but it should be alright. I hope all of you have a great day. Blessings always.