MORE Questions about Food, Books, Life and Love: What does it mean to lead a creative life?

My little fabric zippered bags.

A few of my Cape Cod beach photos.

One of my needlepointed pillows.

Whenever I am asked to describe myself by listing three or four adjectives, "creative"almost always makes the cut. Unlike other words like "genius" or "talent," creativity does not imply a particular level of mastery or prowess. At least to me, creativity is a way of being, and it is the way that I have always been. When I was very young, I wrote songs that I went around the house singing. My younger sisters heard my top ten list (which included catchy titles like "Love is Something Very Dear") so often that they learned them by heart and even remember the silly lyrics to this day.

During the summers, when I wasn't reading every children's book in the Charlevoix Pubic Library or taking swimming lessons from the adorable-looking twin brothers who ran the day camp, I was teaching myself a new craft. During the embroidery summer, I covered a denim work shirt with colorful little pictures and sayings. During the decoupage summer, I made funny little 3-d pictures by cutting out multiple copies of the same image and layering them on top of each other using a stinky smelling epoxy. When the glue dried, I would shellac the heck out of the thing and either try to sell it at the craft fair or gift it to my parents in the hopes that it would be proudly displayed. Henri Matisse is quoted as saying that "creativity takes courage," but I don't think I was one bit courageous. In fact, it wasn't ever about risk-taking because it wasn't about succeeding or failing; it was about experimenting and expressing myself. I would love to think though that creativity does indeed take courage because then I could consider myself brave (and perhaps even foolhardy) in at least one area of my life!!
Since the embroidery and decoupage days, I've dabbled with knitting and felting and cross-stitch and needlepoint and sewing and quilting and even scrapbooking. I also consider cooking a very creative act and that might explain why I have such difficulty sticking to a recipe! I am also a writer and that is clearly one of the ways in which my creativity gets expressed. In the classroom, my favorite moments are those times when I do something unexpected with my students or am able to encourage them to "think outside the box."
The late S. African novelist and editor, William Plomer once wrote that "creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected." I am always thrilled when I read a paper where a student has linked things that I would not have seen as related. One of my newest creative outlets is photography, and I am looking forward to learning more about that craft when I have the chance to pursue it.
I am also a HUGE fan of other people's creative efforts. My daughter Emily is a wonderful artist and I marvel at the things that she has made. I hope that she will find room for creativity in her life no matter where that life leads her.