On Being Creative

There was a time in my life when I never would have described myself as being “creative.” Sure, I built things but in every instance I used a set of instructions to totally guide my hands and mind. Then, as I grew older, I began to explore other activities for which there were no instructions. I started to write original articles for publication, I started to get totally involved in graphic design, and nurtured a lingering love affair with cameras and photography which I had briefly touched earlier in life but had never truly maximized. In sum, I began to have fun with my creative side, which I never knew existed in the way it did.

Our daughter Amy Morgan Baker has that same sort of creative ability, but unlike me she began to take advantage of it much sooner that I did. She is, well, “crafty” and I don’t mean being “sneaky.” If there is a craft show nearby, and she has the time and motivation, she will participate. People love what she does and many times that means monetary gain for her, but that gain is not the real motivation that keeps her “doing her thing” … in my view it’s the joy she receives from seeing other people smile when they see what she has made. Her mother Barb is the same way. Our home is literally full of hand-made quilts, wall hangings and other creative items she made with her skilled hands. Yes, she sometimes follows directions, but more than often she has to adapt as she goes along.

So, I post the above photograph I made recently, exclusively for Amy and Barb. May they long continue their creativeness in all they do, and as a result bring as much joy as possible into the lives of others.