Vera John-Steiner, Presidential Professor of Psycholinguists and Director of the Santa Fe Graduate Center at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque wrote in her book Notebooks of the Mind Explorations of thinking, “It is most likely that highly curious, intense, and independent children elicit an involvement, an interested response from those around them. The encouragement that they receive from caring adults is in turn an important part of the development of their sense of self, for an inner belief in one’s self is a necessary strength in the pursuit of a creative life (page 199).”
Each of us is creative in some way. Regardless of how you feel about your “creativity” you are creative! I am very creative in the kitchen. I am a great cook and everyone seems to enjoy immensely the dishes I make whether they are appetizers, a main course, or a dessert. I can’t tell you how many times I have pulled something out of the oven and exclaimed, “Wow, that is picture perfect it looks like it could be on the cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine!” However, do not ask me to paint a picture, mold something out of clay, or play a musical instrument because the results would be disastrous. I tried that one time in college and what I thought was a beautiful elephant made out of clay when he saw it my husband responded with, “Honey, that’s a great looking cow you’ve made there!” I know he thought he was just trying to please me and make me happy, but boy was I depressed! “A cow,” I said, “that’s not a cow–it’s an elephant!”
As educators, bosses, parents, friends, and family members it is our job to help find and foster the creativity in everyone we know. Why? Because when people do creative things it boosts their level of self-esteem, it increases the synapses in their brains, it brings them joy, peace, and a feeling of accomplishment. Even if the elephant looks like a cow! It makes them happy.
Artfulness and creativity are in each of us we just need to look around us, look within us, and allow ourselves to be free of self-doubt and self-criticism. Beauty is within us to express for our own pleasure and for the pleasure of others. Whether it is a short story you create, or a poem, or a song, whether you can eat, ride, hear, or see your creation it is part of you to share with the world. The Wright Brothers saw the beauty of the flight of the birds and took flight themselves creating the first airplane in America. They were happy!
Making people happy was one of my dear departed father’s jobs on this planet. Not only was he an award winning portrait photographer in New Jersey, but he was a man with a mission: to make people happy. No matter where he went he felt it was his job to make a joke, send a smile, pinch the cheek of a baby, or compliment you on your dress or new suit. His only reward was the smile on your face, the glint in your eye, or the chuckle in your voice. That was his paycheck and he collected on it each and every day. He made people happy….you can too.
Share your artfulness and creativity wherever and whenever you can. And who cares if the elephant looks like a cow! Not me!
unlockthedoortolearning 
Wonderful blog Kathy. Thanks — and keep up the good work!
Larry, thanks and I know that your group up there is still meeting and working to give the middle class back some energy and power. I will visit as soon as I can! We keep all those in the path of hurricane Isaac in our prayers. Kathy (Shokai)
I had an aunt who was a great housekeeper, money manager, shopper – sometimes too much of a shopper, but always found great bargains, and her houses were always inviting, comfortable places to rest and with beautifully prepared and delicious meals. All, without a lot of money, too. Yet, she said that she was not creative, and admired her sister who could paint and others who did more “artistic” things. People would tell the first sister that she was equally creative, but only differently so. She lived over 90 years and didn’t recognize her creativity because she used the wrong measures. Let’s each of us recognize our own creativity, and be mindful that it is in the differences that we find greatness – and, humility. We should easily note these differences in others, also, and praise them for what they are.