Create or Die!

Have you ever felt that there had to be more in life? Have you ever felt that you were made to do more or to be more than what you’ve been able to achieve so far?

The sad thing is to think that those are only childish expectations, meant to be discarded upon adulthood.

How sad to think that this is all there is.

I believe God has put great things inside each of us, great gifts and talents He’s intended us to share with our world. But over time, life wears on all of us and difficult things like pain and hurt beat those childlike imaginations down. Organized institutions like school, and yes, even church can stamp out all traces of that originality.

We’re made to sit in rows and stay put and color inside the lines. The magnificent Word of God, instead of a beautiful manifesto of possibility and creativity, has been allowed to become a rigid and inflexible document of immovable doctrine. Sadly, we’ve allowed religion and academia to create an environment where adherence to the company (or denominational) line is rewarded and the very creativity demonstrated by God Himself is quashed and rooted out.

What a shame.

We were, each of us, created to create. We were born with the unique ability to imagine a world different that the one we’re living in right now. And what’s more, we were born with the will and the dogged boldness to actually go out and make that world a reality.

Do you remember what it was like when you were a kid? Before life had changed your way of thinking? I remember when a refrigerator box became a well equipped space ship or my back yard swing set was an undersea city. Let’s not just remember those days. Let’s re-create them. Let’s go back.

I think it’s a lot more interesting to live a life of open-doored possibilities than shut off impossibilities.

Don’t you?

I believe if we don’t life a life where we create, we dry up and go gray. We blend in to the surroundings, we keep our heads down and do all we can to fit in. Our lives begin to look like the opening scenes from Joe vs the Volcano.

If we don’t create, we’ll die.

To create: to make stuff. Not exactly Webster’s definition but it’ll do. Create art, build a deck, form relationships, write words or music, create opportunities, make people smile. Resist the temptation to stay in line, blend in, follow the leader or toe the line.

Go out and make stuff. It’s what you were born to do.

(Many thanks to Hugh McLeod for his art. I’ve been inspired for years by his creative genius. Thank you Hugh for the reminder to create!)