Ranting about creativity

I say this rant is about creativity, and in many ways, it is. But it’s about more than that too.

Sure, it’s often nice to own lots of stuff. I used to, but don’t so much any longer. Since becoming an empty-nester, I find I require little “stuff” to make me happy and that, in fact, the clearing out process has proven very cathartic. Very freeing. It’s the less is more theory for me and now I care far more about creativity! Creating something, anything. It could be a website, a blog, a painting, a drawing, a business, or even a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

I’m certain my willingness to part with things so easily is, at least in part, a result of aging. Although I’ve never been wealthy or very materialistic, I’ve become keenly aware lately that all the things we collect in a lifetime  simply don’t  matter. They are so temporary. They burn down, blow away, get stolen, disappear in a thousand different ways. But it’s the contributions we make that count. I start every day asking  myself  “Today, what can I give, what can I contribute, what can I create?”

Because I am an artist, one of the easiest things to create is a pencil drawing. Although I do charge for my portrait work, I also have  found a way to give away my drawings through another blog I recently started: http://www.graphitegoddess.com.  It’s relatively new, but seems to be attracting an ever-growing audience. My hope is my art simply makes someone else’s day a bit brighter, or brings a smile to their face, or somehow enhances their day. It’s what I can give freely. A talent I was blessed with and love sharing.

So for today, consider what it is you can create, give, share. We each have unique and wonderful talents and abilities and sharing them is far more rewarding than going shopping for more stuff!

About two weeks ago I went to a business meeting at a local hotel and today I have to rant about what I found.  As I approached the entrance, I noticed many cats lurking around the perimeter of the building. After the meeting, I asked the hotel clerk about them. She told me they are all feral cats and the hotel staff feeds them. Hmm …..perhaps some better solution could be found.

I called the local police department to find out what, if any, programs the city had in place for dealing with the problem of feral cats. I was shocked when he laughed at me and said “Hey lady, those feral cats are part of the eco system! Why would you want to mess with the eco system?”  I’m sorry, but that just seems a very coldhearted and uninformed point of view! These poor animals are all skinny, many starving, all  subjected to diseases, probably flea-ridden, suffering. I don’t get it. Aren’t we better than this as a society? How tragic.

My kids tell me to just go get a job. That’s much easier said than done! I’ve gone to 6 employment agencies and turned in countless resumes, I search Craigslist and online newspaper classifieds daily, and frankly, there is no convincing me there isn’t an age discrimination thing going on against those of us older than 40. Perhaps there always was but it didn’t matter so much because I “thought” I’d done enough to secure my own financial well-being. God, I hate surprises anymore!

Yesterday I mentioned that I’d be posting this rant on “attempting”, or “trying“.  Years ago, I argued for the concept of trying. I don’t any longer. Now I am “in the process of learning” rather than trying. The bottom line is either you do or you don’t. You fail or you succeed, right? This was so simply illustrated to me when a now former husband threw a pencil on the table and screamed at me “Go ahead. Try to pick that pencil up!” Well, dah…….I got it instantly!  I’ve dropped the word try from my vocabulary now. So simple!

I love hearing from my friends and family, really I do. And in our conversations, I attempt to do more listening than talking, although I’m not always successful. (Oh wait…….I have a rant to post about that subject….attempting! I’ll post that one next.)

As much as I enjoy hearing from everyone, it always cracks me up when one of them ends the conversation by saying “I’ll let you go.” Let me see, you called me, we chatted. I listened, you talked, and then, when you’re done talking, you tell me you’ll let me go??? Ah….ok, and…..what if I don’t want to go? What if I’d like to actually engage in a true conversation, a two-way communication system? Isn’t saying “I’ll let you go” just a cop-out? A way to avoid taking responsiblity, perhaps. Why not say “thanks for listening and now I’ve got to go.”

I believe that learning to truly communicate with another requires awareness, practice, an interest in the other person’s experiences, and  a genuine desire to share. I’ve been blessed to have several such “communicators” in my life, but they are the exception rather than the rule. 

Start paying attention to the conversations you have and see if you find this to be true too. Granted, I’ve always had this insatiable curiosity and do love hearing other’s stories, and yes, I’m guilty of asking lots of questions, and no, I’m not really complaining that so many folks use me as a sounding board. (Hey, it’s good to feel useful.) Yet I do so appreciate a “good conversation” too. Actual two-way communication!

Ok, here it is almost the middle of March and I need to rant a bit because  it’s freezing in here. You can’t tell me climate change isn’t happening. I live in the Pacific Northwest, where typically, it’s mellow all year long. Sure it rains, but this year that moisture is coming down in the form of snow. I really don’t like it. I spent an hour and a half on the phone with my daughter yesterday as she was driving through a blizzard and was terrified. God, that’s a nerve-racking process. Thankfully, she got home safely with no incidents, but we were both exhausted.

Here’s another thing that gets me. My home is only about 1200 sq. ft. and I keep the thermostat set at 55 degrees. My energy bill arrived last week. $208!! I called the energy company to see if I could get on their “equalization plan”, you know, where you pay so much a month all year long. Well, not only did I opt NOT to do that, I learned that their rates go up in the winter months! Did you know that? How is that right?

And so, I’m bundled up again this morning in layers of clothes, sipping a cup of hot tea and listening to the furnace kick on far more often than I like. On the other hand, I am most grateful to have a home and a working furnace!

So in this rant I admit I am, in some ways, totally delusional. Perhaps we all are to a certain extent. If I weren’t delusional, I’d be either depressed or insane, or both.

Digging alittle deeper, however, I’m wondering what the difference is between a delusion and a belief. The dictionary says a delusion is a false belief. Well, if you think about it, that makes little sense. If I hold a belief, then isn’t it true for me? Who decides the “false” part? If I believe I can’t accomplish something, I’m right. I can’t. The wonderful little book “Illusions” by Richard Bach says it this way: “Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they’re yours.”

So perhaps being somewhat delusional is ok, a survival tactic of sorts.

Here’s yet another reason I don’t believe in organized religions any longer. The use of such trickery is almost comical. This is a scan of the actual card that was stuck in my front door in early December. Now, tell me…….aren’t they using difficult economic times to bribe folks in the door? I have to admit, I laughed right out loud when I first read the card, but it really isn’t funny. Not funny at all. Rather shameful, actually.

The card reminded me of the time, years ago, when I was low on goodies in the cupboard and stopped by a local food bank to see if I could find dinner. Never having had to do that before, I was completely surprised when it became evident the food bank was just another way to recruit folks into a particular church. I left immediately, empty-handed and insulted.