18 January 08 - 15:29
Finding the Creative Spirit
Here I am, surrounded by the busy activity of Annual Report season, discovering yet again how difficult it is to get creative things done when in the presence of deadlines. I was reading in Maclean's Magazine the other day that creative output in the workplace goes down nearly fifty percent when everyone's under time stress. Go figure! That article reported that some software houses were declaring no interruption days, where no one could read their email, visit other people in their offices, or do anything else that distracted them from getting several solid hours of programming or science done.
I can relate to that. I got into the office late this morning because I read a whole chapter of my current book at the breakfast table, knowing full well that if I took it into the office, I'd never get it read. Of course, it's a slow Friday morning, and I probably could have gotten some reading in. (After handling the nine emails from Halifax Presbytery, of course.) And on that one, I really have no one to blame but myself, because I'd rather visit with people in the office than read a book just about any day. That's saying something, because I love to read.
But being with people doesn't stop the creative flow in me. For me, the bigger problem is that I can't be creative when other people's demands on my time start to trump the things I want to do. Take, for example, this blog. It's been more than two weeks since I've written here. In that time, I've actually opened the Write and Publish a New Entry page on three different days. One of those times, I actually got a paragraph written, though it wasn't going well. On all three occasions, somebody else came by with something else for me to do, and I abandoned the attempt. In that same time, under the category of things other people have asked me to do, I have attended thirteen meetings, planned and conducted three worship services, been to two dentist appointments, written two Annual Reports and a drama for a future worship service, oh yes, and led a non-church music practice for ten very fine musicians. Yes, the same one mentioned in Final Approach from last December.
I think it was the music practice that gave me the energy to get on top of the reports and other things and get back to this blog. We had fun creating music together, and even though other people had asked me to do it, it was more a co-creation than it was a chore. I even played alto recorder to the tune of Belle Qui Tient Ma Vie, an ancient dance tune, and what's more, I didn't embarrass myself. I'm not really an instrumentalist, but I taught myself to play soprano recorder many years ago, and have occasionally played for early dance groups when there's been stronger players to support me, and a need for dance music. I bought that alto recorder at least six years ago in case another music group sprung up around me, but I'd never played it with a group. Why did I wait six years to play the thing?
Well, because somehow I keep letting other people's demands override the creative spirit within me. I know I'm not the only one, and I don't have the world's worst case. Even so, every time I thought about the Annual Report I had to write, I abandoned the blog, the music, the sewing, whatever it was that my spirit wanted to do – without actually doing the report, mind you – and the more I abandoned my creative projects, the more anxious I got. Finally my husband said to me, "Why don't you just not do it?" and I said, "You just don't understand!" But maybe he understood something better that I did.
I worship a Creator God, and I believe that more than anything, God wants us to be co-creators, like a group of musicians making music that is more beautiful than anything they could make alone. Maybe that's my best answer to why we were created. When we let the voices of the world drown out the Creator's call, we are somehow diminished. We get anxious. We know we aren't doing what we were put on this earth to do.
Now the guy who puts the Annual Reports together at our church reads my blogs, and I don't want him to think that I'm urging everyone to abandon their reports and take up harp lessons, or I'll be in big trouble. I solved the problem not by letting go of the report, but letting go of the perception that reports and creativity are opposed to each other. Instead of having to write the report that I thought other people wanted, I created the report that the Spirit was telling me to write. And then I let go of it and moved on to the music practice. Now I'm here, showing up at the page to write.
I don't make New Year's resolutions, but if there's anything I'm going to be working on this year, it's to not let the mundane demands of the church dampen out the prior claim that my Creator God has already laid on me, that I create together with God and others, and spread the Good News that we are co-creators as far as I can.
Blessings, Heather.
On a mundane note, I understand people are having trouble posting comments. You might need to be a member of this site to post, maybe some people could try commenting and we can test the theory. Plans are in the works for there to be a place on the church's website, http://fairview-united-church-halifax.org , where you can contact me directly by email.
three comments
What does it say that I am reading (and trying to comment) on your blog when I should be writing my Vestry Report?
The hardest time creatively for me is when my expectations of what I’m going to do differ wildly from what I need to do. I survive the Christmas season by promising myself January; an emotional bandaid that makes Christmas manageable.
But January arrives with reports, tidying up and usually a cold.
If I can set aside my angst over reality versus the Plan, I can usually do all of the above. The conversation in my head can be quite loud though as I work it out every year.
I think the uninterrupted time is the key to creativity, though. Socially, the challenge is that the protestant work ethic suggests that doing nothing is a bad thing.
Perhaps you need to embroider a little pillow thing for your door that says: Shh…I’m listening for the word of God. Think that would do anything other than convince your congregation that you’re crazy?
TTFN,
Sharon
Sharon () - 21 01 08 - 14:39
Hi Rev Heather, as you suggested, here’s my first try at posting a comment to your Jan 18th Blog. All your blogs are interesting reading, but this last one struck a personal note with me as I too find that the creative things I’d like to be doing are frequently left undone due to a perceived lack of time. There are always more then enough mundane tasks and work commitments to fill all the available hours. I’ve taken your advice and set aside some uninterrupted time for photography and it’s been most rewarding. Your wise words are much appreciated. Cheers, Geoff
Geoff - 28 01 08 - 13:39
Hi, guys. Thanks for the feedback. The pillow thing is an idea – except that I’d probably run out the door as soon as I heard anyone talking in the hall, such is the spiritual burden of a raving extrovert…
Things are much better right now, too. I’ve discovered that the meetings in my current church have a half month of being out five nights a week, and then a half month where I’m only out two. The family is slowly adjusting to the rhythm, though I still occasionally get a dose of, “Who are you, and what are you doing here, oh right, your my wife.” But I just ignore that, and plow on, trying to get in some creative time too.
Blessings, Heather.
Heather - 29 01 08 - 23:05
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