Create

     It's been a busy time for me, days are come and gone. But I have not forgotten here, no matter the delays. I present to you a few brief thoughts on creativity.

     When a person creates something and releases it into the world, they have hope. Hope that it will affect something, that people will enjoy their endeavor. Hope that their time has not been wasted. Or, for some, hope that it will make money. Creative acts are acts of hope.

     And yet...there's always fear that the work, or even the author, will be rejected. There are at least a few people who will judge it awful, or the creator as a fraud. For some, it is one and the same. Perhaps the fears are justified; no one can ever please everyone. Someone will hate the work; someone will hate you for creating it. Creative acts are acts of fear.

     There is always an aspect of a person's self involved in any creative endeavor. An expression of one's talents, of experience, and of understanding. An expression of circumstance and reactions. Creativity is the expression of self.

     And yet...a person can not be condensed into a single piece of writing or artistic expression. A piece of music will never convey everything of a person's subtle moods in all the right proportions. To create, a person must condense, generalize, ignore, translate, and exaggerate. Even if they do not realize they are doing these things. Creativity is an abstraction of self; a denial, even.

     Yet, people will try to get it just right. They suffer and argue with themselves. They will have difficulty making decisions about their work. They will wemble and dither. They will cry and shout. This is pain.

     But this work must be made. And, at some point in a things creation or after, there is a great sense of relief. There is joy that this thing has come into existence, that your words, your music, your art, or your thoughts are out there, in the world. Your dreams, your hopes, your goals and aspirations are expressed. This is joy.

     Go, create.