Posts by Pat:
Can you be creative?
Sometimes we think that we are not creative; that the gift has passed us by. But we have each…
- come up with creative solutions to family problems,
- figured out a clever workaround to not having the perfect tool to make a repair,
- said what needed to be said, but tactfully and compassionately.
Here are two examples of people answering their call to find an outlet for unhampered and unlimited creativity that you might not have heard of.
During World War l, a brilliant Austrian-American piano virtuoso was wounded and his right arm amputated. His musical career seems to be at an end.
Yet his creative spirit persevered, and Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961) spent many of his waking hours and resources devising new techniques that allowed him to play chords once thought impossible for a one-handed pianist. His call to find a greater way to express his creativity continues to bless and inspire other pianists to this day.
(Maurice Ravel actually wrote his Piano Concerto for Left Hand for him, as did other composers.)
A second inspiring example is Colleen Darby, an artist-in-residence on an oncology floor, who helped patients find creative outlets to pass the time.
One day, she exchanged an innocent pleasantry with a patient, stating that it was a beautiful day outside. The patient replied, “It always looks the same from here.”
That exchange sparked her creativity with the realization that “every patient deserves a room with a view.”
So in 2013, she did a Kickstarter campaign that resulted in her creating LandEscapes–painting with a purpose to take otherwise cold and sterile hospital environments and create large, beautiful collages that combined natural images and words.
The spiritual, physical, and intellectual expressions of who we are has the potential to motivate and inspire others.
Creativity can be our impetus to a journey of discovery. It is our human nature to seek out and fulfill our desire to express and be more.
There are
- cures to be discovered,
- books to be written,
- worthwhile causes to be created.
And no, it doesn’t need Calvin’s last-minute panic!
Just willingness, receptivity (and, perhaps a little excitement?)
In just 4 words!
If less is more and if a short sermon is more memorable than a long one…then here are some quotes of only four words that you might find meaningful! From some philosophical folks… From some business folks… “Aim for the highest.” Andrew Carnegie “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” Steve Jobs “Whatever happens, take responsibility.” Tony Robbins […]
The Spare Change Principle
I saw a video from a few years ago by Jon Acuff that made good sense to me. He shared that he had run 1,000 miles the previous year. How? Short answer: he ran a lot. Long answer: he used the “Spare Change Principle.” And what was that? It was his willingness to do an […]
Response-Ability
We have the responsibility to choose. And we have the ability as well! We can respond or we can react. And the quality of our life depends on the choice we make. We know there is a difference between trying to control everything in our life and taking charge of our life. After all, haven’t […]
The weather is just the weather…
Has our summer been sweltering, oppressive, scorching, or just hot? Just like Calvin, we often describe our weather as “too much!” Let’s refuse to listen to weather reports. Weather reporters this past winter often described the weather as being gloomy, dismal, or miserable rather than just saying it was cold, rainy or windy! The weather […]
Don’t let the tail wag the dog…
So, what does that mean? It means don’t let the smallest or least important part of something be in control of the larger or more important parts. And this is not just in dogs. The purpose of a tail is complicated. Not just for communication, but also for balance. A retriever in the water (me?) […]
Complaining is easy…
Complaining is easy. It’s as natural to us as breathing. Complaining is describing something (an event, an experience, a person) negatively without any indication of next steps or plans to fix the problem. It requires little thinking and zero action. Whether it be whining about God, the government, the universe, slow Wi-Fi, the authorities, or […]
How do YOU respond?
Learning to respond rather than react can provide us with many benefits, especially peace of mind. I share three thoughts for you to ponder. Thought #1 Somtimes the water gets murky and the mud that is churned up happens in a way that is heated. We might express anger or others may express agression. But […]
My guru for today!
The ever-so memorable Dr. Seuss has shared lots of life lessons that make sense to me! Here’s some of my favorite quotes! (And I love how succinct he can be. After all, he did write “Green Eggs and Ham” with only 50 different words when challenged by his publisher!) “Writing for children is murder. A […]
Words are fun(ny)…
Words ARE fun and often also present a challenge… Which letter is silent in the word “Scent,” the S or the C? If you replace “W” with “T” in “What, Where, and “When” you get the answer to each of them. The word “swims” upside down is still “swims.” Why is the letter w, in […]