Why Create?

Last weekend while trimming the tree my son and I had a conversation. Talking with Thomas is always interesting because we tend to think exactly alike on most things.

So we were putting on all the needlepoint ornaments and talking about art. In most families this is not your usual topic of conversation, but it is not strange at all in ours. Our family, every last one of us, is what I refer to as a “mad artist.” I do needlepoint, he writes comic books in his free time.

Since he lives at home, I am used to him coming home from work and asking what we think this character should be called and then telling us all about him or her. Since I’m not a superhero-supervillian kind of girl this is always interesting.

I thought about this while reading Jane Wood’s wonderful post this morning about having a creative Christmas.

We need, especially in a technology driven world and in times when the news is depressing for one reason or another, to create. Not want, need. By creating, we renew ourselves, we reflect, the Creativity of God, and we go outside ourselves into something else.

Some people talk about how doing needlepoint puts them into a meditative state where time seems suspended while we create the stitching.

In Jane’s post she talks about how people playing Little Big Planet experience something similar. My son, who draws and writes comic books, tells me the same thing happens to him when he does that.

I also notice that this makes a difference in how people experience the world. Those who create are less alarmist, more relaxed, and, I think, often happier. Yes, the world can be lousy, but if I can knit or stitch or draw or write, I have a happy place where I can escape and create.

It is an important outlet and one I’m so glad Jane reminded us of.