Preaching to the choir, or the older reference to the converted, suggests that as you are already before me, for various reasons, you most probably already have a certain mind set toward creativity, the arts, photography, the outdoors, even acceptance of my foibles. But, I need to write this because of something I came upon today that was tucked away for years and the discovery reminded me of several lessons in life…that you know, but maybe might want to share on a broader scale within your immediate sphere of influence.  I am not talking the blogosphere (I hate that clumsy word). I mean your family and friends.  

Encouraging others to create: to paint, to photograph, to draw, to write, to put their senses to use to create something is perhaps as important as you doing the creating and craving the accolades. It does sound as if I am indeed preaching!

flowers-painting-photography-family-SwittersBFor example, my Mother. She came from a harsh, I will call it violent/abusive background. Out the door as a teen and never looked back. She went through life with an edge, an attitude, a harsh streak of her own. Later in life, she attempted to paint. Mostly flowers, mostly looking at someone else’s work and trying to copy it. She did this in a vacuum. No support, no praise, no encouragement beyond a very few that were on the edges of the family. That kept her going for awhile. I won’t go into how it all fell apart here.

Suffice to say, one of the most creative, gentle, proud times of her life was when she painted. I know I liked what she did, but I can’t recall really talking to her about it. I have most of her creations now…the beautiful and the not so.

Encourage those near and on the edges of your personal life. Away from this choir, this congregation, to create and be alive beyond the grind of life. It may well be one of the few lovely times in their life beyond knowing you.