“The stars we are given. The constellations we make.” Rebecca SolnitI didn’t pay much attention to the study of constellations in school since they were all about Greek gods and goddesses, titans and spirits—Zeus, Pleiades, Orion, Aetna, and Hermes to name only a few. Their stories were all science fiction, which never held my interest. I gained an interest, however, when I learned how seafaring ships for several hundred years have navigated by the stars. And more recently, when I got a dog and walked him just before bedtime, I would watch the stars and notice the patterns in the summer sky changing to different patterns in the winter. Now, as a fiction writer, I have begun to appreciate the skill of creating characters and stories. I used to say, “I don’t have a right side to my brain,” until I realized left-brain people have their own style of creativity. I am learning to value the art of mythology, both forming images from groupings of stars that come and go with the seasons, and the imagination to craft scenarios of how these characters interacted. In a way it's not so different from the creativity of Sergei Prokofiev who wrote the music and story Peter and the Wolf. In this symphony he made characters come to life by selecting an instrument and a musical theme for each. The bird was a flute, the duck an oboe, the cat a clarinet, the wolf the French horn, Peter was string instruments, the hunters were timpani and base drums, and so on. And when played by an orchestra you can hear the story played out in music. A favorite of mine. Just a few short years ago I began to exercise my creativity by writing fiction—a long learning curve, but a rewarding one. The natural world—stars included—will always be God’s creation, but He gave us creativity. My creativity contributes to entertainment, but others’ might invent the next Internet application or the cure for cancer. May I never again doubt the creative spirit as a God-given gift, whether or not I enjoy the product of their creativity.
Is there something you have been given, some creative muscle that you have yet to exercise? Do you have left-brain creativity that has been dormant for too long? Will you give time to consider what talent God has gifted you with, and pray for an outlet to use that gift for others? Lord, thank You that I was challenged to write something outside my comfort zone which turned into the fiction writing I enjoy today. And, thank You for the joy of exercising that muscle I hadn’t used before. Amen “For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Rebecca Solnit (1961- ), an American writer who writes on environment, politics, place and art. She is a contributing editor for Harper’s Magazine where she is the first woman to regularly write the Easy Chair essay since its founding in 1851.
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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