Creativity is timeless.
It matters not whether it’s painting, drawing, coding, sculpting, woodworking, photographing, dancing, or writing. The list goes on ad infinitum. The avenues available to explore our creativity are boundless.
Did you know the plural of Lego is Lego? Oh deer. Do you see what just happened there? You’re probably wondering how I made the jump from the last paragraph to this one. Let me explain. Lego is another one of those deep pools of possibility that allow us to dive below the surface, into the wonderful world of our imagination.
Since I was a boy, I pieced various bricks together in random ways. The influence of those colored bricks spans generations. My son and I did the same thing on his playroom floor for years, as he grew from a toddler, to an adolescent, to a young adult. We imagined so many things into existence: rocket ships, cars of the future, restaurants, robots, and even our version of the tallest Lego building ever constructed (over six feet tall, by the way).
And here’s the timeless part. Even as an adult, I continue to build with Lego. In fact, I’m working on a set right now, an intricate typewriter model that requires so much focus and concentration, while also allowing my imagination to roam free. It’s an interesting balance between order and chaos. Planning and spontaneity. Yin and yang. When we allow two opposing things to come together and peacefully coexist? Ah, that’s when the magic happens.
While assembling a small module on my current set, I had no idea where the steps were leading me. It made no sense how the pieces fit or how they would eventually work together with all the other equally random parts. And then, in a single moment, everything clicked, both literally and metaphorically. Bringing all the individual pieces together as one created a cohesive whole. It’s difficult to explain, but when that happens, when you see all your hard work, apparently haphazard and without direction, come together to create something unique, that is pure magic. Endorphins flow and in that brief moment, even if it’s only for a nanosecond, it’s easy to appreciate the importance and influence of creativity and imagination in our lives. We must find a way to grab hold of that fleeting moment, to not allow it to escape our grasp, to repeat it again and again. It’s so powerful.
Trust the process. It’s something we hear so often but sometimes find it difficult to make tangible. My experience is an example of just that. We might wander or feel as though we’re not moving toward our intended destination. But each step, every thought, and all our seemingly random ideas have a place in our grander plan.
When we invite those moments of serendipity into our lives with open arms, we come to realize they’re not inconvenient interruptions. Each of them is a building block. And even though they might be irregular and don’t seem to fit together, they do. When put together in a way only we can accomplish, everyone around us, including ourselves, recognizes and appreciates the ability to create something uniquely inspiring.
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