Creativity Begins At Play

Would my children rather do their chores or go play? Play means adventuring, exploring, experimenting and firing up new neurons in growth for children under ten. For anyone over ten whose brain is already developed, play creates pathways and connectors and a whole party starts to happen in the brain that connects to the heart.

The trick is to turn my chores into play. For me, I can make sewing a dress fun by trying out pin tucks on the bodice or i put fun into cleaning house by switching up some decor or promising myself i’ll pick a forest bouquet as soon as I’m done to make a room sparkle.

I crave that following Jesus and being His disciple can be fun, even when the path I’m on is like slogging through mud. I keep it playful and stay out of getting stuck by reading His words and realizing they’re alive, the Bible speaks to my heart. I can listen to it while i drive, while i weed in the flowerbed or while i shower. I can talk aloud to Jesus all day because He’s my best, most loyal Friend.

I’m quickly typing this out because i have a lot of chances to put this into practice this week. The same list of spring chores is still hanging on the fridge but it’s getting whittled down while another list is getting added. Those flowers i planted? They’re gonna need watering. That cedar mulch i bought? Somebody needs to spread it.

We’ll turn it into a party. Life is way too short to drag around under a burden of work. We’ll let the perfectionism go and just have fun.

One art teacher i had encouraged us to play whenever we sat down to paint. She said if we’re sitting down at our studio to create a serious masterpiece, the burden of perfectionism would cripple us and hinder us from the fun of creating something. When she looks at others’ artwork, she looks for playfullness and fun. She attempts to paint commissions with the same playfulness she paints if she was painting with a child. If you’re an artist, you know that any obligation or responsibility feels stifling to creativity but the way to trick our brains is to see it as an opportunity to learn by play. I’m always ready for learning through play and commissions have taught me more than any other type of art because they put me in a box and say, “Paint this.” i’m never happy until my end product looks like i had fun.

My artist teacher (okay, it’s Angela Fehr) also mentioned she had a daughter who woke up each morning with a sober outlook and all her girl needed was cheer and joking to help her realize life is fun. After some jovial teasing, her daughter turns into the sunshine of the family for the day. When her daughter experiences trials, the way they get her to cope or open up is to go play something or experience something lighthearted.

I relate to that problem of thinking too seriously as i start each day. I wake up each day a little stressed because my first thoughts are of the things that need to get accomplished . If i switch it to gratitude and fun, my brain can actually jump tracks and my coping abilities are tougher.

I believe God has fun and had fun creating this ball of earth. He maybe dribbled with it a few times before he tossed it out into its place in the solar system. If i ever doubt that, I remember the quetzal bird in Guatemala that we’d try to spot in the rain forest preserve in Biotopo. Why put a long iridescent tail on a bird of such remarkable colouring on its body? Why not just call it good? But no, God added long tail feathers that float in the slightest breeze. There are videos taken of the long colourful feathers of the quetzal blowing in the breeze outside the tree where it has its nesting hole. A cat would have a joyful day sneaking up on a quetzal because it wouldn’t know whether to play with the tail feathers or hunt the bird.

There are countless remarkable creations formed by the mind of God that should cause us to remember to turn our chores into play. Peacocks that strut around and fan out their striking fantails, my simple barnyard rooster who thinks he’s the superhero on our farm as he leads his little flock of red chickens around, whorl designs in a newborn calf’s hair, eyelashes on a sheep, that crinkly new wool that begs to be patted on a lamb, the little velcro hairs along a bee’s leg that clump up with sticky pollen…oh it’s a grand old world and we’re alive if we notice all the happy things. If we could exhaust the list of animals and plants, we might start in on people and all their unique talents. Oh my goodness, that would be fun. But i’m going to go play.

I just wanted to say this; today is the day! Play away with me on this day of grace.