“Unused creativity is not benign”
I ponder these words
on my drive to work
as I wonder
what’s blocking me
from fully using
my creativity.

I remember choirs
in childhood
when I couldn’t hit
the right notes
and was ridiculed
and ashamed.

I remember looking at paintings
by classmates
that were so beautiful
and mine,
so plain.

I remember going to concerts
or reading poems
and thinking,
“I could never do that”.

As I grew,
I used less and less
of my creativity

“Unused creativity is not benign”
it metastasizes
into shame, anger, fear, hate.

This weekend
my daughter is organizing a conference
for makers.

I’m going to a different conference
on missions.

Perhaps
these conferences are related

Perhaps
the Great Maker
wants us healed
to own our own
creativity.

Perhaps
the Lamb’s High Feast
is pot luck,
with all of us invited
as restored makers.

Notes: “Unused creativity is not benign” comes from Brene Brown in an interview she did with Elizabeth Gilbert, as does the idea of it metastasizing.