I think I’ve mentioned my childhood a lot on this blog. I remember so many instances as a kid just finding ways to express my creativity. Being creative was a deep part of me that I always thought would disappear when I became and adult and often times I repressed as an adult. For so long we’re taught that creativity is a hobby meant to come and go as our life allows it and not an essential part of being an adult.
As a kid I remember sitting in front of the swamp cooler with my action figures as they tried to cross through the perilous winds. Sometimes they’d traverse the great tree filled with lights and large ornaments, although the protector of the tree was always nearby waiting to shoo away the intruders. The house was my characters world and everything could become a new adventure.
My world expanded when I began writing. Suddenly I wasn’t limited to what I saw in front of me. My characters could traverse any location, could fly with dragon or ship, and could come to live as a king or a millionaire. With writing also came a firm backdrop. My stories went from lasting as long as my game, to lasting as long as I kept the papers they were written on, which I still have today. Writing is what helped my creativity transfer to adulthood.
As an older kid I still played games sometimes, but I was mostly occupied with school activities and friends. I wasn’t ever the kid to be stuck in a good book while there was an activity going on that I could be a part of. I didn’t like missing out on things. This was a hit to my creativity because I developed an idea in my head that by being creative, (writing or reading) outside of assignments in school, I was taking away from my social life. Creativity turned from an outlet to a way to impress my friends who didn’t realize I like to write poems or paint.
As an adult writing was the only creative outlet I kept with me. It was the one thing I could continue to do without prying eyes asking what I’m working on, because I could always say it was something else. It’s weird to think of being embarrassed by creativity, but as a creative thinker it is embarrassing when you’re not especially talented at your creative outlet. Some people who love painting are bad painters but they paint for their heart, not the views. Some people are bad writers, but the have stories welling up inside that they need to put on paper.
Creativity is an essential part of life. Too often I’ve been told or heard someone being told that they should work on their craft before putting it out there, but I think that’s wrong. Art is emotion we’re trying to let out and it’s important to let it out. We may not become a best selling author, a movie star, or even a famous artist and that’s okay. What’s important is being able to express yourself as an adult for no reason at all. Creativity is essential to releasing the inner pressures of life.
Jacob Gittins 