Freedom in Lent - Day 38
When I was very young, the things I made, the pictures I painted, the excited discoveries I made were celebrated by my family, my teachers, and those around me. Life was full of movement, singing, art, and dancing. As I got older, and went into Secondary School (the equivalent of middle/high school in England), there was less rejoicing in 'making' and more concern with 'learning' - though the arts were encouraged at this level of schooling, there was more instruction, more how to, and less of the joy of pure creativity.
I don't think I am alone in this experience - the pure joy and freedom of creativity is, by various means, often curtailed as we grow from childhood to adulthood. The arts take a second, third, fourth etc place to learning those things which will gain us a job, security, prestige, acceptance. Creativity becomes 'hobbies' or 'leisure' rather than essential to what it means to be human.
We are creative people, and expressing our creativity is good for us, for our mental and physical health, for our well-being, and in making our lives fuller and more meaningful. May we celebrate our creativity, and find freedom in learning to express ourselves in whatever ways fill our hearts and minds with health, hope, and happiness.
Then Moses said to the Israelites: See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; he has filled him with divine spirit, with skill, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every kind of work done by an artisan or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of artisan or skilled designer.
Exodus 35.30-35