Creativity Central Blog

No, not that kind.

Rather, I'm thinking about Joseph next door. He's a very precocious first grader who proudly displayed his new, wonderful, colored stone collection. After our appropriate oohs and aahs, he ordered us to close our eyes and put out our hands. Into each, he placed a beautiful dazzling red stone. To keep!

A year ago, another little girl, Megan, was showing us, with equal pride, her crystal collection which included some beautiful violet "gems." Just as with Joseph, her immediate response to our admiring comments was to—right then and there---give us one.

How can kids be so connected to what they love, and yet share with such spontaneity, never regretting their benevolence, never looking back to re-think their generosity, only eager to perform their random acts of Buddha-like non-clinginess? Maybe it's the innate creativity of children that allows—no, encourages---them to share, to let go, and to trust that there will always be more or different or extra.

In Chapter 2 of our book, Fanning the Creative Spirit, we offer several definitions of creativity. One says that creativity is "remembered, not learned." Later in Chapter 9, the last of the "Seven Practices of Inventivity," is "to let go and trust."

Thank God (most of the time) for kids to watch and learn from. Anyone who has a child in his or her life has an instant mentor, if only we take the time to remember. Cheers to Joseph's and Megan's uncorked creative spirits!