- 84 + 1 & 1/2 = Creativity
- A Life Without Purpose 2.0
- Announcements
"The artist...has to look at everything as though he were seeing it for the first time; he has to look at life as he did when he was a child and if he loses that faculty, he cannot express himself in an original, that is, a personal way."
Henri Matisse wrote these words when he was 84 years old in 1953. My grandson Baylor never met Matisse because he just turned 1 and 1/2 this week. But they speak the same language. Well, not exactly, but they are each saying the same thing in different ways. Let me explain.
It was just Baylor and me for a few hours last week. We walked up and down the block, stopping to pick up stones, sticks, whatever caught his fancy. Then we got down and dirty on the floor of his living room, reading books, crashing trucks, throwing balls. We chowed down together, slinging food like we were at a frat party.
And then the playing started.
First, the crayons came out of the box. I was excited to see how Baylor would use them to make markings on the blank sheets of paper. The first crayon went in his ear along with a big grin. The same crayon then made its way into my ear with an even bigger grin. Baylor was quite pleased that I grinned back. The crayon never met the blank sheet of paper.
Then came the big wooden spoon from out of a bowl of toy fruits and vegetables. I was eager to see what Baylor would cook up. He took a plastic orange in one hand, being sure to show me--like a magician setting up his audience--the spoon in the other hand. Then he pressed the keyboard button with the orange to play a reggae tune. The spoon and orange became percussion instruments as he jived to the rhythm of Bob Marley.
I realized Baylor had a very different notion from me about what these toys were for. My expectations logically grew out of my conditioned grown up mind. He, on the other hand, was not constrained by my grown-upness.
By the time I left, the house was a mess. As I drove home I began to wonder if everything strewn on the floor really was a mess after all. Or perhaps it was the raw material of creativity. Maybe Baylor was more Matissean than his artsy grandfather.
And then I began to wonder how my wife would feel if her husband made a creativity at home.
Instead, I finished this painting of Baylor.
Sketch Baylor at One Year
A Life Without Purpose 2.0
In my last bloutcher I wrote about a woman who expressed feelings of inadequacy because she had not found a singular purpose in life. She had lots of interests and pursued them and this made her happy because she felt she was learning. Nonetheless in a culture that emphasizes the importance of living a life of purpose she felt somehow lacking. I offered that the great German artist Kathe Kollwitz suggested an alternative view. "No longer diverted by emotion, I work like a cow grazes," she wrote. Variety versus singularity can also be worthy.
Well, I cannot tell you how strong a response this bloutcher entry received. So many folks out there do not, in fact, have a singular purpose. They identify with the "grazers." And they expressed gratitude that someone acknowledged that such a way of living is just as creative and engaging as one based upon the dedication to a single passion or purpose.
As just one example Mary Anne Haley wrote from Minnesota: "Thank you for the Life Without Purpose article! I certainly related to the article AND felt a sense of freedom after reading it. I too am a person who loves to know a little about a lot and I love my curiosity! With this article I felt an even more "all rightness" with how I do my life."
So I think I touched a cord. At the same time I do not mean to diminish the value and importance of living a life of purpose. There is some terrific work being done in this area. One of my favorite writers and thinkers in this area is Richard Leider who has been inspired by the remarkable work of Viktor Frankl. Check out his recently re-issued and updated The Power of Purpose. Another author to look at is Gregg Levoy who tunes into the sometimes hidden and mysterious ways we are called to do something. His book is Callings.
Of course I ultimately believe we each need to honor each others' very individual and personal journey whether it is one of grazing, singular purpose or "other."
Announcements:
- Please tune in to Careerwell radio program on April 14, 1 pm eastern. I will be interviewed by Elizabeth Craig, MBA, MCDP, and Dr. Sally Gelardin.
- If you expect to be in Toronto at the beginning of June check out the Silver Screen Film Festival at Ryerson University. The festival showcases the continued and expanded creativity of adults 50+ through theatre, art, and creative works. I will be keynoting the Festival on the evening of June 6th. Here's a look at last year's program. More details to follow.
- For coaches or those interested in coaching in the New York City area, I will be doing an evening program for the ICF New York City chapter on June 15th. Stand by for more info.
