The bitter and the sweet of creativity is the all of it. It is neither bitter nor sweet, it is both together rolled up in one ball of essence. And that essence is us.
Creativity is hard to start, then it becomes a compulsion.
It is self-judgment, and then it is liberation.
It is messy and rough, then it becomes smooth and elegant.
It is confusion and clarity, linear and circular, uncertainty and resolve.
Creativity is like that subtle grating feeling that something is not quite right. We resist it at first, and then we turn our attention towards it. The more we focus, the more the internal grating feeling binds us up with frustration and unease. Then we break through, we see clearly and effortlessly. Our sails fill with wind and we are underway at the speed of our desire.
Creativity is our willingness to change, and to embrace the discontinuity that exists in our world and search for the answers that brings comfort and beauty to a previously barren landscape. Our creative expression defines our willingness to face into the uncomfortability and discord for the sake of some greater good.
It means we become willing to trust ourselves—wholly.
It means we commit to listening to that little voice inside, embracing the internal grating feeling, to walk out onto the ledge of uncertainty and give ourselves to the wind.
Creativity is both bitter and sweet, fruitless and fruitful, hard and easy, dark and light, flat and round, shallow and deep. It happens the moment we give way to the feeling, by transcending the belittling mind voice, the doubting Thomas, and the insecure part of ourselves that says we must stick to a proven path.
It is trust.
It is beauty.
It is love.
