Creative Thought

Where does creative thought come from? Does it come from your brain? I guess before we take on that elephant we should look at thoughts themselves, whether they are creative ones or not. Think about it, have you ever sat in your comfy chair without any brain activity whatsoever? I’m sure you were thinking about something. Even now, I am forcing you to have a thought, sort of.

Our brains are always having thoughts, even when we are sleeping we have dreams. Sometimes I can’t shut my brain off when I lay down for a night of slumber. My mind and body desperately needs rest after an entire day of thinking thoughts all day. But for some reason thoughts continue to bombard my brain. Can you imagine? If you never did anything physical at all for a day and all you did was think thoughts. That would be somewhat tiring. But when you add the physical activities like exercise, work, driving, carrying your baby around all day, that just compounds our exhaustion.

So, if our normal daily thoughts come from our brain, where do the creative ones come from? The same place as our normal thoughts do? I can agree with that, for a moment. Anything creative begins with a seed of an idea that pops into your brain. But from there, it is your choice what happens to that thought. Do you toss it in the trash can in the corner of your mind? Or, do you feed and water it until it becomes something beautiful?

More often we do the former without even thinking about it, no pun intended. We just don’t realize what it is we are throwing aside and deleting from our memory banks. Granted, most thoughts are just random silly things you come across in your daily life. But some of them deserve more attention. Those thoughts are the ones we need to love and care for as if they were one of our children. After all you did just give birth to them.

How do we know which thoughts to save and nurture and which ones to toss out like yesterday’s trash? I think the ones that make you giggle. Just kidding, but I’m not really, sort of. Thoughts that make you laugh or cry or make you feel something are the thoughts you are connected to. A thought I just had was the weather sure is lovely today. Even though that is a nice thought I probably will not cherish it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll probably revisit that thought throughout the day but it will end when the day does. The thoughts I will store in my heart are ones that my heart feels is worthy of sharing time with. For me these thoughts turn into words for a story of some kind or a blog posting such as this one. Your thoughts could be used in any way you seem fit. The possibilities are endless.

Boundaries are only placed on your creative thoughts when you decide to place them. Nobody else controls that unless you allow them to. Sure someone may try to shoot your precious idea in the head. But you choose whether or not to protect it from harm. Don’t let your negative thoughts or criticism from others beat up your creativity. Instead use it to your benefit and learn how to make it grow into something useful to share with others.

Run, Run, Runaway…PLEASE!!

WARNING: if you are an avid runner, you may not want to read this because I will offend you. I don’t want you to get dirt on the toes of your fancy new running shoes that you just posted on Facebook. If you are not a runner, like myself, then feel free to continue on, you might get a chuckle.

Exercise is a wonderful thing and is a necessary ingredient to maintain good health. But when you do it constantly and make sure to tell me about it every time, you make me want to delete your post. I understand you are proud of yourself that you got up and moved your ass until your clothes became drenched with sweat. If you are into wet clothes, that’s great too, jump in a pool. But I really can go a day without being notified. Keep it to yourself, that extra personal boost of confidence will help you more in the long run, no pun intended.

When I exercise, I prefer more fun ways than feeling like you are being chased. After increasing my heart rate for an extended period of time, the last beverage I want to consume is a beer, let alone a heavy, unfiltered craft beer. Don’t get me wrong, craft beer is my favorite alcoholic beverage one can partake of. But after a nice bike ride, I’m all sweaty and breathing heavy due my recent exertion. The furthest idea from my brain is, ‘Hey, let’s join a hundred other people who are sweaty too at a place of business where people are not exercising, but rather just relaxing with friend over a beer.’ My mind and body cry out for WATER and then eventually a somewhat cool shower.

My voice is probably just a faint little noise in this universe and nothing will change the drive of runners and the clubs who take over a brewery on a given evening during the week. For the record, I am not against running and I consider myself a people person. Sharing time with my close friends and making new friends are a great part my life. Sometimes I like to consume a couple beers while spending such time. If you want to share your time with your friends while running, then I applaud you. But you will never find me riding on your back with a frosty beer in my hand.

Another thing I struggle to understand is the need to run so far and so often. The daily routine and workout is important to you, I get it. But you are already as skinny as a rail. You have spent your whole life running. I agree, you want to maintain your skeleton-like figure but it is really alright if you miss a day and eat a cheeseburger every once in a while. What are you trying to attain by running your guts out? Does it help you think you are not fat? Are you simply addicted to the high? 

I heard you got some brand new running shoes that are so bright they glow in the dark. Yes, you are just trying to be safe out on the streets. But you never run at night and they are so damn ugly. Is the ugliness factor a built in safety device? When oncoming cars see you in your bright ugly shoes, do they stay away because of your bad taste? Also, could you buy shorts that don’t show your private parts flopping around? I realize they help in your leg running freedom. But nobody needs to see that.

To sum all this up, good for you who like to run. But is there a way you could do it quietly? Stop with the incessant chatter about it. I’m not constantly telling you about the times when I’m at home sitting on my ass. Nor do I constantly tell you when I’m about to sit down to a nice meal that does not consist of a dressing-less salad and a protein shake. No, I usually keep that to myself and go about my day. So, have fun on your run, I’m headed to eat some Mexican food. Doesn’t that sound good?

Today

Today I decided to eat lunch at a certain well known buffet restaurant. Normally I don’t condone buffets because they are usually the worst quality of food next to cheap fast food. Since I had a hankering I figured this once wouldn’t hurt. Looking back I realized I wouldn’t be sharing this with you if I had not pursued to quench the craving my hungry stomach called out for. Looking forward I am amazed sometimes what runs through my mind while I’m just sitting in a restaurant booth consuming some low quality food material.

As I’m partaking of today’s lunch an elderly couple walked in and sat in the booth across from mine. Normally this wouldn’t have caught my eye and I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. The elderly man in this couple was a little different. This man was really tall and walked very slowly with his head tilted extremely down to his right side. He never lifted his head due to his neck being in a frozen like state.

I began to feel bad for this older gentleman as he struggled to do anything. While his wife went to the buffet to fill her plate he stayed standing at the table. I couldn’t help myself to continue to look over there as he dug into the backpack his wife carried in for him. What was he looking for? I had no idea. Eventually, after a few minutes, a roll of paper towels emerged and he laid out a couple pieces on the table in front of him. Of course my brain didn’t understand why he needed paper towels from home when there are plenty of napkins provided.

When his wife returned with her plate of food he mumbled something to her and she responded with, ‘It’s in the other pocket. Did you look in there?’ He then unzipped the other pocket to look for this mysterious item. I still don’t know what it was because I was trying to mind my own business and went to get my own plate of food. Upon returning to my table he was preparing to go to the buffet himself.

Now, you may want to know what the mysterious item he looked for was. Part of me did too, but that is not what the lesson or topic of discussion for today. After feeling bad for him for a little while I looked at his wife while she sat at the table alone. She did not look happy at all. She seemed very tired and worn out from her long life. How long has she had to take care of the man she loves? Whether it has been a few years or most of their married life, she has done it and probably has not complained at all. This is her life, she has learned to accept it and continue on. 

Continuing on? Why do we do it? What is it about today that makes us want to jump out of bed and take on what the day has in store? Sometimes the day holds blessings and wonderment. Other days, they hold a fist to punch you in the face and sometimes repeatedly until you just give up. Lately I have felt more of the latter and very few of the former. Some days I feel like I’m constantly ducking from the flying fists. Yet, society tells me I need to keep smiling.

Well sir, that’s just a negative attitude you have there. You should think more positive and those bad things in your life will change. Do you really believe that? If you just think positively, good things will happen to you and your days will be filled with sunshine and prizes. To me that is just not reality. Reality is filled with rainy days and losers. That’s what we are forced to live with sometimes. For every winner there are many losers who tried, like the winner, but wasn’t at the right place at the right time with the right attitude.

Now, back to our elderly couple you read about a couple paragraphs ago. I can understand the wife’s position because she has chosen to live this life with her husband due to love. Only love can take away anything negative in that scenario. If she really didn’t love him, technically she could just up and leave at any moment. But love keeps her in the seat across him and his crooked neck. For better or worse, right?

If I were the elderly man with a neck like that and slow motor skills, my patience level would be as minimal as the measurements allow. However, his patience level must be off the charts. He has learned to take his time with every movement, partly because he was forced to. But the other part, I believe, comes from his natural make up. People are given what the can handle and live with. If the elderly man had my patience level it wouldn’t work and vice versa.

We are made for different reasons in life. Some are meant to be movie stars and models, police men and grocery clerks. The adventure of life is to grow in character while figuring out not what this life has for you but what you have for this life. What is it that makes you, you? I know what makes me, me is totally different than what makes you, you. There are no two people on this planet who are exactly alike. Let that thought soak you for a moment. 

You were put here for a reason and so am I. We were put here together to coexist and learn from one another in order to build our character. When you are losing on a rainy day there is more to be gained than what is staring at you in the face. You have the chance to learn and grow or to ignore and die. Every new day gives you the opportunity of choice. What will you choose?