Inside - Outside
What are we looking at? When I first saw this photo, it immediately made me think of my son. A thought that would probably have him asking, “What the heck are you talking about, Dad?” But that’s just how my mind works - my imagination is one of my best friends. When I take the time to go inside myself, what I see on the inside becomes so much more interesting.
This photo, for instance, reminds of “The Karate Kid!” Now, what do you see? It’s funny, in more ways than one, how a simple image can turn into a metaphor. What you’re looking at is a literal crane (yes, the mechanical kind), but to me, it instantly mimics the famous “crane kick” from the movie. My son was only four years old when “The Karate Kid” came out in 1984, but we watched it countless times. I can still picture him and his friends parading around the house, white socks tied around their heads, trying to be “the kid.”
Eckhart Tolle once said, “Be at least as interested on what goes on inside of you as what happens outside. If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.”
Of course, he’s right! My imagination has been the key that unlocks so many doors in my life. Creatively speaking, it’s overwhelming at times - but in the best possible way. There are moments when I think I should rein it in, and dial it back a notch. But then I remind myself, that creativity should flow freely.
As Mary Cook said, “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”
I don’t know exactly where this creative path is leading me, and I don’t have a final destination in mind. But I do know this; now, more than ever, I want to keep my imagination well-oiled and active. It’s my creative escape, and it can be yours too. Anyone willing to tap into what’s inside of them can gain a better perspective on what’s happening outside.
Kurt Vonnegut put it perfectly: “To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”
I’ve written good things and bad things. I’ve created art that makes me cringe and laugh. I’ve also made things I’m proud of, that I can’t believe came from me. Some of it is framed, and some of it probably shouldn’t be! But at the end of the day, I’ve created something, and that’s a lot more than nothing.
Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.”
So, spend more time inside of yourself. Nurture your imagination. The part of the world that lives outside of you is waiting for you to change it. Grow some guts, and let your creativity take you wherever it wants to go.
Talk soon…
G