Finding Peace Through CreativityESCAPE FROM REALITY
My brain has been overtaken by the Wizard of Oz. I am obsessed with making Land of Oz themed fall yard decor. It snuck up on me, and before I knew it I was deep in the creative process and ignoring all of the other things I need to do. Is this a bad thing or a good thing? It’s bad in the sense that my to-do list just keeps piling up with unfinished chores. However, it’s a good escape route from the fear I feel about what is happening in the world right now. Doing something creative has always been an escape for me. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t get lost in my imagination, working on a drawing or building something out of fabric, cardboard, paint, or anything else I could find to make my ideas come to life. It’s a problem solving process for me. I will start with an idea, in this case making a yellow brick road in my garden that leads to my scarecrow “Spike” (I made him from a garden rake several years ago). Then before I know it, ideas start filling my head and off I go into the Land of Oz. There are themes in the Wizard of Oz that speak to me, like following a path but not knowing what direction to go. I see myself in the characters, hoping to find some of the same wishes - a heart, a brain, courage, going home. When I was working on making Dorothy I tried to give her an expression that showed what I felt inside: dreamlike wonder, curiosity, sadness, but not fear. I didn’t want to go there because it was too real. EMBRACING REALITY I would rather be distracted by my creative ideas, but I can’t ignore what is going on in the Middle East. It brings up the same fear I felt when Ukraine was invaded. The horrors of war never seem to go away. I found myself trying to distance myself from reality by going to my other world, the one I discovered as a kid, the world of my imagination. I talked to a friend about this obsessive desire to escape from reality in times like this and she reminded me that creative energy is a connection to a higher power. For me that means opening my heart to a sense of trust in the world and letting of worry over all of the issues that I have no control over. It also means embracing all of my feelings through the creative process, especially my fear but also my sense of humor. Rather than feel bad about my desire to escape I am grateful that I have a way to find comfort and even a sense of peace. And, like I did in the past when war was looming, I can wish for others to find peace as well.
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Leslie Masona woman in search of her post-retirement future Guess what! By subscribing, you get notices about the latest Little Old Lady with Cats posts sent to your mailbox!
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