Every August long weekend my husband’s family gets together at their family plot of land. Every year the kids go nuts with their distant cousins and every year someone gets thrown off the hammock when the little ones decide to use it as a swing.
Every year someone takes on the job of making the kids a pinata. In years past we have had traditional pinatas, monsters, Wild Things, and one of my favorites was H1N1 which was a pig with a medical mask in honour of that year’s pandemic.
This year I decided to take on the task. Not really out of desire. I took it on because no one else had come forward yet and I guess I felt like it was my turn.
I come from a family of creative people. My Dad is a talented woodworker and a life long photographer. My mom is an accomplished seamstress and an inspired quilter. My brother is an animator with an impressive resume including many motion pictures. My brother spent his childhood with his nose in a sketch pad. So as you can imagine I was never labeled as the “artistic one.” In fact for years I was pretty sure that my brother filtered all the creative talent out of my share of the gene pool. My middle brother and I didn’t have a chance.
Until a few years ago the extent of my creativity was painting the walls of my house a different color. I took up painting with acrylics for a while. When I told a professional painter about my desire to try painting but my complete lack of talent he asked me when was the last time I painted. I told him likely when I was 8. His advice was this. “Why would you expect yourself to paint better than an 8 year old? Now go paint like an 8 year old.” At the time lots of friends were having babies so I painted some children’s paintings for them. It went well until I started wanting to paint more grown up stuff. I got frustrated and eventually stopped. Again I felt like I’m no good at this.
A kid’s pinata seemed like the perfect project. A temporary piece of art that will thrill the kids regardless of what it looks like. After all it is the candy they are looking for not the artistic merit of the delivery device. So the kids and I went on a hunt for inspiration.
For those of you that don’t know me well I have an irrational love of a witty green frog (see my previous article Life Lessons from a Frog). So my choice of pinata is not very surprising. My kids and I scavenged for ideas and materials. I procrastinated for days. But once the creating started I got totally into it. The process was oddly cathartic and restful. Although watching my creations get destroyed ruthlessly by sugar obsessed children with a bat was mildly disturbing, I am pleased with the results.
Human nature is creative. We are driven to create things, problem solve and expand our comfort zones. When we push ourselves we can feel uncomfortable but when it works out we get a strong sense of pride and accomplishment. It helps to stimulate our intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual sides all at the same time. That helps us feel integrated and whole rather than disjointed and incomplete. It helps us find balance within ourselves.
So here is my hope. I hope that everyone tries something creative today. Whether it be sculpting your mashed potatoes or painting a masterpiece, take the time to do something silly, creative and maybe even pointless. No one has to know or show it off with pride. Who cares? Just do it. You will feel better for it.