One of the unspoken goals of our parenting was to bring our children up knowing that they had the freedom to be creative. It has been fulfilling to see them both pursue creative careers, and to be enjoying the creative processes of which they have been a part in college. One is well on her way to becoming an actor (Ashlyn is a senior at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Nebraska). The other is well on his way to using his musical ability in some way, shape, or form (Ben is a sophomore at Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee).
Ashlyn is currently working on a modern adaptation of the play Iphigenia. Ben is currently working on a 5 song EP that ought to be available a little bit later this fall.
One of the truly gratifying things is that they are both actively involved in their churches in their respective cities. They have given their creative gifts to their local church families. Creativity and Christianity do, indeed, mix.
In fact, Ben blew me away last night with the blog that he wrote about bringing creativity even into “hanging out” time with friends. You can read it here.
In two weeks we get to see Iphigenia. At the beginning of December we get to attend “Christmas at Belmont” where Ben will be participating as a member of the Belmont Chorale.
With creative kids, there’s always something on the horizon to look forward to. I can’t wait to see what 2011 brings.
How do you encourage creativity in your kids? Where do you go to find inspiration in your own life?
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