Slow Creativity

Have you ever tried slow creativity? We live in world where everything is fast. It’s so easy to take less than two seconds and Google just about anything you want. If you want to do research for a paper, an article, a book, or, yes, even a sermon, just let your fingers do the walking and access the mountains of information on the internet. You’ll be certain to find what you want.

But you may not find what you really need.

Sometimes creativity has to be slow. That’s what I’ve discovered every Monday or Tuesday evening. Since I’m, um, busy on Sunday mornings, I have to tape CBS Sunday Morning every week. You can be assured that I do. In fact, it’s so important to me that I have made sure that it’s taped automatically every single week.

Most every Monday or Tuesday evening my wife, Tammy, and I watch CBS Sunday Morning as we eat dinner. We are both fascinated. Almost every week there is a story that moves us to tears. With every episode we most certainly learn something new. This past summer we even visited the new Whitney Museum in New York City because we had seen a story about it on CBS Sunday Morning.

What I like about CBS Sunday Morning is that I get to see stories about things I would have never seen or heard before. Not only that, but the depth of the stories is deeper than something I might read in three-and-a-half minutes in a blog post or on an internet site. I get to see it with my eyes. Sometimes I even get to hear music with my ears.

One of my favorite bands in my formative years was the Eagles. I still love them to this day. I covet an opportunity to see them live if and when they ever tour again. I never have. But I got to see this video that brought me up to date with Don Henley, a member of the super group, and what the fascinating things he’s up to these days.

“I have things inside of me I need to get out,” says Henley. Sounds like the heart of a creative to me. In this story he reminds me that a creative has to create. And that was inspiration to me.

This is just one small example of the stories that I cherish every single week. Note that the story about Henley was almost nine minutes long. It takes time to tell stories. And it often takes time to absorb them.

CBS Sunday Morning is my weekly dose of creative fuel. In that one program I get to see, hear, touch, and feel things that I would never run across in my daily life the rest of the week.

So here’s some encouragement to set aside regular, significant time to absorb some art. It’s guaranteed to inspire you and help you create your own.

What kind of “slow creativity” do you practice?

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2 thoughts on “Slow Creativity

  1. I find, allowing time for issues, which interest me to marinate in my mind, sometimes, for days, sometime for hours. Invariably the subconscious will kick in to clarify a muddled mind.

    I have used this approach often as I am in marketing and find it to be very effective.

    Ephesians 2:10 works well. We are God’s workmanship. He has given us many gifts and has many jobs for us to do. Let Him do the thinking for you. I may think I am the solver of the muddled mind; however, we know better.

    I am going to reread you information again, as wisdom comes from many sources and you certainly are a good source of discernment and wisdom.

    I need all the help I can get.

    Thank you.