And how readily we forget that the joy is mostly in the creation. My son, Israel, is a relentless maker. The recycling bin is never safe – he is constantly salvaging and reusing things I’d prefer not to be strewn everywhere (see what I mean about the trash-free thing?!) But the creative spirit is irrepressible in him, and he gets so excited about what he is preparing to make. One evening a few weeks ago, after a couple hours of furious work, he marched in our bedroom with a multi-level structure he made out of cardboard and tape. “It’s a zoo!” he exclaimed.
“Ooh,” I intoned. “Tell me about it!”
And he proceeded to explain where each animal went and how the whole thing functioned and the different habitats he created. There was pure joy in his eyes and I delighted in his creation.
And I’ve been thinking: What if our posture toward the beautifully arranged homes or fabulously inventive ideas we see on social media could be aspirational or deeply appreciative instead of shame-inducing? What if we could marvel at the talent of others instead of allowing them to illuminate our lack thereof in this or that arena? When we compare, we’re only hurting ourselves and inhibiting ourselves from flourishing. It’s poisonous. But when we take joy in the creating while cultivating our gifts and delighting – truly delighting with laughter, tears, awe and wonder – in the gifts of others, we find life.
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This article originally appeared at HelloDearest.org.
