House Guest Wisdom

Ever since Aaron and I moved into our very first home, it has seemed to have a revolving door. People come and go, stay for a day or stay for a week (or two), hang out over a coffee, and learn to treat our refrigerator like their own. (Anything you find in it is yours, but beware old Tupperware with unidentifiable contents!)

Anyway, we love having people over. And though it often seems like our guests are on the receiving end of the bargain, we don't feel this is the case at all. We get as much from them as they do from us. Particularly in the way of great conversation. We LOVE to talk, and we have so much fun staying up late with people from all over the US and Canada (and soon from Liberia!) chatting the night away.

One such conversation has really stuck with me...

This morning we said goodbye to a wonderful couple who had crashed in our basement for a few days. As we were having breakfast together we were talking about art and creativity, especially about the absolute need creative people have to be creative. Our friend told us something he had heard from a person he respected: "Creative people must have an outlet for their creativity or it will become destructivity."

Destructivity. The concept really struck a chord with me. And since I've often found that truth resonates deep in my soul long before my mind accepts it, I've been mulling over the idea of destructivity all day. I've decided that it is definitely true for me. If I'm not creating, if I'm not channeling all this energy that I have into something that is purposeful and lovely, I very quickly become someone that I would rather not be.

I haven't been writing much lately and it's killing me. I've been snarly and short, tripped up by little things that should be easily dismissed, and feeling unfulfilled in different areas of my life. I need to start carving out time in my busy schedule so I can put that creativity in me to good use. Summer has been too... summery. Lazy, fun-filled, littered with vacations... I'm ready for fall. And I've decided that no matter what the season, as much as I need to spend time with God, I also need to spend time doing what he created me to do.

I guess now that my house guests are gone, it's time to put their wisdom to use.