Before there were lock-downs and masks and social distancing and experiences with “closed” signs on ‘em, I lived a different set of personal and professional habits.
Well... it depends on where I think my creativity comes from. Because for sure I don’t believe it’ll always be at its peak if I don’t exercise it.
If I don’t maintain and nourish it.
To some degree, I rely on my experiences as part of that exercise regimen. I observe. I soak in the moment. I feel it.
Many of those experiences are no longer available to me.
No. Not really. Because, well, I’m an introvert. I spend an awful lot of time in my own head to re-energize myself. So the lack of crowds isn’t necessarily a problem for me even as I feel the loss of hanging out with friends and enjoying every moment. Even as I feel the loss of event experiences.
Still, the current story in which I find myself affords more opportunity for active thinking, introspection, daydreaming, and pondering the What Ifs of life.
It also affords me time to look. Time to see. The time it takes to be aware of the striking images that pass before my eyes on a daily basis.
To not be so busy and consumed with doing that I literally become blind to the sights and sounds that legitimately add color and flavor to our days.
For example, getting out of bed this morning and looking out the window BAM.
You see I wasn’t in a hurry to get out the door so I actually had the time to soak in the image and let it impress me.
Then later in the day there was something about the light that I liked... so I soaked that in, too.
Of course it isn’t the Me show, 24/7. Which brings me to the fact that my wife ‘n I over the last year have taken the time... to take the time... to walk every day (ish). To see what there is to see and experience what there is to experience and talk to the occasional stranger at a distance every so often.
Before there were lock-downs and masks and social distancing and experiences with “closed” signs on ‘em, I lived a different set of personal and professional habits.
And the biggest difference between then and now is that it’s a bit more introspective, a bit more thoughtful, a bit more considered in sight and sound and experience.
Even if it is on a much smaller scale.
There’s a lot to see and do and think about down here.