Hey {{First Name | there}},

Creativity without love is…?

I can't finish it.

And that's exposing something — how uniformly I tend to attribute all good things to creativity, or creative energy, at least.

Because when love enters the picture, I am forced to ask: are love and creativity the same thing?

Very closely interwoven. But not the same thing.

Creativity is born out of love. The way my kids create artwork for me to show their love. Creativity is a demonstration of love, but it's not the origin of love.

Is all creativity born out of love?

Love without expression becomes a burden. Creativity is a channel to express love. A way to give it life and breath rather than staying contained in the chest.

Recently, creativity has felt like a fire hose.

Ideas and visions coming, almost fully formed. And I have taken these as signs. As direction. That it is my work to do. That I needed to carry it out.

And as delighted as these ideas and projects have made me, they have also made me feel responsible. Teetering on the edge of burdensome.

It’s made me feel like I needed to turn off my creativity. Stop the flow. Too many seedlings to tend to!

Love feels like the balancing force.

Telling me I can take care of myself. Only do what I can handle. That I can do the work without the overwhelm.

That if the work is really mine to do, I will be resourced.

And this reminder of love is so refreshing.

Like a sponge that's been wrung out, I want to plunge into unconditional love and soak it all in.

Creativity is vision, ideas, plans, strategy, the work. It's exciting and daunting and exposing in the best way.

And in contrast, love is patient, understanding, unhurried.

Creativity issues a call and without love, it feels like duty. With love, it feels like a gift.

Love says, there is no wrong choice. There is no essential work. Just being is enough.

It's hard to believe. Hard to practice.

Love says, the work is a gift, not a demand. It is a connector, not an expectation.

You can make any decision you want, take any path you want, and love will support you.

And when you ground in love, you can attune to it — gaining insight and clarity on what's in front of you.

With love as a compass, create freely and be blessed by the outcome.

Create a baby
Create a book
Create an illustration
Create a garden
Create a meal
Create a memory
Create a clean room
Create a picture wall
Create a painting
Create a song
Create a space
Create a response
Create a letter
Create a conversation
Create a note
Create a story
Create a pattern
Create a class
Create an experience
Create a journal
Create a possibility

This week is teaching me a lot about love.

There was a cosmic collision of love in my family. A new baby being born into our family — all the love for him that burst open like it's been there forever. And the passing of a loved one — all the love that poured out, built up over decades.

Experiencing it alongside someone with dementia was humbling. Time has become like an accordion. Pressing in on itself and expanding to a melody no one knows yet.

And what remains when all the time is squeezed out — when age, number of years married, time-since-parents-have-passed no longer function as a meaningful measure?

Love.

The felt sense of love, when the memories of the details of the relationships fade.

Love is what remains.

It's the tether. It's what grounds us.

Creativity without love is…?

Love is what creativity is for.

— Jennifer

Creative Current is the podcast I just launched with my friend and creative partner, Jess Schimm. We talk open-book style about our relationship with creativity and all it brings up in our lives. I love it so much. I trust you will too.

P.S. Want to encourage someone in your life whose taking creative risks? Share this email with them. It’s an encouragement to me, too!

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