Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
There is something very good and rewarding about the creative act. The ability to make something, whether it’s something artistic or practical or intellectual, is deeply satisfying to us as human beings. At times, it can be easy to lose sight of that, particularly when it comes to things in the workplace or on the homefront. But I hope my letter might be a good reminder of the rewards in being creative.
The reason I’m thinking about it is due to what I got up to on my recent vacation. Rather than gallivanting through Europe or spending a week in the Poconos, I spent the week with my brother at our house. And since the weather was relatively good, I decided to work on an outside project, that is designed to fix an issue and make the backyard a more useable space. I’ve been making what’s known as a lean-to roof over a concrete patio.
I’m going to admit, it has been an ambitious project. I’ve learned a lot in doing research for it ahead of time. But I’ve continued to learn about things as I actually got into the midst of it; ledger boards, birdsmouths, purlins, etc. there’s a lot to figure out. I’m also going to admit, some mistakes were made along the way, but that’s part of the creative process, at least for me. And now that the structure has really taken shape and I’m down to the last bit of putting it all together, there’s a deep level of satisfaction in having gone through it all.
We often look at the idea of work and labor and the like as being burdensome or at times tedious. Sometimes it is, especially if our work is deeply repetitive or not very engaging of our intellect. And at times, the constancy of it all can make it feel a bit dull; just ask anyone who has to decide what’s for dinner on a daily basis. But while that all may be true and felt in certain moments acutely, there’s another aspect of that same reality to consider.
When we make dinner, when we work on a project for our job, when we make something or complete a task, we are sharing in the creative act. And I say sharing, because it is ultimately God Himself who is the Creator. In our very human nature, made in the image and likeness of God, there is something within us that yearns to make, to create, to be productive. And anything that comes from our labor; whether it contains beauty like a piece of art, or it speaks truth like a research paper, or it nourishes like a meal; all of it reflects God’s presence in our lives and reminds us of who we most truly are as human beings. And so, I hope that you have some kind of creative outlet in your life and that you know how you satisfying such things can be.
Peace and Goodness,
Fr. Dan
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