TED Video: How frustrating can make you more creative.

Hi Marcus

That sounds about right.

Yes, creativity has bought me peace and purpose over the years.  It made sense to me to be creative, the self expression it bought to me :-)

Are you finding yourself more creative these days, or the desire to be more creative?

Sue

Hi Sue, 

Definitely, but not at first. My brain was completely messed up (still is), but having time off from work allowed me to relax, reset my stress levels low (?) and to discover who I am. My writing and photography have become far more creative and ruminative. As you can see, a lot black and white shots but before my stroke, I would only take color shots of the hills or surfing. Now, I see things that relate to stroke and heart attack. 

There are few positive things from both stroke and heart attacks, but empathy and creativity are one of them. 

Marcus

It's interesting - when I was in rehab and in an OT session I just got so excited if something creative was put in front of me. It was like the messiness of my brain at the time could just focus on the freedom creativity brought me.

I have to tell you Marcus, the first time my psychologist asked me if  I could draw something which I was thinking - I was in a really bad way and I drew a big ball of scribble. No words to say to her why I had drawn this - but she got it.  And now that big ball of scribble has been untangled, I continue to work at it to make sure it doesn't get tangled again. And that scribble ball was drawn about ten years ago, so still a long time after my stroke  and loss of baby Chelsea to meet the right person who I felt heard me. And thank goodness I found her and stuck with her!! 

With your photo's do you print some of them out and scrapbook/journal?  The black and white photos would make such a nice scrap book teamed with the right paper. 

Sue

Hi Sue, 

Those scribbles, you perfectly describe in the psychologist's room, are exactly what I was always trying to find a way to explain what was happening in my brain. No one could understand how strange and scared I was, not be able to communicate to my family and those scribbles were not connected to anything. Having lost your baby Chelsea must have been so hard, and those untangled thoughts would have been immensely distressing. You are an example of what people can be capable in the most difficult situations. I have three very good friends who have helped me through these up and downs.

All my thoughts, poems, writing, photographs are all in a 'book' held together with untangling rope. Maybe, I will 'publish' this to my family, Stroke Foundation, or .....  A very old friend for high school saw my black-and-white shots and told me I should share them. She has dealt with the black dog for many years. .... It might be a little dark for a coffee table!

What I took from that TED video is that rather than trying to prepare very little parts of my classes, I should let go and embrace the 'unplayable piano' and see how I survive in the classroom and how my students survive with an 'unplayable' teacher. 

Mess and creativity might help me deal with teaching. 

Marcus