Courage

Creativity is not only a gift, but also a responsibility, says this writer, who talks about why she wants to tell her untold stories.

One of the top 5 entries for June’s muse of the month writing cue, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” (from Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings).

It’s been fifteen years now. In truth, it’s been many more than that since I took the wrong path. Or at least, it feels as though I did. I was dying day by day instead of living. No disease. No tragedy. And no rationalization for doing the same thing, over and over, and failing miserably, time after time, every time.

That’s not true!

It amounts to the same thing.

But bearing a hundred untold stories is worse!

Knowing you have the ability to tell them. To tell them in a way, that will make people smile. Make them laugh, cry, think and feel, in equal measure, to the deepest depths of their soul, and beyond.

You have the ability to light someone’s world, but without the confidence to unlock it. No hand, to plug the power cord into the wall. Begin that magical moment, at the start of a play, or a film, or a concert. Where people smile, and clap, and everyone looks in the same direction, with the same request on their lips.

Entertain me. I need you, more than I know.

Another thing they say is, crying is a weakness.

This too is false.

The weakness is in keeping what you feel, buried inside. It’s also impossible. Just like creativity, eventually it will find its way out. Creativity and emotion are two of the most powerful, and natural forces in the world. They can’t be contained.

When you try to, the ground cracks, and they pool on the surface, in patches, making a mess, and never really being noticed. When you release them yourself, deliberately, they erupt, 200 feet into the air.

Everyone stops. Everyone looks. Everyone is amazed.

I don’t know about emotion. But I do know, the key to releasing your creativity, is confidence. As far as achieving confidence, the answer is the same for everyone.

Never give up. Never lay down. When people give you reasons to stop, reasons to feel you’ll never achieve, never get anywhere, and you’re only wasting your time…

Congratulations. You’ve uncovered the barrier to your success, and the holes you might fall into.

These things are fuel, to the fire, that burns and lights your way, as well as destroying the bridges behind you, that might allow negativity to follow you.

You have, unlimited power to change the world. I know, because I have it too. We are brother and sister, even though we’ve never met.

You don’t owe it to yourself, to release you creativity. You owe it to me!

And to everyone else in the world, who needs to hear what you have to say.

Creativity is a gift. It doesn’t only mean you should be praised, for your ability. It also means, you have responsibility, to give your gift to the world. Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones, who can make a living, doing just that.

Maybe you’ll fail, and no one will want to read what you write, or paint, or say, or create.

But ask yourself this. In ten years time, do you want to look back and say,

“Remember that story I wrote, that everyone hated?”

Roll your eyes and smile, or shake your head, embarrassed by how little it achieved. And how those who wished they had the courage, to try the same thing, laughed at you, because they are cowards!

Or, would you prefer, in ten years time, to say to yourself,

“I should really write that story some day”

Then ten years later say,

“I should really write that story some day”

Then many year later, be too dead to say,

“I should have written that story, before it was too late.”

For 20 years I’ve been suppressing my creativity.

No more!

So far, I’ve written the first part of my story.

I’m not going to mention it here, unless I’m invited to. I’m going to share it with friends, and I’m willing to share it with you if you want it. But be honest! I don’t need your encouragement, I need your help!

Whatever happens, I did it!

I got it out of my head, and into a form other people can read, and hopefully enjoy. I have many, many more stories in there. I doubt I’ll have time to tell them all.

What I want most, is for you to do the same! Even only twenty words a day. If it’s in there, it will start flowing, more and more easily, every time you write!

Good luck!

Pic credit: Sigurdas (Used under a CC license)

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