We all have a spark of creativity.
By Tim Mitchell, Fund Development Coordinator, Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E.
We all have a spark of creativity. We were born with it. Yes, there are some minds that appear to be more creative than others, however, none of us are exempt from this innate characteristic. Yet, creativity is often stifled by the daily routine of life. Work and family demands become the primary focus, leaving our creative side on the back burner.
Nevertheless, some level of creativity remains in every person throughout the entirety of life. In fact, creativity has no demographic boundaries and, thankfully, can be renewed at any age. Interestingly, the “golden years,” a time when life is not as hectic, often re-opens the door of creativity allowing many to discover or use dormant creative talents. Examples of this are plentiful.
One individual perfectly portrays this scenario.
Growing up, she repeatedly moved from place to place with her parents and siblings. With a desire to help her struggling family, she decided to become a teacher. However, after only a few short years, she gave up that profession when she married, to help her husband on the farm.
Her adult life became especially difficult, scarred by numerous tragedies including the death of her infant son, her husband being partially paralyzed, the destruction of their barn along with its hay and grain in a mysterious fire, and the total loss of their home from a fire accidentally set by her daughter. This led to severe debt and financial hardship. Later in life she began chronicling her memoir about her childhood, only to be rejected by publisher after publisher. Not to be deterred, she continued to improve her manuscript as the years continued. It wasn’t until the age of 65, that she was able to convince a publisher to take a chance on her writings.
Her first book was published, with several others following, the last of her works being published at the age of 76. There was even a long-running television program based on her writing. You will know her as Laura Ingalls Wilder and the name of the TV series, Little House on the Prairie.
There are countless others who found a creative expression later in life.
Gladys Burrill, for example, ran her first marathon when she was 86 and became very well-known after completing the Honolulu Marathon at the age of 92, gaining herself a place in the Guinness World Records.
Peter Mark Roget, in retirement, enjoyed making lists and began creating a catalog of words organized by their meaning. At the age of 69 he began preparing his work for publishing, and at 73 he published, Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. He continued making revisions to his work until his death at age 90. There are countless students and writers who are thankful for Dr. Roget’s creative thinking.
At the age of 67, Anna Mary Robertson, devoted herself to painting themes of rural and agricultural life in America. When she was 78 an art collector discovered her and she eventually became known as “Grandma Moses.” Her book, My Life’s History, was published when she was 92.
This list of outstanding examples could go on and on
Countless people have illustrated their creative side in demonstrative ways. The good news is that creativity knows no age and one does not have to become a well-known author or artist to benefit from the fulfillment found in releasing their creative side. So where will creativity lead you? Is there a book inside you wanting to break out? Do you feel drawn to expressing yourself through painting or some other artistic form? Maybe it’s woodworking or metal sculpting or classic car restoration. It could be pottery, gardening or decorating. There is no limitation on creativity.
At Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. participants are encouraged to express their creative side. As a result, one participant will soon be publishing hundreds of poems she has written, another has recently published a book about his life story, and a third individual has published a collection of writings. Others express themselves through artistic painting, beautifully completed adult coloring books, craft projects and crocheting. One individual has even created an art out of shoe shining. The possibilities abound and are definitely encouraged. In fact, we feel so strongly about this component of life that we have multiple certified Recreational Therapists at each of our locations to help participants rediscover their creative side.
Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. understands that creativity should never stop and we encourage all our participants to explore the possibilities.
To learn more about these creative opportunities and other services provided by Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E., please contact us at 269-441-9319.
