Creative careers come in many guises. They definitely need not be confined to the fine arts, theatre, or any other of the traditionally accepted 'creative' careers. Far from it! A refreshing example of that came out of an experience I had today.
It was the 5 year anniversary of the death of my partner's beautiful son, Ben. I'd only met Ben twice, but through the many descriptions given by his father, I knew that Ben had been a gifted musician, a lover of life, highly sensitive to nature, a sea / dolphin / sand / sky person, a warmly loved and admired friend, brother, son and human being.
I wanted to find some simple flowers to commemorate this poignant anniversary, but I didn't want dull, traditional fare. I wanted something simple, evocative of joy, creativity, of life ever after.
Stopping at the tiny florist's in the local mall, I glanced at the flowers on show. Lilies. Orchids. Roses. More lilies. Nothing youthful. Nothing that 'felt' right. Suddenly I spotted some softly rounded, warm toned reddish-orange berries lying ripely on the counter. The berries were bursting with life and colour. They were exactly right.
As it happened, these berries were not strictly for sale, but the young girl serving was flexible and responsive to my needs. She decided to break up the bunch to fulfil my wishes. After selecting three berry-laden stems, I realised I needed just a little something else to compliment them. But what?
The florist thought for a moment, then selected two dramatic, dark, maroon-coloured leaves. She showed me how she could double one leaf over, and point the other upwards asymmetrically with flare. The result was striking...but somehow funerary...sad. Even depressing. Amazing how such a strong mood could be conjured up from the twist of two simple leaves!
Thinking I probably sounded like an idiot, I explained that the flowers now appeared sad, even tragic. I wanted some greenery that was gentler, softer, giving the effect of a celebration of a life, rather than loss.
The florist looked at me thoughtfully.
She disappeared, then reappeared some minutes later with a few stems of an unusual, velvety plant. Taking the bunched berries, she gently framed them with a few of the silvery sprigs. The transformation was extraordinary! Suddenly the berries sprang to life in a way that spoke of joy, warmth, love. The sensitive young florist had completely "got" the mood I was trying to express.
As she wrapped the flowers, I asked her about her work. "I've always been creative," she said. "At school, I did two days' work experience with a florist, and discovered I loved it. Now I'm studying floristry at TAFE college. I'm in my second year of a 3 year course. "
Did she enjoy it, though?
"I love it!" she exclaimed. " I knew I could never work in an office. I wanted to do something creative with my life, but I didn't want to go the traditional route. Now I can totally express myself...and make a living with what I do."
Amen to that!
Here's to a creative you!
Margot Wiburd
p.s. The following quote is a favourite of mine:
What would become of our souls
if they lacked the bread
of earthly reality to nourish them,
the wine of created beauty
to intoxicate them,
the discipline of human struggle
to make them strong?
- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
No comments:
Post a Comment