Tag: creativity

Writing for Savoring

Karen Lamb, British author, illustrator & animator

I don’t know about you, but writing wasn’t my favorite subject in my first 12 years of education. My favorite was reading, later called Literature. I spent many happy hours selecting books from bookshelves of the local public library. I savored books. I still read all the time. And I found out how to savor writing. As a young adult I wrote a dissertation and journal articles. Currently I write books, a weekly blog, and I opened to the compact writing of poetry.

The National Day on Writing is celebrated October 20. The annual event (since 2009) was birthed by the National Council of Teachers in English. One goal of the teachers is to highlight the incredible variety of writing – including old fashioned pen-to-paper journal writing alongside emails, texts, and other social media blurbs. A recent emphasis asks students to share #WhyIWrite.

The New York Times has a column, “The Good List,” by Melissa Kirsch. She wrote about a retired elementary school teacher, David Millstone, who shared with her his genius writing habit he created for his students. At the end of each school day, his class was asked to give a name for that day. Millstone wrote his students’ responses on the board. But here is the twist that added to class collective creativity: the students learned democracy by voting on which “name” best captured each day. Sometimes one response grabbed everyone in some way. On the last day of school Millstone gave each student a written copy of all the voted names from their school year, along with their report card. Amassing 175 names for each school day in one year took on a life of its own. Millstone still remembers one day from 40 years ago: “The Day Gretchen Found a Crumb on Her Desk.”

In case you do not have a classroom filled with creatives, here is a substitute: Millstone and his wife began giving “names” to each day of their shared vacations. They compared notes. His wife kept a photo album (remember those?) and included their captions with trip photos.

I am a fan of pictographs carved on rocks. Sometimes referred to as “rock art,” I prefer to see these crude drawings as writing tablets to tell the world, “I was here.” Perhaps that is the reason why all writers write. If something occurs to you in a particular way, why not share it with others? Some will resonate with your writing. Others will dismiss your words. But in the end, you have left your mark: “I was here and these were my thoughts today.”

Write on this National Day on Writing. Perhaps tell a complete story in only 6 words…perhaps create 3-line Haiku poems…perhaps write and send a letter to a special person in your life. As author Karen Lamb suggests, “A year from now you will wish you had started today.”

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

542. What is your early memory of writing in school?

543. How do you use writing today?               

Personality “Weeds”

My definition of a “weed” is a plant in the wrong place. Ralph Waldo Emerson was more philosophical: “What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.” As I pulled mighty weeds in my side yard with some that had fluff-ball heads getting ready to explode their seed, I wondered where they came from, as no other part of my garden had this pest. Then I peeked through the fence where a host of the rascal plants were blooming undeterred in my neighbor’s yard.

Perhaps the neighbor was a fan of Carey Salerno’s poem, The Weeds (Accidentally on Purpose): “I watched the first weeds burgeon and decided this was the summer /  I wouldn’t stop them, every inch of crabgrass, every foot higher /  the woody stem of nightshade… /   When faced with all that overgrowth, doesn’t some large part of you want to /  watch it manifest more, just a little bit, to see how wild things really /  can get… /  if I can get myself to see it that way, to let myself feel what it’s /  like to let anticipations go, to learn to revel in what might seem more like /  mess but could just be learning….”

Or, perhaps the neighbor had read Jake Eagle’s and Michael Amster’s book, The Power of Awe: Overcome Burnout & Anxiety, Ease Chronic Pain, Find Clarity & Purpose – in Less than 1 Minute Per Day, where almost any topic might become awe-inspiring! Mindfulness author Amster finds the practice of tuning into weed awe instructive for teaching resilience to flourish in difficult conditions:

“Weeds are remarkable teachers. They grow in places where nothing else seems able to survive. They push through cracks in sidewalks, emerge from gravel, and thrive in harsh conditions with little water or care. Their resilience is extraordinary…some had delicate purple blossoms. Others displayed geometric patterns more beautiful than many cultivated plants…the only reason we call them ‘weeds’ is because they are growing where we don’t want them. How often do we do the same with people, things, experiences, or parts of ourselves?”

Yes, we do misinterpret “weedy” parts of our personalities on a regular basis. Do you have some part of your personality that seems like “taking-up-too-much space” might apply?

Let’s apply an awe exercise to ourselves: Turn on your imagination. Notice some part of you that seems bothersome. Imagine this part of your personality having color, shape, texture. Ask yourself when this part first showed up — perhaps in some momentous time. Consider the part’s tough resilience to flourish in difficult situations. Thank this hard-working part of yourself, likely trying to protect you from some real or perceived danger. Awe often hides in ordinary days.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

510. Is there a part of your personality that you regularly cast aside as “weed?”

511. What might shift in your mind’s eye if you took time to investigate how that part of you filled a purpose, likely years ago?   

Grandma Pearls

I have entered Grandma territory! And what wonderful territory it is!  We need more positive people-to-people connections in these challenging times. There is nothing like welcoming a new baby to bring smiles from absolutely everyone! Strangers — who might ignore you any other day — want to send good wishes to the babe. No one cares who you voted for. No one wants to talk about their views on wars, just “What’s Baby’s name?”  

Grandma is a term of endearment. Early versions were Grandam (grand + dame) or Great Mother. Growth of a simple Great Mother idea was initiated by Mike Mathews in 2012 in Central Park. Mathews honored his Grandma, Eileen Wilkinson, by setting up a makeshift stand (painted purple, his 104-year-old Grandmother’s favorite color). He named his invention “Grandma Stand.” The wisdom of sage women, and perhaps the spontaneous decision of a passerby to have a listening ear at just the right time in their week, makes a compelling connection for strangers. An accompanying sign asks one question: “What’s something you’re working on?” or “What stands between you and happiness?” or “What’s a conflict you have right now?” or “Who doesn’t know how much they’ve impacted your life”?  or “Who’s someone you wish was still around?” or “What’s a relationship I need to fix or let go?”

Grandma Susan has gentle grace in her empathy response to a young woman who had moved to NYC from out of state. A box of Kleenex appears on the stand when tears surface: “…Most people fear change…it is normal to go into a kind of grieving with change…but what are we going to do about it?…talking is very valuable …we write our narrative. We create in our minds a story…sometimes that is constructive; sometimes it is destructive.” 

Mathews has 20 grandmothers who volunteer at Grandma Stand in NYC and the concept spread to at least 6 more states (and 20 other locations). Perhaps it is as important for the Grands as it is for the diverse passer-by clientele. Grandma Kathy espouses, “You can’t stop me from doing this. It’s the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done.” A satisfied “customer” told filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz, “Just a little love, a little talking. She’s speaking to my soul and my essence.” Another told his listening Grandmother that he told her things that he had never told anyone else.

Schutz made a documentary showcasing 20 individuals, ages 10-81, talking at Grandma Stand. Even these brief encounters can kindle hope, and perhaps ongoing awareness, for those who take a few minutes to stop by. https://www.kpbs.org/news/2026/05/07/grandma-stand

Babies and Grandmothers can bring about unlimited friendliness. Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön writes about unlimited friendliness in her book, Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears. While no particular religion is part of Grandma Stands, many who avail themselves of Grandmotherly pearls are in sacred territory.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

508. When do you talk to strangers?

509. What have you learned from a stranger?            

Collage as a Jumpstart

After packing more boxes than I ever imagined, making a cross-country move, and unpacking all those boxes last summer, I needed a reset. I signed up for a collage class of the 4 seasons at the local community center. Having dabbled in a few collage workshops previously, I found the experience introspective, yet aimless at the same time. This class began my prescription for a renewal jumpstart amidst upheaval.

Our small group made a different collage for each season, interspersing each collage with writing about our contained-on-paper musings. We were given ancient symbols for seasons, a feast of colorful papers including wallpapers, buttons, and trinkets overflowing a table. We began with Spring, the farthest season from our summertime outdoors.

I immediately cut some circles — for circle-of-life? My scissor-handed mind turned to flowers emerging from stardust atoms, origins of everything (including origins of writing) and beauty of Earth’s springtime renewal. My eyes chose a wallpaper with a fairy. “What?” a part me asked, but I snipped the fairy (surrounded by stars) anyway. We were time-limited with the structure of the class, but I finished by selecting 3 trinkets from the teacher’s treasure stash – a metal flower button, a delicate paper flower, and a tiny plastic bird with an open beak.   

Here are snippets from my written musings in collage class: Spring has always been one of my favorite seasons. When Winter has been cold and on the fallow side in the garden, Spring bursts through frozen thinking with unending possibilities. I find the Viking symbol for Spring presenting an openness…(checking Google on my cell phone) on Vikings’ Spring: “The Norse goddess Ostara (considered the origin of our word, Easter) is strongly associated with Spring and new beginnings…surrounded by symbols… like flowers and fairies…the Ingwaz Rune, representing a seed or egg, embodies the potential for growth and new life.” When crocuses give birth to themselves, pushing through soil’s tunnel, there is magic for me. I’m even inclined to think of fairies – aren’t they just flowers with petals as skirts? After Winter’s hibernation there is hope with bulbs deciding to stick their necks out…Spring is like that – come out, come out, wherever you are – get blooming.

Collage is a laboratory for artists. When Matisse was in his 70’s, tangled in legal disputes with his wife which resulted in everything in his studio sent to bank cellars, he filled his walls with paper cutouts. Reinvigorated, Matisse discovered what he called “drawing with scissors.” His stained-glass windows for a chapel were designed from his energizing and colorful scissor cutouts. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/mar/29/henri-matisse-cutouts-tate-modern-drawing-scissors

Other artists, including writers, use the joining of collage fragments as a jumpstart for their artistic process. Painter Amy Sillman captures the essence of collage: “…there is something about placing 2 things on the same plane that clarifies their relationship in ways that words, for a time, cannot.”

Collage creates an opening to newness.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

498. What does Spring conjure in your mind?

499. How do you use activities to” reset” yourself?   

Reading Is Not Dead (Yet)

Can reading books make a comeback?

U.S. daily book reading for pleasure is steadily declining (40% drop from 2003-2023). A National Endowment for the Arts research lab at University of Florida teamed with University College London researchers to analyze data from 236,000+ Americans who completed the American Time Use Study.

The dearth of pleasure reading does not reflect all groups; people with higher educational levels and women are more likely readers. Unfortunately, reader-less homes where reading for pleasure could support mental health, creativity and lifelong reading are those in lower income or educational realization and rural (versus metropolitan) areas. One might argue that these folks often have two jobs to make ends meet and reading time is a luxury that is not sustainable.

March is National Reading Month. The intent is to encourage daily reading habits to promote literacy as well as nurture reading habits in both children and adults. A focus set by Read Across America Week (March 2–6), was “Champion Kindness,” a goal much needed today. Helping children read diverse books can foster empathy along with developing a love for broad-ranging literature.

One reason March is a special reading month is due to honoring of Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd. Much-loved Dr. Suess books, with their quirky illustrations and humorous storytelling, remain favorite choices for parents who read books to their children at bedtime. His Grinch character provides food for thought for both parents and kids. Dr. Suess was right when he said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know.”

While many blame our digital-relying habits for a reading downfall, British author and technology guru Kevin Ashton maintains that technology is not to blame. He reminds, “What’s on their phones is words…go look at [a]…TikTok video…There are captions that help it make more sense when they’re communicating with one another. They’re sending text messages. Children today are writing more words than you or I did when we were teenagers.”

Yes, “words” are present in technology, but I think the technology vs. reading-books issue needs more discussion among educators and mental health providers. When there is a winning lawsuit against Meta and Google, blaming social media for the anxiety and depression of a woman who claims addiction to social media as a youngster, the impact of digital wording matters. What safeguards are present for tender minds in developing healthy perceptions about their belonging in a fast-paced society? Who moderates digital mediums for kids?

Ashton had thoughts about storytelling for decades before writing his book, The Story of Stories: The Million-Year History of a Uniquely Human Art. He suggests that it is emotional storytelling that readers seek. Yes, emotions are complex parts of us and stories help us gain perspectives about emotional territory. Along with diverse book-reading, I believe we need more in-person communication in sharing emotions in homes and schools.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

484. What is the last book you read?

485. Were there any emotional insights from reading that book?  

War OR Peace

So Much Depends Upon Who Holds the Shovel, Christi Belcourt, 2008

Canadian Métis visual artist Christi Belcourt begins by painting her large canvas black. “I see war, but I paint flowers. I paint what I want for this world…May we live long enough to see humankind turn away from violence and greed…towards creating a world based on caring and giving. May we live long to see the world embrace global disarmament.”

Belcourt paints with a poignant and peaceful hand. An environmentalist and social justice advocate, Belcourt is primarily recognized for her large floral landscapes. Her peace-bearing paintings contain carefully crafted dots (with as many as 200,00 dots) to represent traditional Métis beadwork. She has admired First Nation women’s beadwork patterns since her childhood.

Dazzling circle shapes in Belcourt’s paintings are her symbols for the life cycle “as if they are both molecules and stars.” Her intended purpose is profound: “The roots in my paintings…indicate there is more to life than what we see.” She intends for viewers to detect the smallest of details in order to grasp a bigger picture. Many of her art pieces feature endangered species. For example, a bird on the extinction list is painted with an accompanying bird “calling out.”

Belcourt summarizes her art in simple terms: “My paintings are primarily calls to action…I see…all living beings, including humans, as one…[with] freedom and dignity, care and enough for all.”

Belcourt’s art reminds me of other significant dot art. Aboriginal dot paintings began in the Northern Territory of Australia. They also are symbolic. Aboriginal dots are not merely abstract art. They are meant to hold deeper, sacred meanings from the world’s oldest continuous culture. Aboriginal circles represent waterholes or campsites; their U-shapes stand for people sitting cross-legged. Sacred lands are what tie these different, yet similar, Aboriginal and Métis Nation art forms together.

The earliest form of Aboriginal art depicted tribal stories drawn in desert sand. Fearful of people from different regions “reading” their meanings, artists evolved their sand sketching into abstract dots on cardboard, metal, and other surfaces to preserve sacred stories. This art also conveyed warnings. One theme was displacement from original homelands when outsiders claimed ownership. Observers of Aboriginal art might sense the flat dot paintings appearing to leap off canvass in sparks of energy.

Belcourt speaks for many today: “We are witness to the unbearable suffering of species, including humans. Much of this we do to ourselves. It is possible for the planet to return to a state of well-being, but it requires a radical change in our thinking…We are all a part of a whole…When we see ourselves as separate from each other and think of other species, the waters and the planet itself as objects that can be owned, dominated or subjugated, we lose connection with our humanity and we create imbalance on the earth.” 

War OR peace…that is a perennial conundrum.

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

474. When have you witnessed artwork that left an imprint to enliven you?

475. What calls for action impact you?    

Attachment in Deeds

“Soft power” in politics, especially in international politics, is the practice of shaping another’s point of view through non-coercive means — as opposed to the “hard power” of coercion.  Political scientist Joseph S. Nye Jr., Professor Emeritus and former Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, popularized the term in his 1990 book, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power.  He further explored his theory in his 2004 book, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Power. Nye once served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the US. According to Nye, a country’s soft power depends upon 3 important factors in that country:

  • Culture (as attractive to others),
  • Political values (when upheld both at home and abroad), and
  • Foreign policies (when others view them as legitimate as well as possessing moral authority).

I suspect that a leader is far more capable of exercising “soft power” if they possess a secure attachment (See Pearls of Peace blogpost 02-03-25).

On a small scale compared to international political diplomacy, but no less important, let’s understand how one might participate in “soft power.” As I explained in my “Attachment in Words” blog, it is possible to develop a secure attachment even when that is not a caretaker gift offered in earliest childhood.

Let’s consider teddy bear power. I found a teacher example of transforming school discipline into a version of super-soft power. Good teachers mentor in multiple directions. In 2022 New York City middle school teacher Karen Feldman wanted to change the climate among her students. She noticed a rise in hate speech and wanted to take proactive steps. Partnering with Bear Givers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a “Leading with Kindness Initiative,” Feldman guided her students in detention in decorating teddy bears to be given to hospitalized children. The students added art and messages on the teddy T-shirts. They attached supportive letters.

The motto of Bear Givers is “Making life more bearable (yes) through giving & receiving.” Feldman grasped the importance of having students focus on others’ plight. School populations catching onto this “soft power” approach now extend to students beyond detention walls. Teddy-bear diplomacy has included groups outside schools, such as Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, Sweet Sixteen, and others. Bear Givers has donated over 500,000 bears and 500+ charity events have been sponsored with 100+ partnerships. https://www.beargivers.org/about

Mother Bear Project is an international 501(c)(3) non-profit that gives hand-knit or crocheted bears to children, predominantly orphans and those affected by HIVAIDS in Africa. Mother Bear knitters are individuals from all over the US and the world; both women and men knit — from ages ranging from 6-99! While there is one pattern, each creation is unique and bears (yes) the name of it’s Mother Bear. “Mother Bear” Karen McDowell, a retired teacher, shares her photo of some of her bears awaiting shipment. http://motherbearproject.org/

​Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

369. When have you exercised “soft power”?

370. What are your ideas for “leading with kindness?”    

Broaden-and-build Purls and Pearls

I cannot give away my grandmother’s crochet hook…yes, this is a scarcity mindset at work (see Pearls of Peace, 1-13-25). I am hooked on warm memories of my childhood hours in my grandparents’ home. I recall many hours that Grandma sat in her rocker, wearing her hand-sewn apron and dress, making one doily after another to gift the many females in her family and friend network. I never learned knit-and-purl stitches, but I watched with fascination as Grandma created with her crochet hook, building one stitch upon the next to broaden her handiwork. Handmade gift-giving was on her unofficial resume.  

Psychologist Barbara Frederickson created her broaden-and-build theory when she realized that there was a greater amount of research on negative emotions than positive emotions. For every positive emotion, there appear to be 3 negative ones! The reason for this disparity is that negative emotions are linked to our survival in big and small ways.

The broaden-and-build theory emphasizes that the expression of positive emotions can expand one’s repertoire of psychological, social, cognitive, and physical resources. Positiveness improves one’s resilience. It may help one’s coping skills. This approach is not meant to erase negative emotions but instead allows for the co-existence of both kinds of emotions.

A negative emotion is a protective signal that something does not “feel right.” When such emotions are brushed off, sometimes there could be dire consequences. The bodymind is a listening machine, always on lookout to protect one from physical and/or psychological harm. The idea with broaden-and-build theory is to make space for ALL emotions.

Expressing frustration in a trusted relationship is often necessary before gaining access to a more centered space where one can choose a positive action. The key is having an awareness of your positive emotions so that you can repair touchy situations. Building upon a growth mindset reminds one that others roll with negative emotions also.    

Here is a list of positive emotions that you can broaden-and-build for more resiliency. You probably do not need a list of negative emotions, as they seem ever-ready for action. However, you may miss out on positivity time if you do not have these positives tucked in your pocket for ready use:  

  • Admiration  
  • Affection
  • Altruism
  • Amusement
  • Anticipation
  • Awe
  • Cheerfulness
  • Confidence
  • Enjoyment
  • Enthusiasm
  • Euphoria
  • Gratitude
  • Happiness
  • Hope
  • Inspiration
  • Interest
  • Joy
  • Love
  • Optimism
  • Pride
  • Relief
  • Serenity
  • Surprise

Best of all, positive emotions are keep-on-giving gifts. I took interest in “crewel” (Welsh word for wool) embroidery when I was in graduate school dealing with a dissertation committee at odds with one another. I needed to broaden my outlook to create something that was positive, one stitch after another, for my own well-being. I realized that one situation is not destiny. Looking back on Grandma’s knit-and-purl self-therapy, I wonder what she was working through in her mind.  

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

361. When have you used an art form to increase your positive coping skills?  

362. How often do you catch yourself with an initial negative emotion in situations?

Creativity and Well-being

Michelangelo, Crouching Boy, 1530, The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Michelangelo created 42 sculptures. His Crouching Boy initially belonged to Italian banking and political dynasty Medici’s of Florence. In preliminary drawings for a double wall tomb for Lorenzo de’ Medici and his assassinated brother, Giuliano, Michaelangelo drew two crouching figures; only one was sketched in a final design. About 250 years later Crouching Boy was purchased by Russia’s Catherine the Great through a banker who did not know it was sculpted by Michelangelo. Its current home is the Hermitage Museum. If only sculptures could speak!

One interpretation is that ambiguous Crouching Boy is removing a thorn from his foot. There was a tumultuous political climate in Florence and Michelangelo was taking shelter in the monastery of San Lorenzo. Is Crouching Boy making a political statement? According to some scholars, Crouching Boy is considered an allegory of mourning – a grieving soul depicted in an unfinished marble statue in an oddly-seated position. A second opinion is that Crouching Boy is a representation of eternal youth. Take your pick.

Michelangelo led a solitary life and worked until dying at age 89. Aside from his renown as a sculptor, he was a poet. His poetry suggests that a younger man was his love interest. Whether or not he was a gay man who had to hide this fact, people in the 1500’s noticed that mostly nude men were his art form. As artist and activist Richard Kamler suggests, “Art is our one true global language…it speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible.”

What meaning does “removing a thorn” have in today’s world? Wars are notorious for demonizing the other and for name-calling others who are not known personally. One might ask what constitutes a “thorn” today. We live in ambiguous times. Different interpretations for our global future abound.

Perhaps all of us would do well to turn to the arts. As authors Susan Magsamen (Founder/Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) and Ivy Ross (VP of Design for hardware products at Google) eloquently write in their 2023 book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, “…[the] alchemy of art and science is transforming our biology in ways that are both measurable and effective…artistic endeavors…effect beneficial outcomes for our physical and mental health…begin to create personalized arts practices. Like exercise and good nutrition, the arts on a routine basis will support your health.”    

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state of well-being whereby an individual realizes their own abilities, copes with normal life stresses, works productively, and is capable of making contributions to their community.

It took 35+ years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Perhaps you select a slightly smaller project? 

 Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz

 347. When have you turned to the arts for transformational time?

348. What do you notice when you are in creative mode?                              

Change: A Pearl-in-the-Making

Autumn is a good time to consider something that needs changing in your life. As more leaves change colors and eventually give way to their new legacy of providing mulch, envision a change or two for yourself. As R. Buckminster Fuller said, “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

Architect Buckminster Fuller was an intuitive systems thinker and futurist. His penchant for creating not just the amazing geodesic dome structure, but also new words, gives us a blueprint for our personal changes. Fuller both coined and initiated the field of Synergistics. His interdisciplinary approach encourages lateral thinking and incorporating nature: “I am confident that humanity’s survival depends on all of our willingness to comprehend feelingly the way nature works.” It is the feelingly comprehension of ALL of us that sent my mind on a search for a further explanation of Fuller’s ideas.

Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, Amy C. Edmondson worked as Chief Engineer for Fuller during the last three years of his 87-year life. Edmondson wrote Fuller a letter as an undergraduate student, asking him what people might do to make our planet work for everyone. What a wonderful question for each of us!

Edmonson’s easier-to-comprehend description of Synergistics is ALL about changing our mindset, something that I fully endorse as a psychologist (Fuller Explanation: The Synergistic Geometry of R. Buckminister Fuller). Ready for some mindset change? I have found a few beginner pearls in Synergistics (and life):

  • Let curiosity guide you. Say “image-ination” like Fuller (instead of imagination), because we are the architects of our images.
  • Self-directed examination of patterns and structure in nature will educate you.
  • Stop lying to children by saying, “Watch the sun going down.” This made me wonder why I say, “sunset.”
  • Fuller reminded audiences that we are accustomed to believing that reality is comprised of what one sees, smells, touches and hears, while we actually “live in a world of invisibles.”
  • “…there are no solids; matter consists exclusively of energy.” This is deep.

Most of us will not be known for BIG-C creativity as in Fuller’s producing 28 U.S. patents that gathered recognition in multiple honorary doctorates, but we exhibit little-c creativity whenever we change our mindsets.

Take a peak at Fuller’s childhood. Born to successful leather and tea merchant parents and grand-nephew of Margaret Fuller, the ardent women’s rights advocate, Fuller attended a Froebelian Kindergarten where he was influenced by the same geometric building blocks as Frank Lloyd Wright. This suggests to me that we need to wean school-age children off their gadget dependence to encourage more self-directed mindsets as in creative play, especially in nature.

As British primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall reminds us, “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”

Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz 

335. What difference are you making?

336. What is your current change or pearl-in-the-making?