Thinking, Dreaming, Creating, Doing, Living
by Lisa A Kramer, in A Writer's Life
Anyone who has ever read anything I've written will recognize that I believe in the power of creativity to change the world. 
I also believe in the power of words.
Frankly, the power of words (and creative "truth") has been proven again and again recently, as people fall into the spin of words created by dishonest politicians that get reinforced by media who seem to care more about clicks and headlines than anything else.
But this is not meant to be a political post. Rather, I am sitting here reflecting on how I can use this belief in creativity and the power of words to truly create change in a world gone mad. What can I do, both as an individual and as a member of the collective world, so that I am no longer just thinking these deep thoughts, but creating the world that I want to see? How do we move from thinking to dreaming to creating to doing to living a rich, fulfilling, and peaceful life filled with good?
I am currently participating in an online course/discussion where we are performing together how to work as a group. We are discovering ways to communicate and develop as people who don't "know" anything but are always learning something.
Sounds confusing, doesn't it? In some ways it is. It is a rich workshop where I am interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and situations. I am learning, hearing, understanding, questioning, and thinking. Sometimes, though, it feels like all we are doing is talking and thinking, when I yearn to be truly making change. That is part of the reason for this post.
At the same time, I have been reintroducing myself to more online communities--communities of people who have similar goals and interests as I. Writers who dream of publishing. Theatre practitioners who are always looking for ways to market themselves and their work. Activists who are fighting to make the world a better place.
The one thing that all of these online communities have in common is that they contain people who are constantly thinking, talking, and giving advice to one another about the right way to do things. And yet sometimes it feels like nothing is actually getting done.
How do we move from talking about, thinking about, to activating change?
I don't have a clear answer yet, but I am beginning to understand that, for me at least, I need to focus on living life as an active verb.
What do I mean by that?
I mean that, it is not enough to say, "I am a writer"--I must write.
It is not enough for me to say, "I am a theater director"--I must direct.
It is not enough for me to say, "I believe that creativity can change the world"--I must create towards changing the world.
It is not enough fro me to say, "I am an educator"--I must educate.
This does not mean that I am not a writer if I don't write every day. I don't believe that. I believe that part of writing is living, doing, being, breathing, thinking, and lying fallow.
Part of creating, includes absorbing, trying, failing, thinking, and dreaming.
Part of directing is following.
Part of educating is learning.
The main point for me is that living is an active verb that moves beyond thinking (which itself is active) and toward doing.
Now I just have to make that happen.
I also believe in the power of words.
Frankly, the power of words (and creative "truth") has been proven again and again recently, as people fall into the spin of words created by dishonest politicians that get reinforced by media who seem to care more about clicks and headlines than anything else.
But this is not meant to be a political post. Rather, I am sitting here reflecting on how I can use this belief in creativity and the power of words to truly create change in a world gone mad. What can I do, both as an individual and as a member of the collective world, so that I am no longer just thinking these deep thoughts, but creating the world that I want to see? How do we move from thinking to dreaming to creating to doing to living a rich, fulfilling, and peaceful life filled with good?
I am currently participating in an online course/discussion where we are performing together how to work as a group. We are discovering ways to communicate and develop as people who don't "know" anything but are always learning something.
Sounds confusing, doesn't it? In some ways it is. It is a rich workshop where I am interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and situations. I am learning, hearing, understanding, questioning, and thinking. Sometimes, though, it feels like all we are doing is talking and thinking, when I yearn to be truly making change. That is part of the reason for this post.
At the same time, I have been reintroducing myself to more online communities--communities of people who have similar goals and interests as I. Writers who dream of publishing. Theatre practitioners who are always looking for ways to market themselves and their work. Activists who are fighting to make the world a better place.
The one thing that all of these online communities have in common is that they contain people who are constantly thinking, talking, and giving advice to one another about the right way to do things. And yet sometimes it feels like nothing is actually getting done.
How do we move from talking about, thinking about, to activating change?
I don't have a clear answer yet, but I am beginning to understand that, for me at least, I need to focus on living life as an active verb.
What do I mean by that?
I mean that, it is not enough to say, "I am a writer"--I must write.
It is not enough for me to say, "I am a theater director"--I must direct.
It is not enough for me to say, "I believe that creativity can change the world"--I must create towards changing the world.
It is not enough fro me to say, "I am an educator"--I must educate.
This does not mean that I am not a writer if I don't write every day. I don't believe that. I believe that part of writing is living, doing, being, breathing, thinking, and lying fallow.
Part of creating, includes absorbing, trying, failing, thinking, and dreaming.
Part of directing is following.
Part of educating is learning.
The main point for me is that living is an active verb that moves beyond thinking (which itself is active) and toward doing.
Now I just have to make that happen.
