Today as I thought about how to make a dinner bread with the ingredients I had in the cabinets, I thought about the effect of limitations when it comes to creativity. In some ways, we are more creative when we face limitations of time, money, and resources. The limitations force us to think differently and solve problems in new ways.
This truth is evident in our pandemic culture--pandemic limitations force us to be creative. We have seen illustrations of this reality in every aspect of our lives. Real time gatherings, to a large degree, have become virtual gatherings. Big parties, for some events, have translated to parties-in-a-box. For example, my husband was invited to a big party that had to be cancelled. Instead he received the virtual party date/link and a box of related, festive items to celebrate with. Indoor activites have become outdoor activites. Big group gatherings are becoming more intimate affairs. Real time theater became television productions. The changes go on and on, and the best of those changes are the result of wonderful, imaginative creativity.
So as we head into a pandemic winter, how can we prioritize time for creative thinking and problem solving--what can we do with the limitations at hand? Could it actually be that a silver lining to this whole disaster is the opportunity to rethink who we are and where we are headed at this turn in the road. Time and again, we see good people translate tragedy into opportunity for betterment. In the best circumstances, this is what we'll do with the pandemic reality.