On Being: Living is a Creative Process

“This is a wonderful day, I have never seen this one before.”

― Maya Angelou

For the past two years I've been listening to On Being with Krista Tippett devoutly. I've become one of those listeners who wants everyone else to love it as much as I do. I e-mail links to favorite episodes to friends, family, and colleagues, buy books written by the many interesting guests on her show, and I even, in my most egotistical moments, have fantasies of how I would answer Krista's questions (yes, Krista and I on a first name basis) if I were on the show. 

One of the most popular interviews in On Being's history was Krista's conversation with the late Irish writer and philosopher John O'Donohue. In that episode he describes life as a great creative experience. Each day, we are given time to work with as we choose. Receiving time and shaping it into a life is itself an act of creativity. This way of framing the very act of living was so exciting to me and I've been ruminating on it ever since. 

What I have come to love about this way of thinking is, it makes each daily choice a piece of something greater. Is my choice to purchase this frozen pizza going to make my life-as-artwork more or less beautiful? Less, I can easily say. The feeling of pulling a frozen pizza out of its plastic sleeve is so sad, such a capitulation for one who deeply loves everything homemade. Kneading dough and slow-cooking sauce - those are acts that make life-as-artwork more beautiful. 

Of course my days often fall short of being a masterpiece. We ate frozen pizza last week. But it is inspiring to have a lofty goal to work towards, and to celebrate the small victories when they come. I made a batch of fermented carrots and ginger at the beginning of the month and have been adding flavor and nourishment to many meals with a sprinkling of the bright orange, sour, salty, gingery creation. Little things like this add up to days full of beauty, and ultimately, a life full of joy.