Today's article focuses on the 5^th condition that is known to make a difference in people's lives - Curiosity and Creativity! Curiosity and creativity keeps us alive!

5. Curiosity and Creativity!
   Isn't it amazing to observe how natural it is for the life of infants and children to be characterized by inquisitiveness, eagerness, a strong desire to learn new things, and a desire to satisfy their little minds with new discoveries. Albert Einstein is reported to have said, "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he/she contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity."  Creativity, on the other hand, plays the leading role in empowering every human endeavour that has something to do with learning.

The novelist George Bernard of Shaw wrote: "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will." Creativity is to learning as change is to evolution. Expressed another way: Creativity is learning! When you learn, you change. When you learn to create, you create change. Imagination and curiosity can challenge and change anything!

Curiosity triggers people to ask "Why?" and creativity gives them the initiative to ask "Why not?" Think of a time when you were introduced to someone, someplace, or something new. Your response was probably one of curiosity: Who was the new person in the group? Where was this new place to which you were traveling? What was that new gadget and how did it work? Each of these questions meant that you were engaged with—and focused on—that new person, place, or thing. If only we could always be so inquisitive and connected to the world around us! Yes, connected! It's truly alarming to see people living but really not connected to their world - either to themselves, to others, to the physical world around us or to their Creator. This lack of being 'connected' results to feelings of loneliness, alienation and lack of belonging.

Experiencing curiosity and creativity allows people to become active in yearning to explore unknown areas. To support the condition of curiosity and creativity, individuals must be challenged to look beyond the status quo to find what lies ahead. The intensity of curiosity and creativity tends to diminish over time. Therefore we must challenge one another to pay careful attention to creating an environment that promotes questioning and creative exploration and maintains motivation.

Some ways that we create such an atmosphere is through reading, attending special courses, living life with intention through consciously attempting to incorporate what we are learning into our daily work, encouraging one another towards new ideas and teamwork, and making people feel safe to imagine new ways of doing things, knowing that innovation is valued & appreciated.

How well do we do in cultivating the condition of curiosity and creativity? Do we provide opportunities that encourage people to be creative? Do we help one another connect their work to their everyday life? Do we provide opportunities for one another to explore their individual interest? Do we encourage one another to think "outside the box" when problem solving?

If we only take the time, we can rekindle our curiosity and creativity with nothing more than a pause in the day to reflect on the positive things that are happening in our lives, our colleagues, our families, our friends & the world at large.

Does spirituality have anything to say to our subject we are discussing? I say, YES! The Good News that I love to share with people is that through the death, resurrection and ascension of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, reconciliation has happened. Why would anyone want to spend their life with overwhelming feelings of being 'disconnected, alienated, not belonging' when our Heavenly Father has made it all possible for us to experience 'reconnection' - to Himself, to ourselves, to one another and to our physical world. The challenge for each of us is to 'work out' that reconciliation with carefulness, respect and with dignity!

Remember: You and I are here to make a difference!
To Be Continued - part 6