What kind of life are you creating?

The most visible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible—without brush, hammer, clay or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt—their medium is being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They see and don’t have to draw. They are the artists of being alive.  — J. Stone

Lately I’ve been reflecting on the idea of “instant karma.” For those of you who don’t know the word karma, Oxford defines it as (in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

 I define “instant karma” as what we create now, through our engagement with the experience we are having now. In other words, it is what we create within the heart of the moment.

I had an experience recently that I’m not sure I would have thought much about if it had not been for my best friend, who was there, telling me she would have responded very differently than I did. As I reflected on it later, I was reminded of the importance of what we create.

Here’s what happened: I started crocheting during the pandemic and have been working on this beautiful blanket. I am down to the last couple of steps, and last week when I picked it up to work on it, I realized “someone” had cut through the first 5 to 6 inches in the center circle. There were multiple colors, and I wasn’t quite sure at first glance how to fix it. I concluded that most likely I had left scissors out and that our youngest grandie had practiced his scissor skills on my creation. I found my extra yarn, took out my darning needle, and stitched it up, all the while feeling joyful. Why? I knew that  every time I saw the evidence of my fix, I would remember little Ez’s contribution to my first project. Instant karma: joy.

This memory will also remind me of the tiny holes on my dining table, where Ez’s mom pushed down a little hard during a sewing project one winter. These little signs of mishaps are all around my home and are my evidence of a life filled with belonging and family. How about you? As you think about your life and well-being, where do you rise above it all and create the story you want to live into?

I could tell you of too many experiences where my just cause “to feel miserable” has kept the beauty of the moment hidden from me. When it comes to my emotional health, I recognize I can get stuck in how I “should” feel rather than looking for a creative response. The thing is, we cannot not create. Each moment is a creative moment. Today, I invite you to join me in living life as the artists and creators we are. Let’s choose the meaning we give our experiences and find the beauty in chaos and ambiguity. And while we are creating this life, let’s bring kindness to ourselves and each other.

xo -s