Does Tragedy Spur Creativity?
With all her anger she trembled one day,
Waking, breaking, shaking the world.
Telling the people she was queen
And no one could with nature intervene.
A stroke of her wand took his land away,
Under her cloak, his loved ones had to stay.
She crushed man’s work and trampled on his play,
His dreams and desires she tried to slay.
It was a lesson that had to be taught
To man who did whatever he thought.
So she said aloud that day — “I don’t need
Nine months to take your life away!”
— The Earth’s Cry, Ritika Bajaj, 2002
This is a poem I wrote post the earthquake in Bhuj, Gujarat, India, in 2001… It won me a poetry competition prize from my professors, while pursuing my masters degree in English literature.
For writers and creatives at large, a tragedy or time of trauma, always spurs creativity.
I wonder why… Is it because we become more sensitive?
Or, is it because creativity requires a trigger — perhaps, unrequited love, betrayal, the loss of loved ones, a global pandemic, or a natural calamity?
Or, does creativity just need some peace, and quiet time for introspection, which these events give us?
Or, finally, is it because we — creatives/thinkers — are able to see beauty and positivity at a time when everyone else thinks there is none?
Perhaps, it’s a combination of all these factors, and the fact that we have enough time on hand to experiment with our emotions and creative mediums.
Emotions work as catalysts in the creative process.
These emotions are then filtered by our existing understanding/knowledge of an event, and our memory of previous events/wisdom gained thus far, to finally get converted into an art form that we are skilled in.
The emotions that we experience and creatively express, or transmute into an art form, is what becomes the thread of experience that connects the creator with the audience.
And, since pandemics or natural calamities, are felt by the entire humanity, it becomes part of our collective consciousness, and easier for everyone to dip into and experience.
In the past two weeks of the lockdown, I’ve felt my creative abilities soar…
I’ve also noticed my ability to create more prolifically, with a quicker turnaround, and not much dip in quality.
In fact, I braved venturing into creating YouTube videos, as I wanted to explore another creative dimension of my personality — I wanted to see if the words flowed as freely while talking, as they did when writing.
Though, I’ve just started out, and it’s work in progress, I’m fairly happy with the response and hope to continue the effort till I can.
A tragedy or challenging time demands an urgent, practical, and creative response.
Thus, it’s important that we look within, and see how we can give the situation a unique form, by tapping into the latent talents we’re already endowed with.
These are the best times to take up something you’ve long harboured within — be it to paint more, pen your novel, blog, teach online, or anything else you are proficient in.
These are times that force us to step up, speak up, and serve up, even if from the safe confines of our homes…
So let’s respond to the lockdown with as much creative vigour as we can, infusing our days of isolation with more purpose and joy.
The whole pandemic may be devastating, and has disrupted life as we knew it, but there is no reason why we cannot give it a hopeful spin.
When we look back at this lockdown, we should proudly say, that we did not just survive the times, but created a new reality for ourselves — one that reshaped our future, and equipped us with new skills and strengths.
Don’t let the pandemic and consequent lockdown dull your spirits or fill you with fear…
Instead, consciously create a picture of the reality you dream of, and ensure it’s one filled with peace, joy, and positivity for you and those around you!
Happy Easter Holidays — Celebrate your life, your home and family, and your existing good health!
And, don’t forget to pray for those who have lost loved ones, or who are battling the disease. Also, pray for those who are fighting on the frontlines to keep us healthy and safe.
More power to all of humankind… May no virus dampen our spirits, now or ever!
If you liked the blog, do share with friends and family… Together let’s spread some hope and positivity in these tumultuous times!
