My sister and her husband recently wrote a book about the differences between consuming and creating. They demonstrate the need humans have to ‘consume’ (e.g., such as eating, learning, etc.) in order to survive. However, they also highlight the need we all have to ‘create’ in order to thrive.
One of my students organized a very successful hack-a-thon at UConn this week. In 24 hours, competing teams conceptualized and, in most cases, built a product that used technology to improve the healthcare system.
I got to serve as a mentor, so I was able to see all of the different products. It was fun to see their creativity and knowledge come together to design, code, and build prototypes of a variety of services that have the potential of improving life. It was an energetic event, even for those who literally stayed up all night.
“No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty. You might say I’m not the creative type. If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters [and sons] of the most creative being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate god? Think about it. Your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination.
The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf