Word-in-a-Word Wednesday: "Source"

Today's word is "source".

The word within it is "our" - sOURce.

If you've followed my essays for the past year or so, you've joined me in a quest to analyze and intimately understand the source of our creativity.

What is it?  Where does it come from?

Do we generate it within ourselves?  Or does it exist outside us and move through us?

One of the foundational ideas I've discovered—an idea that has altered the way I think about the creative and how I practice my creative life—is that the creative impulse can't survive inside us.

It must be shared.

It must be given.

It is not mine or yours.

It's ours.

Creativity thrives in community.

How do the words "source" and "our" connect with you?

Click here to read all the "word-in-a-word" exercises to date.

Comments

[LarryTheDeuce]

I definitely find myself being more creative in the midst of community....others.

[Suzie Gallagher]

I am making pickles, chutneys and jams for a thing in the summer so I saw sour immediately. Maybe my temperament is souring as I pickle!

Good post, like your interpretation

[Jason Vana]

In my own life I've seen how creativity bubbles up when I'm in conversations with others, giving input, tossing ideas around and getting input from others. I can be creative on my own to an extent, but when it's done in community, I experience a whole new level of creativity.

[Karen]

I looked up the definition of "Source" and the first thing that came up was : a place, person, or thing from which something comes or can be obtained

OUR in the middl of source meaning everyone. When I saw this word I thought about how many different people out there have creativity in their own work. Writing, blogs, books, art, photography, music.. we are ALL as in "our" we all use our source from within to be creative. we all share the same "source" .. but in different ways creatively.

Our can be thought about within ourselves, or in a whole as in "everyone" .. everyone pulling sources from within showing their own creative ways in what they do.

[georgia]

i like this one... short and sweet.

and i agree with what larry said... i find myself much more creative when stimulated within the community of others... or even just observing a community while not necessarily being in it.

hey, guess what one of the categories on jeopardy was last thursday... "word in a word". they must have seen your blog! =)

you would have rocked it if you were one of the contestants. =)

[Keith Jennings]

Larry,

Maybe that's why most of us want to be rock stars. Hmmm.

[Keith Jennings]

Suzie,

Love "sour"! Note made!

[Keith Jennings]

Jason,

Are we really creative on our own? Or does creativity come from something we've read, heard or experienced and happens to move through us at that moment we're alone?

The more I think about inspiration and creativity, the more I'm convinced it enters us and we either use it or lose it.

[Keith Jennings]

Karen,

It's as if the source of creativity thrives in community. It does better when its ours, rather than yours or mine.

[Keith Jennings]

Georgia,

I've seen that on Jeopardy before! But they're scrambling the letters of the word to create another word, aren't they? I'm trying to find a complete word within another word.

I'm thinking I need to find a new name for this little exercise!

[georgia]

i think you are correct, keith... but it still made me think of these posts. i would do better in that category if it was a complete word in a word, as i am terrible at word scrambles.

i don't think you need to change the name for these exercises, though... i think it works well as is. it is what says. so, it's clear and to the point.