111 Day Artistic Spirit Pledge: Spiritual Growth Through Creative Expression
Day 78: Gifts That Melt the Heart (Creativity Prompt #11 – result)
Friday’s Creativity Prompt was as follows:
Use the photo above as a starting point for your artistic exploration this weekend. Write a story, paint a picture, create a new holiday song, or make a craft that would fit in one of the colorful gift boxes. Have fun creating!
*ORIGINAL WORK OF FICTION*
The packages arrived, of varying shapes and sizes, much sooner than I expected. We weren’t ready yet…the house still needed decorating. “Don’t complain,” I murmured. “The community was so generous when we asked for help. I should’ve known they’d go above and beyond our request.”
I concentrated on the task assigned – triple-checking the table settings and confirming the playlist. Director of Children’s Entertainment was a title I embraced, and on a big night like this one I wore that label proudly.
My childhood consisted of comfort and stability, something I thought every child knew. It wasn’t until I opened my eyes that I saw the reality: not all kids are surrounded by love, supported unconditionally, or have their basic needs met. I did and so did my children. I can’t change the world or the minds of those who reside within it, but I can use the gifts I embrace to help create a special night for as many kids as possible.
I gazed upon the beautiful scene created by the dedicated volunteers and smiled. In just a few hours, the children and their loved ones will arrive. Much work still to do and no time to dilly-dally!
**I am an Artistic Spirit! For most of my life I’ve used the creative arts as a source of spiritual exploration and healing, even though I didn’t always do so consciously. Sometimes I was the instrument creating the art and other times I was on the receiving end. The connection between art and spirituality is so significant in my life that it’s infused into everything I do. I love music, theatre, television drama series (daytime and primetime), and creative writing and find fulfillment in artistic expression of various sorts: singing, acting, and jewelry design. Throughout the next 33 days, I’ll delve into how all of the above strengthens my spirit and has saved my life on more than one occasion.**
Kelly Deeny 