The above was a letter sent to five New York high school students in 2006. Their English teacher gave them an assignment to write to one of their favorite authors and convince him to come to the school to speak. Only Mr. Vonnegut responded. He did so with the above letter.

The letter has me thinking- what does one do to experience “becoming”? What does one do to make one’s soul grow? Does one have to do anything?

I think Mr. Vonnegut is on to something with the advice of doing some type of art or type of creative endeavor. I think creativity is a unique human characteristic that does develop our soul. For I believe like Madeleine L’Engle, that when we, mere humans, engage in art we become co-creators with God. We do not become a god of any specific art but rather a reflection of the God within. Whether or not the artist is a Christian, the Truth in art comes forth because God’s Truth cannot be put aside or asunder.

This idea has me going back to my bookshelf and pulling out my much loved copy of L’Engle’s Walking on Water. Reflections on Faith and Art. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. L’Engle may be best known as The Wrinkle in Time series author, but I have always loved her non-fiction spiritual books best. For me she epitomizes the tension between science and faith, mystery and practicality, on how to live and write in this world but not be of the world. She reminds me again and again of the importance of Art as God’s creation and how we choose to live our lives as a way of being creative.

For those of us who have an interest or inclination to anything creative, the choices might not be too difficult: we can easily lose ourselves and enter into the divine through music, art, literature, dance, gardening. But we can easily be creative with list making, mathematics, computer designs, meal planning, flower arranging, even in the act of cleaning our homes.

I enjoy perusing interior design books. Even in those books I can see the divine in ordinary things. While I need to remind myself that, in the case of interior design, furniture, etc. are just things, there is a connection to the divine in something that is beautiful and beautifully made. One can honor God through creative living- what we choose to surround ourselves and our thoughts.

What about you? Have you ever felt the glorious reward of creating something? Just because?

I would challenge you and myself- to find ways to make our soul’s grow. Whatever that might be for you-find ways to expand your heart and mind in ways that bring honor to one another and to God.

Some quotes from Madeleine L’Engle:

“What do I mean by creators? Not only artists, whose acts of creation are the obvious ones of working with paint or clay or words. Creativity is a way of living life, no matter our vocation or how we earn our living. “

“God is constantly creating, in us, through us, with us, and to co-create with God is our human calling.”