I have heard several people say they were not going to write or paint because the world was too chaotic and everything was in turmoil. They were not making money from their work, everything cost more, and the world was turning ugly from politics and other drama.

But this is the time we need creators most. We need painters to remind us of the beauty in the world. We need writers to explain the world or help us to escape it for a little while.

I listened to an interview with author Molly Guptill Manning presented by TAF, where she talked about the importance of words during World War Two. Soldiers and civilians alike needed the written words to survive the challenges of daily life. From letters from loved ones to magazines and newspapers to novels, words were an integral part of survival.

Soldiers kept journals, wrote poetry, and even documented their lives in company newspapers.

Entertainment and creativity allows us to breathe in the face of life’s problems. I have mentioned many times how after our house burned my husband took me to the bookstore because he knew I would need it to get through the trauma. While recovering from surgery I have been reading, writing, and doing crafts. As I worry about my son in the military, I crochet and create characters in my stories to honor him.

When life is at its most difficult that is when we need creativity the most.

What do you think?