To define creativity, take a two-year-old, place an ice cream cone in her hands and stand back. It works; we just watched it happen.
"Grandma, can I have an ice cream cone, please?" was the beginning. "Papa is getting the ice cream, Lucy; you show him where the cones are."
Upon discovering there was just one cone left, things got even more interesting. Now put Grandpa into the conversation. "But I wanted an ice cream cone," he added, in jest of course. After assuring her that Grandma would buy more cones, she placated Grandpa and proceeded to lick her treat with vigour.
That's when she discovered the thrill of using fingers to scoop out the treat inside. Next, a small spoon and a growing sense of overcoming all obstacles led her to dig out the contents. Then, defying her entire two years' worth of wisdom Lucy decided to extract the vanilla prize more quickly: a quick snapping of her teeth, a large hole on either side of the cone, a look of triumph and presto, ice cream on tap. Now nearly liquefied, dessert ran freely and we all marvelled at this brilliant display of intelligence.
Before I extract some kind of moral meaning from this simple story, be assured that I realize your grandchildren are as outstanding, if not more so, than ours. And, I suspect, every kid on earth has utilized this drilling technique to get at ice cream so that's not the point of this piece. What I really want to do is remind us not to lose our zest for life while we're in the process of living. God doesn't want us to do that either.
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way [in watching us, His children]." Psalm 37:23
