In the process of transcending of our circumstances, we transcend ourselves.
In the process of shaping of our world, we shape ourselves.
This is the meaning of all experiences we go through.
Even if we failed in the outer world, it does not necessarily mean that we failed to accomplish our purpose of self-transcendence. If we did our best to express ourselves, we may rest assured that we became different persons. Perhaps, the next time we will be better equipped to face our challenges.
I tend to agree with someone's thought that in reality there are no failures, but there are various kinds of learning experiences. But to get benefit from learning, we need to recognize this process - and to be creative in our response to all that happens to us.
Not so long ago, one person asked me why do I think that creative thinking is necessary. His point was that there are only few categories of people whose mission is to be creators - such as artists, scientists, and engineers. He insisted that for other people it would be far much better not to experiment with their lives, but to stick to old and "proven" ways of doing things. He said that "unnecessary" creativity creates only unrest and disorder.
I would agree that in many cases, "newer" does not mean "better". All the things have to be carefully examined. Besides that, there are no valid reasons to prefer the past over the present.
Mental conservatism comes along with a certain selectivity. Conservatives never adhere to the past - they make up the past they want to adhere to. Being open enough, they simply need to recognize that some of the things from "the good old days" are totally unacceptable for us now. But rather than discussing certain customs and practices, we should ask a deeper question: "Why some of the old things can be meaningful and useful for us now?"
The answer is simple - not because those things are old, but because they are timeless. They are more in harmony with the Spirit of Truth than the other things which were forgotten. Yet those things change, because the Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Life. Life cannot stand still, even if we don't notice it.
It is important to be creative in all areas of our life, because creative thinking and living allows us to move along with the flow of Life. If we aren't willing to move, we will be moved against our will. Not understanding how and why it happens, we might be temporarily unable to deal with problems which come our way.
Creativity makes us flexible, which means that we won't be suddenly broken or devastated by unpredictable changes.
"Respond to life in creative ways". This was proven to be one of the best practical advises I've ever received. All of our life we've been taught to follow the rules. How did it affect our thinking? We gradually lost our desire to ask questions, to discover and explore, and to look for alternatives. We lived with an idea that rules are sufficient, when in facts they aren't. When we learn to respond to life in creative ways, we go beyond the rules, and get a new sense of life and happiness.
Don't misunderstand me - rules could be useful. Sometimes, we cannot afford not to follow the rules. Sometimes, it could be harmful not to follow the rules. But it is also harmful to limit our thinking by those rules. Creative response to life implies that we link ourselves to the new dimension - the one which is infinitely beyond this plane of life - and utilize its resources.
