The girls are now in their twenties and they have their own gimmicks these days. I can’t even schedule a photo shoot for a family portrait because their schedules always conflict with the date. The only occasion for us to be together is when we dine out or shop. Yesterday afternoon was one of those rare moments when they wanted to be with me. I was invited to the “All Treats No Tricks” event of All Flip Flops and Marta’s Cakes at the Bonifacio High Street where we get the chance to ice cookies or cupcakes. The girls thought it was an excellent idea to go to the swanky Bonifacio High Street and hie off to their favorite hangout, The Fully Booked bookstore. (Asides, I think Andres Bonifacio would rise from his grave if he saw his namesake being used for such a ritzy shopping complex. )
My dear husband offered to drive us (thank goodness) and meet up at the Fully Booked after the event. So we were at the tent across All Flip Flops and sat down to work on our cupcakes and cookies. My two lovely daughters sat across me and suddenly memories of their childhood flooded me. Those memories where we often did arts and crafts and even icing the cookies together. Where did the good old days go? As I iced my own cupcake, I know deep inside the girls are brought back to their happy childhood memories. Those were the days when I devoted a lot of my time cooking and baking. Those were the days we would look far and wide for a playground. These memories never die. Our childlike mind always lives in us and it is a good thing.
“A notable characteristic of creativity is its special amalgam of the childlike and the adult like. This amalgam can occur both in the sphere of personality and in the sphere of ideas. It can be more positively tinged (when the childlike feature is innocence or freshness) or more negatively tinged (when the childlike feature is selfishness or retaliation)” (Gardner 1993, p.365).
In the conclusion of an investigative report, How Does a Childlike Mind Affect Creativity? reveals that :
We have come to the conclusion that while childlike characteristics are not vital to creativity, they certainly add to it. And one would be hard-pressed to find a highly creative individual who does not possess any of the traits, although we realize that we cannot classify people as childlike just because they may agree with one chart entry. However, it seems that the individuals who do possess many of the traits, and are actively childlike in approaching their work, do succeed in producing life-long, fresh, domain-changing, creative works.
It reminds me to revive the lost tradition where I involved my two grils in the baking and icing of cookies or for the Christmas decoration of our house. I notice the girls are often their bubbly self when I let them partake of these creative endeavors. Just because they are adults now doesn’t mean that some of their childhood traditions should take a back seat now. Once in a while, it’s good to nurture their childlike mind.
In fact, these creative activity is therapeutic.
Lauren was nursing a sort of broken heart as she iced her cupcake in a “broken-heart” design. Of course, she laughed her emo-ness after I took the photo.
M is all smiles as she draws a heart design on her cupcake and proudly shows me her work.
This reminds me that even if I am fifty years old or my kids are adults, it’s good to keep these wonderful childlike qualities alive. Childlike is positive. Childlike implies certain characteristics of a child, like total trust, honesty, and acceptance. Children are not judgmental. Somewhere along the line, adults get cynical and prejudicial with life. Children possess spontaneity.
To be a fully adult human is to keep to these wonderful childlike qualities alive, and mixed in with the virtues of maturity such as diplomacy, discretion, and self-control.
How have you kept your childlike qualities alive?
View the rest of the photos of the All Treats no Tricks.
