The Bible says we are created “in His image“.

I’ve always wondered about that.  Most of us don’t look anything like our mind’s image of “God”, and if He looks anything like me, I’d have trouble taking him seriously.   Then again, I don’t look much like my father, but to anyone who knew him, it is apparent I have many of his traits.  That’s how I interpret the “in his image” thing.  I believe most people have some traits in common with The Divine.  For instance, we create.

Most people have some kind of creative outlet they enjoy.  There are plenty of crafty little hobbies like quilting, fly-tying, model railroading, scrap booking or whatever.  That’s creative, but it’s small-scale creation, using stuff to make other stuff.

The kind of creating I’m thinking about is the large-scale–the kind that is ex nihilo.  That‘s the term the Bible uses to describe how God created the earth.  Ex nihilo means out of nuthin’.  Music, literature and art are created out of nothing.  That’s profound.

I was thinking about this recently, because a special friend gave me my very first iPod. ( I’m always the last kid on the block to get the technology.)  Loading the new iPod has me listening to tons of music–breathtaking, spellbinding and inspiring music.  Man has been creating stuff like art & music since the beginning of time–yet there is always something else that‘s fresh & different.

I’d like to ask God how many songs have been written.  It’s probably a number so high, they haven’t come up with a name for it yet, but man keeps increasing it.  Same thing with other things people create . . .

You will never be at Borders or Barnes & Noble hearing the manager say,  “People are running out of books to write, maybe it’s time we start thinking about selling mini-blinds.”

Agents in the music industry don’t scramble to find a talented person, they struggle to gain attention for the brilliant talent they represent in a sea of fierce competition.  YouTube and shows like American Idol showcase artists at least as talented as those with contracts.

The radio continues to play love songs, though it would seem we have plenty.  There are songs about perfect love, desirous love, unrequited love, love gone wrong, love done & gone–no matter the kind of love we fall in or out of, there will be another song expressing our emotions in a new way.

There are countless bloggers, yet the whole of them have yet to write everything people think or run out of ideas.

Science and industry rely on the ability of man continually come up with ideas that will improve and innovate.

Even ordinary department stores, like Penney’s and Target, continually entice us by filling their racks with clothing & products different from what we’ve seen before.

Eventually there won’t be anything else written–no more stories, no more poems, no more love songs, no more editorial columns, no more computer programs, no more blog posts.  My prediction is it will happen about 14 days after the planet runs out of food & water, when the last person expires.

The world is an amazing place–made more amazing because of the creativity of the people who inhabit it.

Deb’s Note: In writing this piece I was reminded of how many brilliant  friends I have . . artists, musicians,  song writers, writers, thinkers, actors, and developers of various sorts of things.  It would be my wish for each of them that their talents be recognized and rewarded.  This piece is dedicated to all the “creators” and especially to my recently relocated-to-the-other-side niece and performance poet/artist Gabrielle Bouliane.

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