Bounded Creativity

“There is a beauty to grammar I am beginning to appreciate. As with writing haikus, baking, and solving mathematical proofs, I like the bounded creativity of being able to build something beautiful based on the character your ingredients already poses. It's all about getting into such a personal relationship with your medium that you understand how it must behave.”  ~Kate Buccigross

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“Wet’s cowoh!” said my 2 year old granddaughter

sitting at the dining room table.

Who could resist such an invitation?

Prepared with a seemingly limitless array of crayons at our fingertips,

we began turning the pages of the coloring book.

What was she looking for?

…a page not yet colored?  …a favorite animal?

…a picture within the range of her artistic mood?

Maybe it was the simple act of turning pages that tickled her fancy.

Eventually, we settled on a picture and began to work.

We discussed the names of the colors,

how pretty our picture was becoming,

how much fun it was to color together.

My granddaughter methodically scrawled this color and that

over portions of the page with large sweeping motions.

There was no heed to lines, no purposeful placement of color,

no thought to contrast nor any consideration of the color wheel,

no attention to varied direction of strokes,

no attempt to emulate any likeness to realism,

no intentional shading or boldness for lifelike enhancement…

…and, of course,

 I had no expectation of her having such skills.

At 2 years old,

she has mastered not eating the crayons,

and is not only rapidly become proficient at gripping them,

but mostly colors on the page

with minimal marks on the table and other surrounding items

like the walls, window, and salt shaker.

As she grows in ability and understanding,

she will learn and experience freedom of expression and originality

within the bounded creativity of ever-increasing limitations.

Definition defines freedom.

Limitation is limitless.

Restriction refines.

Yet each defining, limiting, restricting factor

does not, in and of itself, establish purpose or goodness.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free;

therefore keep standing firm

and do not be subject again

to a yoke of slavery.”

~Galatians 5:1

The yoke itself is extremely confining,

appearing to eliminate all liberty of movement or choice.

In reality, it is the One who shares the yoke

that is the source of challenges, benefits

focus, guidance, pacing, and confidence

toward the task at hand.

Functioning within the limitations of obedience

allows us to join the Master in His work as it is accomplished.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heaven-laden,

and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you

and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your soul. 

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 

~Matthew 11:28-30

Freedom is found not in the removal of a yoke,

rather in the exchange of an unsuitable yoke partner

for the One whose sufficiency is unsurpassed.