‘Always optimistic/even in the darkest times’—read Judy John’s ode to creativity

Creativity has taken me to places my parents couldn’t have dreamed of 
when they came on a boat that took a month to get here
It’s taken me to places 
that weren’t in the Encyclopedia Britannica
my parents saved up to buy so we could one day do better than them

Creativity made me feel smart when my grades didn’t
It transported me out of my small town
Out of our Chinese restaurant
It got me jobs
better than the time I was a security guard
(even though I was damn good at it)
Like the one I have now
It’s introduced to me to people I’d read about
Took me to stages I’d seen on TV

Although my parents didn’t understand it
They would claim it was a result of falling down a few flight of stairs
onto the street
while riding my plastic duck
The doctor in emergency said it was a miracle
I still think I got creativity from them 

Creativity asks a lot of questions
It wants to know why
Creativity is restless
It’s curious
It’s restlessly curious

Creativity is always optimistic
even in the darkest times
there is no such thing as can’t
or no
or nyet
it believes there is always a way
It doesn’t tell me “that idea is stupid”
It illustrates a business problem
with an actual illustration

Creativity can change outcomes
It can change minds
It can impact societies
It can inspire nations
It has no ceiling
It loves solving problems
Which sometimes creates other problems
Which it happily solves

Creativity sees the potential in everything
It can bridge the digital divide for street kids in Jakarta
With no access to education or computers
Creativity can inspire a client like HP
To find a way to teach them how to code
through the power of print and paper
Creativity can inspire Dove in Thailand
To help change the laws for forced haircuts on girls in school
So they don’t have to have their confidence cut

Creativity is optimism.
It can inspire one
or the many.
Creativity can change the world.
That is why
I
love
creativity