I met a woman recently who told me she had never pursued her art as fully as she wanted because her mother had discouraged her. She had been told she couldn’t make money doing art—that it wasn’t practical.
My heart broke for her.
I could see her passion, and I could feel the hurt and hesitation that still crippled her inner artist. My immediate desire was to encourage her—to counter the damage that had been done. I told her it was never too late, that she was already an artist.
At the same time, I felt deeply grateful for my own parents, who have always encouraged and supported my creative pursuits.
This beautiful woman is also the mother of six children.
Two Creative Callings, Equally Diminished
In addition to being saddened that she had been discouraged from pursuing art, my thoughts immediately turned to the ways motherhood itself is often diminished in modern society.
Motherhood doesn’t make money—less money even than being an artist. And while I hope she hasn’t suffered similar discouragement for her choice to be a mother, I’m not optimistic. I’ve encountered these attitudes too often to believe they are rare.
It is a troubling reflection of our culture that two of the most profound forms of creativity—art and motherhood—are so frequently dismissed as impractical, unworthy, or naïve.
Creativity as a Divine Act
I cannot think of a higher or more divine form of creativity than the creation of human life.
At the same time, I don’t know a single artist who doesn’t seek, in some way, to influence the world through their work. And is there any greater—or more accessible—way to influence the world than through the next generation?
These are not lesser pursuits. They are among the loftiest goals a person can aspire to.
Yet they are often discouraged in a society that claims women are capable and free enough to pursue anything they choose.
Reclaiming Creativity as Virtue
Creativity is a divine endowment—a unique and sacred gift given to humankind.
It ought to be celebrated and re-enthroned as the virtue it is.
Creativity transforms lives: through a painting, a song, a story, an entrepreneurial endeavor, a delicious meal—or through the quiet, noble work of motherhood.
