The Little Bean That Could
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I hate New Year's Resolutions. The pressure of having to come up with some sort of epiphany about how I want to change about my life for the better has always felt like too much pressure. A few weeks into 2024 though, I think I may have actually found mine.
A couple of years ago my son Charlie’s school was doing an art project involving beans and glue. The details of what they were creating is a little fuzzy to me as my son is often light on specifics, but what I do know is that the next day something extraordinary happened.
The day after the bean project, Charlie was washing his hands in the bathroom sink when he looked down; peeking out from the drain of the sink was a living breathing bean sprout. It had most likely fallen off while someone was washing their hands the day before, and now, having spent a night in the shallow water of the drain, had sprouted.
Charlie was amazed. He instantly told his teacher who thought he was making the whole thing up. He and his friend dragged their teacher by her sleeve to show her what had happened.
At recess that day Charlie and his friend went to the park and dug up some dirt. They filled a makeshift container with the nutrient deficient soil and planted their bean sprout. They tended to their little sproutling everyday. And despite all odds, it grew.
The thriving of this plant has made me think about the heartiness that lies in all of us and our collective will to come together when faced with a serious threat to our survival.
Like you I’m sure, I’m finding many of the circumstances of our current world challenging in ways I never imagined experiencing in my lifetime. From political threats to environmental ones, there are moments where I feel under attack from all sides. I’ve discovered that existential threats can be a great motivator for me. It’s pretty easy to spring into action when I feel afraid. But while it’s absolutely critical and uplifting to see communities come together in an attempt to ensure survival, what about those times when the central benefit is one of thriving?
Charlie’s bean plant is a miracle. Despite some incredibly unlikely conditions the bean thrived. The imaginations of staff and students at his school were captured by the little bean sprout that could. They gathered around this magnificent plant and made caring for it part of their daily practice.
How much of my energy do I spend on thriving in creative communities in the way Charlie’s school gathered around this bean plant? The answer is not nearly enough.
So my resolution for this year is to consciously lean into joy and community. To notice the many sprouting beans that already exist in my life. To create the conditions that help me to grow and appreciate the creative gifts and possibilities that already surround me.
PS. The year that Charlie discovered the bean plant, it traveled home with him so that we could water it while school was closed. I became kind of obsessed with keeping it alive while it was in my care. Here is one of the pics from that time.
Creative Prompts
What are the sprouting beans you notice in your life?
What around you could use nurturing in the way my son and his school nurtured the little bean plan that could?
What types of creative activities and communities bring you joy and help you thrive?
Welcome to our round up of Creativity Guild members doing some pretty cool things. Do you have something that you think should be featured here? A class you’re teaching? A paint by numbers masterpiece you are working on? A particularly delicious salad you’ve just created? If so, we’d love to hear about it! You can send us a note at thecreativityguild@substack.com
Nikila Cole’s Creative Consulting
Nikila Cole does it all. She’s a writer/director/producer with a ton of experience in scripted and unscripted movies and TV. She’s also just a really really lovely human being. She’s recently announced that she’s starting a consulting service for people looking for film/TV career counselling. Whether it’s needing help with grant applications, pitch decks, one-sheets, script feedback or even just tips and tricks on how to stay fit in an industry that tends to put mental fitness low on its list of priorities. She’s offering a sliding scale and if you are interested you can contact her through her through her LinkedIn page or her website.
Kanja Chen: Professional Fraggle
The first piece I ever wrote for The Creativity Guild was about my friend from junior high friend who followed his dreams and became a puppeteer on Fraggle Rock. The launch date for the shows second season just announced on Apple TV+ (March 29th.) It still tickles me to say I’m friends with a Fraggle.