Reflection Paper #2

Salamat Matthew Uy HAHAHAHAHA

Context: We had a reflection paper in DECSC 25: Creative Thinking and Innovation Management and the question was: “Why is being creative so difficult? Explain.”

This was an excerpt (wow kala mo may libro) from my take:

(May english translation sa baba, but reading it in Filipino (original submission) is better)

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Ang hirap magsulat, sa totoo lang.

(...)

Kahit pa sabihin kong nagsusulat ako ngayon, kung hindi dama ng puso ko na "nagsusulat" ako, dahil ang mga salitang minsan nang napamahal sakin ay naka kandado sa loob, pakiramdam ko hindi talaga ako nagsusulat.

Alam mo yon? Parang sinabi mo lang na nandito ka, pero kung hindi mo ramdam na andito ka, wala ka dito? Pilosopiko yung pagkatunog, pero yun yung pakiramdam.

Isang creative process ang pagsusulat, oo. Maaaring makagawa ka ng isang bullshit na reflection paper tapos masasabi mo sa sarili mo na creative ka. Pero niloloko mo lang sarili mo.

Mahirap maging malikhain kasi "hindi naman talaga ikaw yon". Gets ba? Para maging malikhain, madalas tumataliwas ka sa kung sino ka na kilala ng mga tao, umiiba ka ng direksyon, at nagbabago ng plano.

Mahirap maging malikhain kasi mayroon kang sinusugal kapalit noon. Siguro para sa akin, ang puso ko. Para sa iba, susugal sila ng pera, oras, pag-iisip, at maging buhay para makalikha lang ng bagay na malikhain.

Mahirap maging malikhain kasi hindi mo siya madaling makikita. Pinapalaki tayo dito sa mundo para sundin ang tuwid na daan, at lumakad lang sa daan na ‘yon. Para makita ang daang malikhain, kailangan mong lumihis sa ibang paniniwala mo at lumakad sa hindi pa nadadaanang landas.

Mahirap maging malikhain kasi hindi mo siya madaling makukuha. Kahit pa ang mga magagaling na pintor at artista, nawawala ang pagkamalikhain paminsan. Wala kang mapagbintangan. Siguro tinago ng mundo ang creativity sayo. O tinago ng sistema. O ng tadhana. Pero kahit sino pang santong demonyo ang nagtago non, pag nawala na, wala na.

Mahirap maging malikhain. Mahirap maghanap. Mahirap magsulat. Mahirap kunin.

Pero bakit kahit mailap, hinahanap?

Dahil nagbibigay ang pagiging malikhain ng bagong perspektibo ng mundo na malaya tayong tuklasin. Mahirap maging malikhain dahil susi ito sa mundong hindi pa nalilikha.

Kaya siguro kahit hirap ako magsulat, nagsusulat pa rin ako. Baka sakaling masagi ko sa isang linya ng tula ang isang bagong mundo na gusto kong likhain.

07/23/20 02:39 AM

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In all honesty, it’s so difficult to write.

Everyone starts writing in their younger years. But it is only when we’re a wee bit older that we see that there’s more to these words than we know.

(...)

Even if I say that I’m writing right now, if I feel like I am not writing because the words that once captivated my heart are now locked in that same heart, I feel like I am not writing.

Ya feel? It’s like I’m saying I am here, but if I feel like I am in fact not here, I am not here. Sounds philosophical, yes, but that is the feeling.

Yes, writing is a creative process. You can make a bullshit reflection paper and say to yourself that you did something creative. But you’re just making a fool out of yourself.

It’s difficult to become creative because “you’re really not that person”. Gets? To become creative, you sometimes have to go the opposite of how people perceive you to be. You shift gears, change directions, and re-map plans.

It’s difficult to become creative because you actually risk something in exchange for it. Well for me I guess it’s my heart. For others, they sacrifice money, time, sanity, and even their life in pursuit of something creative.

It’s difficult to become creative because you cannot see it outrightly. We are raised in this world to follow a straight path. To see a creative path, you have to take detours, take the roads less traveled, and proceed to uncharted and seemingly dangerous directions.

It’s difficult to become creative because you cannot get it outrightly. Amazing artists lose their creativity more times than we could imagine. It sucks because you cannot blame anyone. Maybe the world hid creativity for you. Maybe the system did it. Maybe fate. But no matter who the fuck you blame, when it’s gone, it’s gone.

It’s difficult to become creative. Difficult to find it. Difficult to write. Difficult to get.

(I’m not translating this part)

Pero bakit kahit mailap, hinahanap?

Because being creative gives you a new perspective in this world that you’re free to explore. It’s difficult being creative because it is a key to a world that isn’t even created yet.

I guess this is why even if I struggle in writing, I still try to write. Maybe, just maybe, I could catch a glimpse of a new world in every old word.

07/23/20 02:39 AM