"There but for the grace of God go I.”
Perhaps that is why I write. Because suffering has a way of making strangers recognizable. Our pain has a way of binding us together as humans. We all know what it feels like to struggle, to suffer, or to not quite fit in. Maybe we are the oddball in the family. The friend who sees the world a little differently. Maybe we are simply carrying things no one else can see.
Where we differ is in how we survive those hard moments.
For me, creating—whether through art, writing, or music—has a way of easing the noise in my mind. My shoulders relax. My jaw unclenches. For a little while, peace settles in. In those moments, I feel more connected to myself, to others, and above all, to God/Allah, who guides me as I create.
Research shows creativity can do more than fill time. Art, writing, music, and other creative outlets help reduce stress and anxiety by encouraging the brain to release chemicals linked to calm, focus, and well-being. Creating also gives us a place to set down difficult emotions rather than carrying them everywhere we go.
Over time, those small moments of creating can help build resilience, improve mood, and become another tool for surviving difficult seasons.
So where does that leave you?
If you think you are not creative, or that you do not have time, remember this: creativity takes many forms, and it does not have to be complicated. Plant a garden. Bake bread. Crochet. Rearrange a room. Pick up a coloring book instead of watching one more episode or scrolling a little longer.
Try making something today.
Not for perfection. Not for money. Not for anyone else.
Just to see whether a small spark inside you has been waiting for permission to breathe.