Chutzpah!

I find that creativity begats creativity. For those of you too young to have read anything containing the word 'begat,' it means 'procreate' or 'bring into being.' (Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition). This past couple of weeks I attended five performances at the Chutzpah Festival of Performing Arts at the Vancouver JCC. Plays, music and dance performances. I was actually a volunteer usher for three of the shows. You might think about doing that as a way to experience the arts without breaking your own personal bank. As I watched a brilliant dance performance last night (Aszure Barton's dance company from New York) all kinds of story ideas popped into my head. That's what I mean about begatting. Inspiration just washed over me. Or, if you prefer a fire image to a water image, it's a bit like the Olympic torch that kindles one flame that kindles another and on and on. Or even like good deeds (mitzvot in Hebrew). Pass the baton of goodness (fire, creativity) please. So if you need a little inspiration treat yourself to a play or a music or dance recital - even a movie. You never know, it might stir up your own creative juices. Then - in turn - you'll inspire someone.
p.s. The 'Ch' in Chutzpah is pronounced like the 'ch' in Loch Ness.