Listening and Creating

Are there any others out there who process information better while their hands are busy?  I have discovered that I learn best while I am doing something besides just sitting and listening.  My mind has a great tendency to wander when I am too still.  The effort of keeping still can be exhausting!  When I am at home listening to video or audio presentations, it is easy to work on a project.  Learning and doing are my happy place.  

The problem for me is when I am in a social setting.  If you bring out a project such as knitting, crochet, sewing (my first choices) the glances you get are not happy ones.  I don’t know if others are annoyed because they think you are not listening well or if they are envious that they don’t have a project too.    

My present day compromise is a notebook where I can plan creative projects.  If I have some paper and colored pencils, I can sketch and plan away and it feels a little like I have some room to breathe while I am expected to be a “good” listener.  After all good note taking makes for good listening, right?

It is even acceptable in some modern day worship settings to paint or draw while listening.  Alas, those are the only art forms that I have found to be acceptable.  I don’t paint or draw very well, but give me some fiber and I am off and running!  

I am wondering if we can begin to expand our definition of listening to include space for those of us who work so hard to sit still that we find the effort distracting.  I have taught children for many years and discovered that often a child would begin to listen better when they could keep their hands (and sometimes even their feet) busy.  It makes sense to me that this probably continues into adulthood.

I am not advocating for anarchy in either worship or other learning settings.  I am suggesting that if you are one who has trouble with listening, that maybe finding ways to keep your hands busy with small projects may help.  It is also a way to make space for some creativity in our over-scheduled world.  Makes sense to me that we are hard wired to be creative like the one who made us.

Happy Creating!