You haven’t seen clouds…or lightning…until you’ve lived in central Florida. The clouds that dump the rain most every summer afternoon tower taller and higher than any I have ever seen. They roll, and blow, and flow. When it’s grayer than gray over one’s own house, in the distance there is in plain sight blue sky and puffy clouds. A mile away from us it may be raining cats and dogs and never rain at our house at all. Almost every day the clouds are a work of art on the canvass of the sky.

Central Florida is apparently the lightning capitol of the world. The conditions here are perfect for the generation of static electricity. You should see the formations and cloud-to-ground strikes, or the flashing spider webs of light, the create cracks in the sky. It is an awesome, and sometimes scary, sight.

These natural occurrences are reminders to me that art and creativity are all around. Sometimes all we need do is open our eyes to what is most familiar to us. Inspiration is everywhere.

Looking for a way to jazz up your presentation, your paper, your writing, or your art…whatever it may be? Take a look around. Enjoy a closer look at something you see every day. Linger for a moment. Slow down. Try and notice something you haven’t noticed before…

…Like the shape of the cloud as it passes by on a summer afternoon.

Where have you noticed creativity in something boringly familiar?