This word prompt sends shivers down the spine of some. A messy desk, bookbag or car are things that most shy away from. Generally, they send the wrong message to the observer; we don’t want to be seen as messy, right? Conversely, some studies indicate that messiness can be linked to creativity and problem-solving ingenuity. (Don’t worry, there are studies on the other side of the coin as well.)
Interestingly, many famous people were known for the chaos of their personal space despite their incredible contributions to the organized world of intellectualism. Albert Einstein, Mark Twain, and Michelangelo are some well-known creatives who deviated from conventional norms in thought and practice. They gifted the world a precise, delineated, and articulated product, but no doubt their processes to get there were messy, chaotic, and complex. We seem to remember the brilliance of some, as they are recognized for their finished products presented to the public, without the disarray that gifted the breakthrough. The toil and havoc that birthed the epiphanic moment often remain unseen and undiscovered.
I’m not advocating that we live in a mess; the aspects of our lives that need to be “by rote” should contain structure, purpose, and meaning. But the next time your 8-year-old with a tornado of toys trailing behind him transforms his room into a vibrant labyrinth of imagination, leaving a trail of laughter and chaos in his wake, maybe allow for a few more minutes to unlock his genius before ushering him to clean it all up. You never know; we may be able to put him on the list of messy creatives one day!
