Well ... according to his daughter, Einstein would play the piano whenever he hit a dead end, or a seemingly insurmountable problem. Music enabled his theoretical physics? I had no idea!
I, for one, I am more easily inspired by works of art, and I've found a treasure trove of inspiration in my husband's paintings. They have filled my mind with ideas, feelings, and an almost palpable presence.
I cannot help but articulate these visual experiences as poetry. Such work is born of a symbiotic relationship between our respective mediums. It is by way of this that I kind of get what Einstein meant.
Alas, I would do well to focus on these paintings during the dry spells when I have a hard time coming up with something to write ... but I tend to neglect this, even though his art adorns our every wall.
However, now that I've read and explored this quote from Einstein, I won't be quite so prone to forget that I have such a ready and ample source of inspiration ... making for a lot less whining on my part.
This "relationship," between my husband's art and mine, has worked both ways. For instance, a paining that he did of Emery, though inspired by my poem, is a most unique interpretation of my piece.
When one such as we is immersed in the experience of a painting, a poem, or even in playing a piano, the imagination gets fed, and freed ... and loosed to create something that has not existed before.
Thank you, Einstein!!!
Image: digest.bps.org.uk