Is anything original? This is a question that’s been asked time and time again. A friend asked me this question recently and we had two weeks to think about it and then confer. While you can go into a whole complicated discussion of patents and copyrights, I decided to eschew that splitting of hairs. My first reaction to this question was to say no, nothing is truly original, but after two weeks I now think yes.

Everything is original. 

Seeds from last year’s harvest combine with soil, sunlight, and water to create a new plant.

Everything is original.

This winter’s snowfall produced billions of unique snowflakes.

Everything is original.

A President is elected and resistance to that energizes a movement.

Everything is original.

Death feeds life. The old combines with the old and something new is born.

Everything is original.

Everything is in a state of becoming, always fresh and new.

Yet … everything stays the same.

History repeats itself.

Old maxims need to be applied to current situations.

The seasons come and go and come again.

Day turns to night and then to day again.

Love is love is love is love.

You are an original. 

Since all of reality is intersectional, nothing stands alone. Yet, our intersections create something new in each moment. There is no other you. And, even you are fresh and new in this moment. You might not feel it but what if you were to absorb this thought? Life is a process of constant becoming. And, we can choose how we become.

“You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life.” ― Austin Kleon, Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative (paid link)