Innovation

We had boxes of these in my house growing up.

Do you know what it is?

It’s a toothpaste tube roller. My Great Uncle Albert made them—hundreds of them actually. He invented them.

I remember going to Uncle Charlie’s inventors’ shop once when I was little. My eyes were just high enough to peer down the sawdust-covered countertops. Everything smelled of old wood and agitated metal. Scattered among the machines and tools were remnants of fishing reels he’d invented as well, at various stages on their journey to creation.

Back then, I thought Charlie was the only real inventor I knew. Now I find myself surrounded by inventors.

Innovation, according to Merriam-Webster, is introducing something new … a new idea, method, or device.

Moms: introduce new people into the world, not to mention endless uses for a laundry basket, silly songs, and ways to get you to eat their veggies.
Dads: innovate riveting bedtime tales and sneaky ways to make chores fun
Writers: invent great escapes into new personas and worlds
Entrepreneurs : invent their own futures, brands, and goals
Crafters and artists: create something physically new, where once there were only materials and a vision
Entertainers: (game creators, movie makers, theater performers) give people tangible interactions they couldn’t otherwise experience

They’re all innovators. And if you take time to ponder it, somehow or other, you are, too.

In honor of Inventors’ Month, take time to recognize your unique contributions to your world, your community, or even your home.

While you’re at it, start brainstorming something new that only you can give.

Invite a kid into your creative process, too. Perhaps someday they’ll remember the wonder of that peek into your workshop and be inspired to create something wonderful of their own.