A huge part of creativity involves learning. Really, the desire to learn drives being creative, doesn’t it? Luckily for me, I’m a good learner (at least I think I am)–not only do I pick up on things quickly, but, and this is key, I actually like to learn. Museums, zoos, historical homes all interest me. Sometimes I wish I were a scholar, of some random subject, just so I could know everything there is to know about..something.

When I was younger, I learned from those older, like parents or teachers. Growing up, I learned from friends, peers. Lately, I find I’m the one teaching. Enter my 81-year-old grandfather, lovingly called Sammy Bill.

Upon Sammy Bill’s eightieth birthday, he had a surge of new life. He began to discover, innovate, invent. He created “golf flags” so his friends on the golf course could easily tell the direction of the wind. He, on a whim, bought a cat. Most recently, he wrote a novel, not about his life, but his mother’s. (Don’t dare call this man senile. His memory is better than mine.)

All of his new adventures have involved some unavoidable form of computer use. With my help, he ordered parts for his golf flags online; registered the cat for vaccines through a vet’s website; and typed all 70+ pages of his book in Word. True accomplishments!

It’s sweet when he calls me to come over and help with his computer woes. Once he had to print labels; another time he needed to attach a picture to an e-mail. Recently, he got a website. Tonight he asked me what his “yooral” was. I think he meant URL.

As I teach him only the things I know, which isn’t much anyway, I learn, too–and not just about the new age of technology. I learn about him, how he adapts, and how he views the world. It’s interesting, a gift really. He’s willing to learn, research, ask questions. And he doesn’t give up. We all can learn from him.

So I guess this is what is called a full-circle moment. I see that I get a good part of my creativity from Sammy Bill, and yet now, he feeds off mine. At the age of 81, I’ll be doing well to be like him. (I only hope to write my first novel before then!)