The Essence of Genius

      "I dwell in possibility."
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
      Two quotes by two very different authors begin this blog.  One is by Emily Dickinson and one is by Albert Einstein.  I would think that Albert wrote the first and Emily the second, but, of course, I would be wrong.  Both give notice to a force or element of genius more important than just knowing.
       What is genius?  They both had it and both sought to describe it.
       Albert Einstein, though so famous as a scientific thinker, also said, "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." Creative expression is a bit like what he referred to earlier as imagination;only creative expression can be shared.  He understood well that a good teacher does more than just impart knowledge. A good teacher can certainly inspire some elements of genius.
       Emily Dickinson dwelt in the world of creative expression and imagination. Albert Einstein dwelt in the same realm.  Many people have imagination and that has not been awakened. Many people do not reach their potential for creative expression. Are imagination and creative expression the essence of genius or is genius just a great memory for facts?
       Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart said, "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." 
       That expresses well what I think.  A great teacher encourages the passion and love that will stimulate the thirst for knowledge and the imagination that will lead to the joy of creative expression. It is a love of thinking, learning, imagining and expressing that genius has! Love is the essence of genius!