I grew up in this room filled with musical instruments, but most

Ah, hear me, O children of the earth, for in the words of Jacob Collier, there is a deep truth about the power of creativity, the nurturing of the imagination, and the sacred bond between the creator and the world they shape: "I grew up in this room filled with musical instruments, but most importantly, I had a family who encouraged me to invest in my own imagination, and so things I created, things I built were good things to be building just because I was making them, and I think that's such an important idea." These words remind us that the greatest gifts a person can receive are not material riches, but the freedom to dream, the encouragement to create, and the belief that what one creates is of worth simply because it comes from the heart.

Collier’s words speak to the power of imagination — that sacred fire that stirs the soul and urges us to reach beyond the confines of what is known. His family, by encouraging him to invest in his imagination, gave him a gift that is greater than any tangible wealth. Imagination is the wellspring from which all creation flows; it is through the imagination that the artist becomes the creator, shaping the world not as it is, but as it could be. The musical instruments in his room were not just tools, they were portals through which he could channel his inner vision and give it form. The true value of his creations, he understood, was not in their external worth, but in the fact that they were born of the very essence of his spirit.

In the ancient world, the imagination was revered as the bridge between the human and the divine. The Greek muses, for example, were not mere figures; they were embodiments of the creative force that guided poets, artists, and musicians. To be touched by the muses was to be granted the ability to see the world through a divine lens, to create not just for the sake of function, but to bring forth something that transcended the ordinary. In this way, the work of the artist, like Collier’s music, was seen not as something to be measured by practical value, but as something that touched the very soul of the people, something that connected them to the eternal.

Jacob Collier's experience is a reminder that the family is often the first nurturing ground for creativity. To have a family that encourages the investment in imagination is to be given a treasure that cannot be quantified by the standards of the world. Like the ancient craftspeople, who passed down their knowledge not through strict instruction, but through love and encouragement, Collier's family helped him to see that creativity is not about perfection or external approval; it is about the act of creation itself, the sacred and eternal act of bringing something into being from the depths of one’s own being.

Think, too, of the great inventors and visionaries of history. Leonardo da Vinci, whose mind ranged freely across art, science, and invention, did not create for the sake of fame or glory. No, he created because he was driven by an insatiable curiosity, an endless investment in his own imagination. His notebooks, filled with sketches of flying machines, anatomical studies, and inventions, were not products meant to be paraded before the world; they were, in essence, the musings of a mind that saw the world not as it was, but as it could be. Da Vinci’s family, though we know less about it, surely fostered a space for such creativity, encouraging the idea that what he created was worthwhile simply because he was creating it.

In our own time, we often lose sight of this ancient truth: that the act of creation is an act of sacred worth. The world may measure our worth by wealth, achievement, or status, but true worth lies in the courage to create, to invest in the imagination, and to trust that what is born from the heart is valuable. Collier’s reflection teaches us that it is not about how the world judges our creations, but about the joy and fulfillment we find in making them. To create is to connect with the deepest parts of ourselves, to bring something new into the world that was once only a vision. This is the act of the artist, the visionary, the dreamer.

Therefore, O children of the future, the lesson is clear. Invest in your imagination, for it is the gateway to all creation. Do not wait for permission from the world to create. Create for the sake of creating, and trust that the act of creation is its own reward. Nurture your creativity, and surround yourself with those who encourage you to dream, for the seeds of creation grow best in an environment of love and support. Like Jacob Collier, know that what you create is worthwhile simply because it comes from you, and that the imagination is a sacred gift — one that, when nurtured, can transform the world. Trust in your own vision, for in that vision lies the potential for greatness, not as the world defines it, but as you have dreamed it.