At ten years old, Kennedy embodies the creative process. As soon as she was old enough to handle pencil, scissors, tape, paint, and glue, she started creating things, and she hasn’t stopped.

The day before Thanksgiving, she sat down (when she was supposed to be doing something “responsible” that mom wanted her to do), pulled out some computer paper, sketched some quick shapes, grabbed the scissors and tape, and started to build something. At first, the something was incomprehensible. But after a few minutes of focused, studied work, she made an announcement.

“Look, Mom, I made a paper thanksgiving for dad.”

Her 3-D paper sculpture sat on the table in front of me. My jaw dropped.

Kennedy doesn’t create to impress. She creates because she can. Because she wants to. Because she has a vision and an impulse to bring it to life. Sometimes she gets mad at herself because she can’t realize her vision. Other times, like this time, she is proud of herself. No amount of praise can take the place of the happiness she feels when she’s created something she likes.

That feeling will take her everywhere.