Monday, May 11, 2026
Eric Butterworth (1916–2003) once said, “Old Mother Hubbard, when she went to the cupboard and found not even a bone, she was in the perfect condition to sit down and write a great novel.” This struck me.
Plato is credited with a similar sentiment, “Need will be the real creator.” Need is the creator, and the created provides, all in perfect symmetry. We know the familiar story of rags to riches. J.K. Rowling was on her last welfare check when she wrote Harry Potter. I have a friend who started a billion-dollar business with a “last ditch” move to Atlanta and a life’s savings of $10,000.
Old Mother Hubbard, who after seeing the bare cupboard, decided to pen a great novel. Jesus Christ, who upon seeing two loaves and three fishes, fed thousands. Sheer necessity means something must be done due to unavoidable circumstances or a lack of other options, with the “sheer” emphasizing the complete and unyielding nature of the requirement. The only requirement is creativity, or pure TRUST. But it’s not a requirement, as in you have to find it, it’s built into the necessity.
How much do we run around like headless chickens shouting “need” when there is always just enough to pen a great novel, paint a picture, or do some “silly” creative act? Old Mother Hubbard had no food, but writes a novel or sculpts a statue. Moses had no option but to put his staff into the sea. His assailants had them “cornered.” J.K. Rowling had no option but to write about a young wizard. Her welfare was up.
“Crazy” minds make miracles with sheer necessity. They don’t see a bare cupboard and run like headless chickens. They rely on sheer possibility and make it work with sheer trust, two sides of the same essence that has no symmetry.