Doing creative work gets pitched as this "Exertion of the ego" or "One bold director's vision." Iwata himself said "Creativity, after all, is an expression of the ego."

Allow me to be over 30 and bust out the phrase "But, the older I get...":

The older I get, the more I feel inspired by being tied to a lineage. The more it feels ennobling to be a part of a larger legacy of craft, expression, and plane ol' messing around.

It happens anytime I go to an art museum... like this weekend! We're all moved by an artists' ability to draw expressive strokes on a page, paint a bowl, or carve figurines.

Take that in any creative dimension you want. I have a few more:

Every time I sit down to code, I feel my spirit jumping down into the trenches with many folks I admire. Those spirits that developed video games in the 80s and 90s in Japan, or those developers who programmed the websites I visited as a kid. Or my favorite: my dad — who was always tinkering with custom built PC's while I was growing up.

As a musician, well, there are multiple!! I sat with Bach and Yo-yo Ma while learning the first cello suite on bari sax. (An offensive idea to some, I'm sure, but wildly fun for me!) When I play piano, a range of jazz musicians, classical pianists, and composers sit at the bench next to me.

Lately, my favorite is thinking of Walt Stanchfield, who would "spend an inordinate amount of time at the piano" only to go on and sketch tirelessly. A very personal fit for me, who also is spending his days sketching and banging at the keyboard.

On a grander scale, all of that connects us with generations spanning humanity of people who added flare to simple items and decorated their time with song.

Here's W. A. Matheau's essay on originality:

...You realize that what is "original" essentially rearranges the familiar: the same ancient notes and gestures done over again in meaningful new ways. You realize that only the fingerprints are yours, and that this was true for Beethoven and his fingerprints, and Bird and his. You see how everyone is on the same pilgrimage, and how there is no racing on such a road as this. You desire on thing only: To be a conscientious traveler.

Phew! What a relief! No need to be original. Just authentic. Instead, we're all unique intersections of influences.

While that leads to different sensitivities and different eyes for beauty, we're all united in one way or another to our lineages. And we are continuing the conversation for generations by contributing in the first place.

My voice may not be entirely unique. Instead, I think it's more noble to be the vessel through which so many traditions and eyes for beauty in the world continue on. In that way, we all live on.