Broken Birds: Creativity and Genius and Madness

I read a quote from Katy Perry about John Mayer that got me to thinking: she said, “All I can say about that relationship is that he’s got a beautiful mind. Beautiful mind, tortured soul. I do have to figure out why I am attracted to these broken birds. "This intrigues me.  I personally think John Mayer is really gifted. I recently read that giftedness in young adults makes them four times more likely to develop bi-polar disorder later in life. I don't know about that, and I'm certainly not saying that John Mayer is in any way bi-polar. But in fact, I do think there is a part of creativity that is wild and maybe a little scary for some people. To feel the highs of the creative process also means that you will experience the lows -- the frustration. Right now, for instance.  I have been trying DESPERATELY all day to write.  ALL DAY.  I get a sentence down and a small male interrupts me. Or a medium-sized male.  That is certainly frustrating.The idea that creativity and "broken birds" go together, I do believe in that. A beautiful mind can be beset by many troubles. Creativity requires a heightened sensitivity to the world, and that can wound people. You open yourself up, you are apt to get hurt. I think many writers are drawn to broken birds, just like Katy. We just tend to write about them, instead of dating them. It might be a better way to figure them out. And maybe that's because we're broken birds, too.