We're not quite done with the patio project. There's still trim to do and stones that need tweaking. But as many of you do-it-yourself(ers) know, there is something deeply satisfying about taking on a project, figuring out how to do it, then jumping in.
Over the past month, Michael and I, working under the name, Intuitive Landscapers, have hauled dirt, shoveled stone, & pounded sand. We prepped the spot for our patio until finally, this weekend...we fit the stones together like a jigsaw puzzle. Claire and I wrote messages and prayers...smile, bless this house, keep us laughing please, and slipped them under the stones as we laid them out.
Coming down the home stretch we discovered that we were short one 18 x 18 stone.
"But it's not finished," I said.
"No big deal. We'll get it tomorrow." Michael said.
And of course, he was right. We'll get the last stone tomorrow, slide it into the empty space and all will be well. But still.
Here's the tiny twitch I noticed when we came up short. That missing stone reminded me, yet again, how often I believe I need to have all my pieces in place to be okay. I walk around thinking, if I just do this, or that, maybe get a full time job, find the right hair color, learn to stand on my head, organize my closet... I'll be okay. If I can find that one piece , I won't feel sad, lost, complicated, or afraid of dying.
Curiouser and curiouser, this being alive.
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteOne of my father's favorite axioms is "an artist's work is never done" when he finds himself uninspired to finish a project, runs out of materials, or having finished the original plan returns for a revision. That pretty much fits my life, though I hesitate to adopt the label artist!
Here's to your Dad's philosophy around work and an artist's life...we are always revising, don't you think? And no need to hesitate about calling yourself an artist...it's a fine tribe...and you are most certainly a member.
ReplyDeleteThanks, as always, for checking in!