Friday's Finds

TGIF -- It's Friday again. How the week flies by. We're in the process of remodeling our bathroom. My husband is quite handy and he's been stripping our very sorely in need oak cabinets down to the natural wood. It's amazing how much patience he has in making sure it's stripped, sanded, stripped, sanded. As I watch him use every tool he has in his arsenal, from razors, a newly-purchased sander, stripping solution to a wet vac and compressor, I think that his patience with his passion of building and restoring only matches my own with my writing.

I know it's a weird analogy, but it's true. While he might not be the most patient of men in general, (self-admittedly) with his craft, something he thoroughly enjoys, something he wants to take pride in when finished, he takes his time, goes through the necessary, often tedious steps, to make sure the job is done right. The outcome is usually something beautiful. Hey, he's the co-creator of our children, and they DID come out beautiful. But back to the analogy.

It's that same sense of patience we have when we write our stories. We strive to use every tool in our arsenal to get it right, and beautiful. We take our time, some things just can't be rushed. And when it's not working for us, we know it immediately and undo what isn't perfect. In a sense, we're builders too, and reshapers and restorers. We can't rush the steps or process. Some of us move faster than others, dedicate more time each day, but the end result is usually the same, if we're honest to our story -- it shows.

Well, I'm getting a new bathroom soon and I'm also getting that sense of accomplishment in finishing my story. Both are creations of the mind and heart. Both took time and patience. Both will bring a measure of pride and accomplishment. Creativity isn't exclusive to writing or art or music, but rather a universal trait that we can all find in even the smallest of things, if we look hard enough. Agree?