Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Challenge


"To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist."- Gail Sheehy


Challenges are stimulating, invigorating, and motivating. They can get your creative carcass off it's rump, get your inventive juices flowing once more. Recently, a friend handed me a plastic baggie full of seashells and asked me if I could do something with them. Without hesitation, I answered in the affirmative, confident that I could come up with something. I had no idea what I would do with those shells; I just knew that I would eventually have an idea. I picked through them and started playing around with them and, finally, "Fantasea" was born. I am pleased with the outcome, as was my friend. It is unique and colorful- an artistic piece. What is more, I still have a bag full of the remaining shells to work with when I feel the urge.

Working on this piece got me to thinking about other types of challenges. In daily life, we may face tremendous physical, mental or emotional challenges that may make it difficult simply to desire to get out of bed in the morning. It has occurred to me that I should approach life challenges in the same way that I faced that bag of shells- confident that, somehow, I can do something with the fragments and shards of problems before me that seem useless or hopeless. Play around with those problems until an inventive way to deal with them pops in my head. Don't give up on them or view the whole mess as garbage to be tossed. And realize that there exists more than one solution to most problems. Sometimes solutions don't come easily, or they may never present themselves. But at the very least, a way can be found to cope.
"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."- Herm Albright
"The impossible can always be broken down into possibilities."- Unknown

2 comments:

  1. MMMMmmmmmmm.....YES! wOwzah! Another spectacular feat of artistry! I'm always inspired by your work...and I love your reflections on challenges. So true!

    P.S. Smooches to the Bella Belly

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Jenn! I had a blast making this necklace. It really woke me up creatively.
    And, just so you know, the Bella belly has grown a bit.

    ReplyDelete