There is something to be said for the “art” of slowing down…. un-plugging from all the noise the world offers. I am not particularly good at it. I have, however have began to be more purposeful in order to perfect the skill. I think that slowing down enough to be still…. really still… is an art form, one that takes time and discipline. Giving yourself permission to say no to the things that are just noise and focus on those things that really do deserve your full-time and attention.
I am a “go getter”, I am not sure why, maybe it comes from the thought that if you keep moving, then life can’t catch you. A falsehood for sure. But, by nature I am an achiever. I would much rather spend time doing something, anything, than to sit in endless meetings talking about doing things, which by the way can literally push me off the edge. Don’t get me wrong, I love meeting with like-minded achievers as we plot the best ways to move forward, however often times I find that those that like meetings, truly just like talking about doing…. and rarely do they do… they hope that they will trap a doer into doing it all….a pit I have fallen into all too often.
Anything worth doing, I have concluded, is worth the devotion that an artist takes at perfecting his or her craft.
I recently sat in an art class at a local winery. My friend Rachel had recently opened a new business teaching art classes…. and doing what all good friends do, I humbled myself and took the class in show of support for her and her new venture. Now Rachel is an artist…. I loved sitting there watching her as she so skillfully used her tools to get on canvas what she had envisioned. I on the other hand… am a photographer/writer so getting the paint brush to obey me was way more of a challenge.
But, I also learned that evening that time is a gift…. Rachel would skillfully walk between budding artist to budding artist “correcting” the mishaps… by simply adding more water and using the brush and taking time to get it to do what she wanted. Lesson learned.
Life is like that too.. whether it is the Art of friendship, sisterhood, parenthood or the Art of Living… one has to take the time, use the tools that we have to perfect the skill, and be willing to remind ourselves that we are Artists in Residence.
A Cowgirl Called 