Make Time

Our daily lives can quickly fill with the minutia of necessary chores, along with the maintenance of our work lives.  The caretakers role for myself and the spousal unit was brief but challenging while our parents entered their illnesses before passing, and it was often near impossible to remember to nuture ourselves for the marathon we were running.

I love reading the weekly column, and listening to Krista Tippett on the radio, her writings "On Being", synch to my immediate needs with regularity.  Last week she had an essay by a writer who spoke to the need to find meaning and calm in daily ritual.  How can simple everyday acts speak to us to offer a sense of calm and introspection?

The act of making time for our art is a constant theme with my pottery and art friends, especially so for those still juggling work, and creating a volume of inventory for shows and sales.  Even at the hobby level it's a temptation to let stress overwhelm my better senses and forget to take enjoyment for the act of creation.

 I was disinvited to a holiday show that is one of my better sales, as the host's daughter has decided to make and sell soaps.  After a brief pity party for the loss of income, I decided to view this as an opportunity to enjoy being less stressed, and enjoy the gift of time to anticipate the holidays as the joyful moments of being with friends and activities.  Not having to pack my inventory, load the car with display shelving and truck across town for 4 long and frantic days gives me a sense of relief.  It's not easy for the ego to turn down the opportunity for a sale, it flatters both the wallet and is justification for creating work that people enjoy buying.  Being an introvert I enjoy selling through gift shops and galleries, they provide the venue, staff and advertising while I provide the soaps and pottery.  Being "up" for 10 hour days at a holiday sale can be exhausting when my arthritis flares and keeping up a smile when someone turns to her friend and proclaims about the pottery: "you know you could do that in your oven"!  Well, bless your heart.  You could if your oven will heat to 2400 degrees Fahrenheit.



The Chinese poet and philosopher Lao Tzu wrote on the art of pottery, saying, "we shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness within that holds whatever we want".

What is it that you want, that you can find in the emptiness within?

Namaste dear friends.