Ponderings Along the Pathway...PRESENT, NOT PERFECT

Welcome to this month's edition of Ponderings Along the Pathway, an exclusive feature over here on the Path of Positivity. The purpose of this column is to continue with the goal of this blog which is to create a space "designed to inspire, nurture and provide support for the soul by creating a positive path to follow, one project or post at a time". Providing some motivational introspection on the themes we cover each challenge period is one way of achieving this goal.

This month it is all about being PRESENT, NOT PERFECT and PAT is here to share her thoughts on the subject...

Have you ever tried a new technique and didn't like the finished product? Have you ever passed up a challenge because the requirement was something you had very little luck in? Of course you have! We all have.

Just like life, art is not a destination but a journey, and every journey comes with its bumps and detours. Trying new things, taking a new or different artistic path, is how we grow in creativity. Pinterest is no good if you don't try the things you pin to your boards.

Last year I pinned  tons of water color paintings. I decided to try water colors for the first time. Guess what? For every painting I revealed to the crafting world, there were four others that I threw away. Some of the paintings were really just blobs of muddy watery blobs. Others were of unidentifiable animals and flowers. Yeesh!

But I should not have felt awkward sharing my journey. It was a learning experience. Everyone has to start somewhere. Great artists didn't just paint a masterpiece the first time they picked up a brush. We wouldn't have all those lovely works of art hanging in museums if they said at that time, "Oh, brother, maybe I should be a baker."

Nobody is perfect, but we all strive for perfection. Let me tell you, the things that make a work of art, a beautiful face, a career, - it's the tiny imperfections that bother the creator that make their accomplishments stand out at the top.

Apart from art, I want to tell you about my husband. When we first started dating, he would often complain about his crooked teeth. It didn't make him hideous, and I didn't notice they were crooked until he mentioned it. What I did notice was his smile. When he smiled, my heart melted. I fell in love, and the rest is history (40 years of history). To this day, I fall in love with him again and again when I see that beautiful smile light his face.

I have finally learned to forget perfection and enjoy the ride. Whether my art is a masterpiece or it becomes a great way for starting a campfire, I enjoy every minute of learning something new and creating something handmade. I choose to take a different stretch of the Path as much as I can. Am I a great artist? Puh-lease! Am I a happy artist? You bet!

I wish you  all the courage and curiosity to take a different branch in your own journey. Do it often, keep going, and you will discover the amazing talents that never would have blossom if you hadn't explored and experienced.

Happy crafting!

It is time for a new direction for most of us. If you are like me and tend to be a perfectionist, it is time to get it through our heads that we don't need to perfect, we simply need to be present in our journey, to no longer be afraid of the process. Of course, I didn't say it was going to be an easy road, now did I?! We should all take some time this month and reflect on Pat's words so that one day too, we can "enjoy the ride" as she now does!

Well folks, that is it for today. Enjoy your weekend everyone and please join us again on Monday when we will be back with the midway for our current challenge!