Every Step is Still a Step

As you know I recently read Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg and it had a profound impact on me.  Not necessarily for writing purposes, but for quilting.  I don't know if I will ever become a passionate writer.  I enjoy it a lot, but it's not where my heart lies. 

Quilting is.  

Many of the lessons and thoughts she has about writing I think can be applied to quilting.  The thing I most took away from it is the lesson of no matter what - make time to do what you are most passionate about.  

We work, we have commitments, we have schedules.  Our lives move at such a fast pace.  When do we slow down and do what we really love if we aren't fortunate enough to make a living at it?  

I have started reading another of her books, Thunder and Lightening.  It is also filled with so many words of wisdom not only for the writer, but for the creative spirit.  

The lesson thus far  - We simply have to find time to do what we love - we have to make the time.

I get all bogged down in my days quite often.  I run here and there taking the kids where they need to go and scheduling their plans. I teach the kids, I work, I clean, I cook, and then trying to find the time and more importantly finding the motivation to do what I love is HARD. I want hours of time to sit at my machine sewing.  I think of all I could accomplish if I could just sew for 3 hours a day.  I get into my groove and I can really work fast.  Unfortunately, I'm lucky to find a spare hour during the week and I struggle with guilt when I turn down social engagements to stay home to quilt.  

I am letting go of my attachment to sew 3 hours a day for now. Instead, I am scheduling time on my calendar as sew ins. I am writing them on there as a reminder of my commitment to my passion  - and in hopes of helping me to keep myself from scheduling things on those dates.

  2 weekend days a month that I intend to be home working on a quilt and then I am determined to learn to be ok with 3 hours split however during the week.  As long as they happen.  I'm going to work harder at appreciating the 15 minutes here and the 15 minutes there.

I still won't make as many pieces as I would like, but I will be making more than I would if I don't up my commitment and do it even when I think I don't feel like.  It never fails to surprise me how much better I feel when I make myself sew.  I think I don't feel like it, but then when I do it anyways, everything else simply slips away. All the details of life that sometimes bog me down get lost into the ethers and I get to take a deep calming breath in.  Ahhhhhh.... And then I feel peace again.

The same little mantra keeps coming back to me...

Each step no matter how small is still a step.

 I am committed to being a creative person and making time to quilt.  A commitment to a little more time is a step in the right direction.

I am committed.  I am passionate.  I am doing it.