Tomorrow morning I leave for another trek back to Kentucky.
I stayed in Virginia a few days longer than I really needed to because for the
first time since moving here – here has felt more like home than home. Then
again, I am very anxious to get back to family and friends in NKY too. I can
tell the 14 days I’ll be back will really fly by! I have lots to keep me busy.
In the meantime, however, I had a few days of actual free
time – that’s right – no papers, tests, projects, work responsibilities – real,
honest-to-goodness-nothing-to-do-but-me time – I worked on some crafting
projects I have accumulated in the apartment. It’s in these last two weeks that
I have really found my safe place. When I am creating something it’s like I am
in another world or dimension. I am so connected in that moment with my body
and my mind. It brings me so much peace and relaxation to be working with my
hands to create something from nothing. I love being able to look at a regular
everyday object and after playing with it a couple hours it is something completely
different.
I have been painting, sewing, metal working, sanding,
designing, and just simply doing. My projects have such a wide range and I am
realizing that I am gifted in more areas than I thought I was! All those years
I was down on myself for not being athletic just seem so silly now. I do have
hand eye coordination after all! It’s just applied in a different way. I have a
difficult time when someone says that they aren’t creative, because to me,
creativity comes so organically. It’s not something I think about, it’s just
something that happens. The imperfections of the end product are really what
make it so special anyway. I am never trying to “get it right” right just
happens. (I bet that is how all those boys I dated felt about sports! Or video
games. It came so naturally to them. Now I guess I have a better understanding
and a new perspective when I reflect on natural talents.)
I don’t know how else to describe this newfound love except
by calling it: crafting, working with my hands, or creating. I had a friend say
to me today, “You’re in your element when you do, it’s kinda cool to watch!”
And I completely feel what she meant there. Creating is where my flow happens.
It’s become my therapy. (Not that counseling didn’t do wonders for me!) I talk
to students at work about what their strengths are and if those strengths are
activities they want to do 40-50 hours a week for a living or if those
strengths are things that keep them centered and grounded in their life but
they don’t want to do it all of the time. For me crafting is such a passion (It
always has been, I just didn’t realize it until now. Always learning new things
about myself!) but if I had to support myself this way I would be miserable.
What I really love to do day to day is connect with my students and build
relationships with colleagues. What I love to do in my free time is connect
with myself and I do that through working with my hands. (Of course, I love
when I can combine things every once in awhile and my girlfriends are all
around doing their things too! And maybe wine is involved…)
While I could go on and on and connect this a step further to creating your own happiness and destiny, let me just leave you with some
thoughts about creation that my supervisor passed on to me:
“Why wait? Create. We are creators. Just as God created us,
he too gave us the power to create anything we want in our reality. Everything you’ve
ever dreamed is waiting in the universe just for you. All you have to do is
manifest it… that’s right, just make it happen… it’s low hanging fruit, such a
wonderful and generous gift. The hitch is you must take the initiative… make
the first move! So fear not and jump, it’s not as far as you think… remember
the universe already knows… leap! Why wait? Create.”
And if you ever need someone to help you take that leap – I’m
right here.
:)))
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