In a secondhand shop lying among the discarded treasures of yesteryear, lay a chunk of wood with the beginnings of a beautifully crafted work of art. I was saddened to find something so lovingly carved, discarded before it was complete. The artist and perhaps a recipient of the art, never received the chance to see its potential. Because the creator stopped short of the process of completion, the chunk of wood appeared mundane and useless. As I brought it to the counter to pay, the cashier gave me a quizzical look.
“What do you want this chunked up piece of wood for?” she asks.
“See? It’s the beginnings of a beautifully carved hummingbird,” I happily responded, “This must
have taken a lot of time and skill to create.”
“Oh yeah? I don’t see it. Looks like someone had too much time on their hands,” she responded while chewing her gum a bit too loudly. I winced at the sound of it, as it sounded a bit like a car backfiring.
With a forced smile I walked away with a slightly dampened spirit for my newfound treasure.
How sad it must be, to not be able to see the potential of what something can become if given just a little patience and attention. I remember how long it took me to come to that realization in my own art journey. When I first began painting, I would often give up before seeing it through to completion.
What was on the paper did not match what I had imagined creating. Watercolor, acrylic painting or other art forms all have an “ugly” stage it must go through. Often, I would walk away from my art in frustration, but with fresh eyes the next day I could see that it was taking shape – I saw its potential.
With practice and patience, I soon realized adding the needed layers, details, and not expecting perfection, helped me learn to love my creation. Even a diamond doesn’t start out beautiful and shining – it takes pressure and a lot of work to become something spectacular and beautiful. When I stopped trying to control and manipulate the time table and started trusting the process, my frustration lessened.
Relationships are often like art. It takes time, effort, and a lot of patience to build a good relationship. It does not need to be discarded when something does not go the way we wish it would.
We all have flaws and imperfections. People are different and we see things differently at times.
Whether we are examining ourselves or someone else, we must look beyond the present moment, so that we can see the potential more clearly. Art and relationships should not be rushed or easily discarded. When we learn to trust the process, we will see the beauty and benefits of both. The same can be said about our relationship with God. So often I have tried to run ahead and fix things or give up too soon. We are not responsible for the way someone else acts, but we are responsible for the way we respond. Taking time to work on our relationship with God first will help us learn to see the potential in other relationships – family, friends, work, and partners alike. Trust the process. And let us not grown weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12)
By: Donna Worsham
Donna Worsham resides at WC Farm in Lyerly, GA. Her family began the farm to raise healthy food for her family. She teaches individual watercolor and acrylic lessons as well as offers paint parties at the Art Barn at WC Farm since retiring early from Berry College after twenty years.
