Thursday, October 19, 2006
NEVER TOO LATE.....
I remember a preacher once who gave an illustration about the importance of proper learning. He held an acorn, a seedling and a sprout. He could hold them all in his hand and do what he wanted with them. The point, however, was that in time the acorn would became impossible to bend, break or pick up any longer. It would become a tree and so strong that only a saw or an ax could bring it down. A mighty oak that could stand the winds of strife. I never forgot his example.
The strength of learning is amazing. Grandma Moses was 75 when she began painting her American Folk Art. By the time of her death at 101 years, she had produced 1600 paintings. She was once quoted as saying, “If I hadn’t started painting, I would have raised chickens.” The ones of us who enjoy her primitive pictures of Americana are happy she decided to paint.
I am very grateful for the stories I’ve heard from older people all along the way. The most valuable lesson I learned was that they accepted their place in life and didn’t pine for something else or feel cheated the way they ended up. They simply made the most of where they were and did the best they could. It wasn’t until late life that many of them had enough free time to pursue anything other than keeping food on the table.
Age and experience have a lot to offer if you listen. One thing I know for sure, if you have a job to do and do it right, you don’t have much time to make mistakes or get into trouble. These days if you stay with a job until it‘s done and done right, people joke around and say you’re Excessive-Compulsive. I don’t consider myself compulsive or excessive but I still like things done right.
It interests me why someone would decide to either raise chickens or paint and then excel in painting. Think what we would have missed if she decided to go into the chicken business. What twist or turn in our thinking makes those differences? To be content and fulfilled in whatever we decide is the ultimate goal. How we get there is what makes us who we are.
Grandma Moses said, “Life is what we make it…always has been….always will be.”
From where I’m sittin’ I’d say that’s pretty near right…………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
The strength of learning is amazing. Grandma Moses was 75 when she began painting her American Folk Art. By the time of her death at 101 years, she had produced 1600 paintings. She was once quoted as saying, “If I hadn’t started painting, I would have raised chickens.” The ones of us who enjoy her primitive pictures of Americana are happy she decided to paint.
I am very grateful for the stories I’ve heard from older people all along the way. The most valuable lesson I learned was that they accepted their place in life and didn’t pine for something else or feel cheated the way they ended up. They simply made the most of where they were and did the best they could. It wasn’t until late life that many of them had enough free time to pursue anything other than keeping food on the table.
Age and experience have a lot to offer if you listen. One thing I know for sure, if you have a job to do and do it right, you don’t have much time to make mistakes or get into trouble. These days if you stay with a job until it‘s done and done right, people joke around and say you’re Excessive-Compulsive. I don’t consider myself compulsive or excessive but I still like things done right.
It interests me why someone would decide to either raise chickens or paint and then excel in painting. Think what we would have missed if she decided to go into the chicken business. What twist or turn in our thinking makes those differences? To be content and fulfilled in whatever we decide is the ultimate goal. How we get there is what makes us who we are.
Grandma Moses said, “Life is what we make it…always has been….always will be.”
From where I’m sittin’ I’d say that’s pretty near right…………
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
