One form my anxiety takes is that I never think I have enough time to do what I have to do. In the beginning of the day I’ll imagine everything I’ll get done, (usually an impossible amount of work,) then when I can’t finish it all I start to panic. Or, I’ll give myself a self imposed time limit based on… I don’t know what. Tonight I told myself I’d finish by 6:00. At a a few minutes to six, as I was stitching the last potholder, the bobbin ran out. Of course it did, it always does. Instead of panicking I decided to do something different. I put the potholder aside for tomorrow and walked over to my shelf and started to rearrange it.
I began with the spools of thread ,then moved to the bottom shelf, creating a story that I didn’t consciously understand. Last, I moved the dried hollyhock ladies in with the teacups and bones. I don’t know how long it took. I was in what my friend Serena calls Artful Time. Those moments when one is so present in the actions of the moment, that regular time morphs.
I’m not completely sure why, but when I was done, I felt calmer. I imagine it has something to do with the meditative quality of rearranging and the lack of pressure involved in just moving things around. Or maybe Artful Time is my natural state of my mind. Maybe it’s everyones true time and the world would be a different place if we all existed in it.
Your arrangement of your shelf is perfect.
Hi Maria, What a beautiful blog entry. Your shelves are exquisite. I see the story on the bottom shelf and the middle shelf tells me that Artful Time is your natural state.
I do this frequently with flowers and did today too! A boquet from two wks. ago changes each day. Today I spent peaceful time cutting the stems down finally and arranging the remaining flowers in a small brass teapot on the mantel. I felt calm and proud of my pretty creation.To heck with the footand a half of snow piling up outside! I cleared the walk and doggie paths many times today.
Stay warm and love to Frieda, Cindy
That is the definition of artful time.
Obviously, this was time well spent……very pleasing to the eye, very soothing to look at. Whatever the ‘inner story,’ it seems to have come from a balanced place.
I admire your shelf space; it should have a long shelf life! Thank you for sharing, Maria. I, too, have a tiny shelf with photos, worry beads and my art.
they are really alters aren’t they?
Definitely! i love it when things just click.
I love this picture! It is so comforting to display the things you love, I do the same thing to calm down. What I enjoy is that time calms down with you in a moment like this:-)