Rainy days are powerful personal prompts sent to remind us that in our desire to accomplish so much each day, we cherish ordinary time-outs too little.
— Sarah Ban Breathnach
Back in April my sister-in-law came to stay while she attended the Quilt Symposium being held here in Wellington. Every evening she returned home to us excited by her day and determined that I was going to attend something during this week long event. She tempted me with her stories, her photos, examples of her work, the items she had purchased, her overwhelming enthusiasm and the descriptions of all the things others had done and she had learnt. She lured me along to see the exhibitions and to see the stalls with all their eye candy wares. I felt like a kid in a toy shop.
“Have a look at this,” she’d say as she handed me the symposium programme. “You might see something that interests you.”
My sister-in-law was determined I was going to stop working at the computer and start engaging with the crafty me who loves playing with fabric and thread.
I’d put the programme down on the table and walk away – I didn’t need to start anything new I’d tell myself.
Unfortunately the programme would beckon me to pick it up and look at it despite my best attempts to not do so. In the end I attended a number of lectures and a class on making artist trading cards.
Today as the torrential rain continues to fall I thought about the artist trading cards I have made over the wet and cold weekends we have had for months now. I realised that the rain brings with it a kind of relief, almost an enforced slowing down of everyday life. It allows us to indulge in activities that we would normally caste aside because we feel guilty about doing them.
Today’s photo is one of my hand sewn trading cards. It was inspired by the rain and I called it “Raining hearts”. When I made it I thought about how lucky I was to be showered by so much love in my life and to know it keeps coming, and I need it to, just like the rain. I am so grateful for these enforced breaks in my day when I can reconnect myself with the things I forget that I love to do.
Manifesto
05. Every day is now. The present moment.
22. Every day refine, clarify and simplify.
29. Every day eat, drink, rest, work, exercise, play, love, create for your own good. And the good of others.
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