This afternoon, I took a walk through my neighborhood, as I do almost every day. The sky was clear blue, with not a cloud to be seen after yesterday’s gloomy day. My neighbors were out and about. A man walked his dog. A woman passing me on the trail smiled and said she hoped the whole winter would be like this. Smiles. Sunshine. The end of the first month of a new year. I felt good. Ready for something new.
My personal bucket list is pretty empty. I have traveled to every place I’ve ever wanted to go. Sure, there are some I’d like to return to, but I’m happy with where I’ve been and have no real desire to add to the list. I used to play the piano but don’t care to play anymore. I do like to listen. Right now, Deuter is playing Sound of Invisible Waters on Pandora as I write. I like to dance and sing, and I’ve tried both. Let’s just say I dance better than I sing. No, I want to try something completely new. I’d like to draw.
I can do a sweet-looking daisy, a tulip, a cloud, a cat and a house. And I do like to doodle. But my very limited repertoire of sketches is frustrating. I want to draw what I see.
The local art museum sent out a brochure with classes for adults. I looked at it every day. I told myself I really don’t need another thing to do. My calendar fills up fast – gym, lunch with friends, church, book club, giving circle, volunteer docent, writing group, visits with my kids, teaching, book coming out soon, so book promotion…. and yet, as soon as I returned from my walk, I signed up online. Thursday nights in April, because the next two months’ classes are already filled.
I’m already imagining myself with pencil and sketch pad, playing at art, for that’s how I see it. I need to play. And learn, too. I hope it works out. Because of course, I have enough to do. I bet you do too. But sometimes we just really need to try something new.
How about you? Are you longing to try something new? What’s stopping you? Or are you going ahead with a new plan? Comment below and I’ll put your name in the drawing for my copy of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. In it, an itinerant librarian meets racism during the Depression.
The winner of last month’s drawing is Mary Jo Doig. She wins my copy of Listening is an Act of Love from the Story Corps Project. Mary Jo has written a terrific memoir of her own. Click on her name to read all about it. Congratulations, Mary Jo, and thanks for stopping by!
