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Today’s Blog Post
Returning home last evening I received a small but significant surprise when an email popped up on my Computer Screen. It read…
“Dearest Murray,
I am the winner of your tree from the Peterborough Festival of Trees!
I can't tell you how thrilled I am to win this beautiful tree that you have made!
For over 10years I have gone to Festival and although thoroughly enjoyed it, never won anything till now!
Your tree will be proudly displayed in my home exactly as it is decorated now, it doesn't need any improving as it is so beautiful!
I am picking it up tomorrow and don't think I will be able to sleep as I am so excited!
Thank you for supporting the community and creating this masterpiece that I will show for many, many years to come!!
Sincerely,
Katherine”
I responded to Katherine’s email by writing…
“THANK YOU KATHERINE... what a joy to know that it is someone that will appreciate it. I hope you enjoy the Teddy Bear as well. And if you look carefully, there are free “Tatting Lessons” that come with the Tree... should you wish to learn how to Tat in days to come - look for one of the Celtic Design decorations - on the back side.
BTW - The Newswatch@5:30 Gals are doing a program on Tatting and the Lace Making that I do on the Dec 8th - with broadcast sometime after that.
The tree has been viewed by 100s and 100s of people so far... actually in one recent week a little over 1000 views from New Zealand and moving west through to Hawaii - all 24 hours of time zones on one day alone! It has become pretty popular to say the least - around the world and here at home!!!!
Congratulations!
Murray Lincoln”
There are times in my journey when I have come close to quitting. The energy needed to complete a task is just way too much. The energy level inside of me is not there to match what needs to be done. The ability that I have is not there at the moment when it is needed to complete the quality of the task required.
I felt that feeling of overwhelm when working on the Tatted Christmas Tree. To take on a task of this magnitude I should have really had many helpers pitching in to help me. This was not a one man job but should have been One Man and about a Dozen Women!
But One Man did it! I am not sure how but it happened.
Following the exertion and expenditure of the creativity there comes a bought of loss and downers, where you are sure that you will never do that kind of thing again. It is a feeling that simply states, it was not worth it… I will not likely do that again!
I had that feeling this past week as I walked through the Peterborough Festival of Trees. I saw my beautiful little Christmas Tree covered with Tatting that I had done… with its lights all twinkling brightly… and kind of gave up. As I walked away my tiredness, my lack of energy related to the tree, my feeling of hopelessness was real.
“I have accomplished what I set out to do… and it will not likely happen again…” was my very real feeling as we exited the Memorial Centre and the Festival Show.
I am not sure that you have felt that feeling – but if you have you will already be breaking out in a cold sweat… and nodding your head when the old memories come flooding back.
Something that should be mentioned…
Over the course of preparing this Tree for the 2010 Show I heard a number of stories from former participants at Festival of Trees happenings. I had shared with the Businesses and different Artists that I was creating a Christmas Tree for the Festival or Trees. BUT I was shocked when I heard some of their stories… which by the way were much the same…
Most stated quite frankly that they would never have anything to do with this event again. They were so turned off that they would never go back or contribute anything again.
One artist simply stated, “After all that work that we did, lovingly creating one handcrafted piece after another… assembling it all into a master piece… and then paying the big dollars we did to get it into the Show as a Sponsor… there was not even one “Thank You”… not one reply back to tell us that anyone…even one person saw the beauty and appreciated what we did… not one. We will never do that again!”
Most of these statements happened early in my preparation… and I had not yet come to that exhausted moment when I questioned why I had become involved, why I had poured so much out into something that I would get very little back from… except maybe a better hospital stay when I get older.
I have no doubt now that these friends that I spoke with were simply feeling the same things I did. And I am sure that they didn’t get any email back stating a simply “Thank You!”
That one note delivered electronically last evening was worth about One Million Dollars in My Emotional/Creative Bank Account. In fact one Thank You has topped it up and I immediately began planning another tree for next year…maybe starting a wee bit earlier than September for the November Show.
I am delighted that Katherine wrote about her appreciation… and her delight. That made a difference for ME.
As I reflected on this early today.. I thought about all the people that I could inspire and build back up with what I say and do… and the one “Thank You” that could make a difference in their life. Maybe they would go on if someone simply said how much they appreciated what they did. Maybe if just one person said…..
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
1 comment:
Hi Dad
I'm going to use this story for a speech contest. I hope you don't mind. It's the 2nd Tuesday of February if you want to come along and bring some tatting or Christmas ornaments.
Love ya
Bruce
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