Holidays and Studio Days.

If there's one thing I've learned in my life on this planet so far it's this:  balance is a see saw not a balance beam. 

I really believe it because I see it all the time in my life but it's especially clear during the holiday season.  With all the loveliness of season to enjoy, I still yearn to get my hands in clay.  Throw.  Paint.  And carve away.  But my days can get easily eaten up with extra seasonal work outside the studio.  

I feel like I fight this every year as I try to balance my world between all the things I love. My desire to enjoy the season vs my desire to enjoy my studio. 

I love the season.  Putting out my snowflake trees.  Setting up my table with snowflake white tablecloth and red, felted runner and candles. Plumping up cozy pillows and throws for the sofa. Getting out the Santa pictures and picture books from my children's childhood. Filling the hutch with my Christmas Spode.  Cutting down a fresh Grand Fir tree and decorating it.  Baking cookies and shortbread.  I can really be a happy holiday maker around my home.

But.  You know there would be a but...I miss my clay.  It calls to me by day and whispers to me at night saying, "Play with me, paint me."  And sometimes, it shouts, "Trim me now or lose me and by the way, some of us need handles, ah, like, yesterday."  Ok, my clay can get very snarky sometimes.

I threw the other day and these pieces are drying but several bowls need trimming and the mugs I threw will need handles this week.  It's already Thursday...you do the math because I don't want to.  

But. Ah, yes, another one. I want to get that sweater someone wants before they're sold out and order that mobile, stocking and coffee maker, some of which by the way, were almost already gone.  And I couldn't find a few items, so I'll have to do more looking and that takes time away from my studio.

This is where I fall off the balance beam, every time.  I always thought or was taught that good planning and management and organization led to a smooth even ride but I see now that was not only not true but leads me feeling frustrated and unsuccessful.  

Ah. I see now, again and again, that life isn't a thing to be balanced but a ride to be lived.

The see saw ride of life. And I see that a see saw requires faith(that word of the year, again) that you will go down but you will also go up again.  

Now, who's going to have a talk with that snarky clay for me?