Make a joyful noise
<sigh>
You know, it's been absolutely incredible starting a business and bringing to fruition the concept of the web-based and small-town yarn shop. It's quite literally been tons of work, and the effort has been exhausting on numerous levels from both Rob and me. But the rewards are—for me, at least (though I'm sure Rob would agree)—phenomenal.
Unfortunately, having been somewhat mired in it, I've had a very difficult time seeing the blessings this rather extraordinary experience has offered. The long hours and the stress of trying to please everybody all of the time have knotted the muscles of my neck and back into steel, and my patience with myself and my family had gotten to be less than minimal.
It's amazing, though, what ten hours alone at night in a moving vehicle can do for you.
I'd spent a rather long and somewhat unpleasant day rushing around trying to get out of Columbus Monday, so by the time I left for Georgia about dinnertime, I was a bear—and not the cuddly, warm, and wonderful kind. I know that I was terse (at best) with Rob most of the day, and for days I'd been at orange status.
Why do we do that?
Why do I do that?
<sigh>
After hours of downtime in the car and a few days of conversation with my mom, I resolve to accomplish the following:
- to spend the time it takes to save time by praying, meditating, organizing, and relaxing at times when it is necessary so that I can return to my labor with the zeal and spirit that I truly possess for the life that I've chosen for myself,
- to be in each moment the kind of person that I most truly desire to be regardless of how tired or busy I happen to be,
- to say the things that need to be said, to do the things that need to be done, and to always be as aware as I possibly can be of what those necessary things are, and
- to stay vigilant in making the day-to-day advances that I truly believe are necessary toward making my life, my family, and my business better than they have been.
Oh, and one more thing. Crowing Ram is back.
;-)
I leave Georgia this morning to head back to ThreadBear and Indiana. There are several people that I didn't get to see on this trip, and I'm sure I'll hear about it later. But you know what? This was for my mom and for me. I'm grateful to have been able to see my dad and his family briefly, and the few moments that I got to see my sister and her family were truly a blessing; I'm looking forward to seeing them again sometime after the first of the year. But now, I've got to get back to work, and I'm infinitely better prepared for it.
Keep us all in your prayers, folks, and please keep sending that positive energy. You can't possibly know how deeply it's been appreciated. I'll look forward to hearing from you at the shop.
Much love, people.
Matt.
posted by Matt at
