November 18, 2012
It was cold out, and overcast. Brian had left for work, and I was avoiding mine. The end of the semester was in sight, but there were so many hurdles to jump over before it would be completed. I took a walk in an adjoining neighborhood, a place I sometimes walk through when the mood strikes me. As I walked, I thought about all of the things in my life that were causing me stress. Sometimes, it helps me to visualize them going into small tubes separated by category. I was feeling less than optimistic about the future, namely everything that has to do with money. I wondered how we were going to go from just barely paying the bills to gaining a little breathing room.
I was feeling dejected, praying for a way to see around the things that made me unsure. I looked up and noticed a beautiful dark green cabinet on the curb just off someone's front yard. I didn't realize it was there until I nearly walked into it. I surveyed it from afar, realizing that, although it had some flaws, it was exactly the kind of cabinet Brian had been looking for to display his gaming accoutrements.
I walked up to the open storm door and a woman came out. I inquired about the piece and she told me I could have it. It was such a simple moment - stumbling upon something that was beautifully crafted yet discarded, something that perfectly fit our needs and would make Brian smile, a way to visit with my dad, whose truck we needed to haul it the few blocks back to our apartment. It was a moment in which I felt like all of my burdens, all of the things that had weighed me down mere steps before, were lifted, if only for a brief moment.
I took a deep breath and smiled as I sent a picture to Brian and received his excited text back. I felt fulfilled. I felt close to something greater than myself. I felt like maybe all my worries could be dealt with in time, that I would find a way to deal with them - all because two kind people didn't have a place in their home for a slightly beat up piece of furniture.
It was cold out, and overcast. Brian had left for work, and I was avoiding mine. The end of the semester was in sight, but there were so many hurdles to jump over before it would be completed. I took a walk in an adjoining neighborhood, a place I sometimes walk through when the mood strikes me. As I walked, I thought about all of the things in my life that were causing me stress. Sometimes, it helps me to visualize them going into small tubes separated by category. I was feeling less than optimistic about the future, namely everything that has to do with money. I wondered how we were going to go from just barely paying the bills to gaining a little breathing room.
I was feeling dejected, praying for a way to see around the things that made me unsure. I looked up and noticed a beautiful dark green cabinet on the curb just off someone's front yard. I didn't realize it was there until I nearly walked into it. I surveyed it from afar, realizing that, although it had some flaws, it was exactly the kind of cabinet Brian had been looking for to display his gaming accoutrements.
I walked up to the open storm door and a woman came out. I inquired about the piece and she told me I could have it. It was such a simple moment - stumbling upon something that was beautifully crafted yet discarded, something that perfectly fit our needs and would make Brian smile, a way to visit with my dad, whose truck we needed to haul it the few blocks back to our apartment. It was a moment in which I felt like all of my burdens, all of the things that had weighed me down mere steps before, were lifted, if only for a brief moment.
I took a deep breath and smiled as I sent a picture to Brian and received his excited text back. I felt fulfilled. I felt close to something greater than myself. I felt like maybe all my worries could be dealt with in time, that I would find a way to deal with them - all because two kind people didn't have a place in their home for a slightly beat up piece of furniture.
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One of the coolest parts of this experience was seeing my dad and Brian interact as they inspected the piece once we brought it up into the apartment. It was also great to hear my dad compliment the craftsmanship of the piece, to hear him tell me he was proud of me for recognizing its potential. Out of all the times he has told me he is proud of me (and my parents have told me that countless times in my life), this was one of the most important, one that I felt a great sense of validations for.
I think this feeling came from memories of hammering away on my own stacks of scrap wood while my dad built the most beautiful custom furniture in his shop. The sweet and piney smell of sawdust would hang thick in the air, the sound of buzzing saws splitting wood that he would deftly fashion back together. These sounds and smells and sights were a deeply profound part of my childhood, a part that made me a wood snob for sure...in a good way.
Hearing my dad say that my find was a good one felt like I was somehow paying homage to his career, his craftsmanship, and my memories of working in his shop and traveling with him on weekends to make deliveries. Although I came away with no discernible woodworking skills, I did come away with a deep sense of quality craftsmanship and an appreciation for hard work and handmade art.
I think this feeling came from memories of hammering away on my own stacks of scrap wood while my dad built the most beautiful custom furniture in his shop. The sweet and piney smell of sawdust would hang thick in the air, the sound of buzzing saws splitting wood that he would deftly fashion back together. These sounds and smells and sights were a deeply profound part of my childhood, a part that made me a wood snob for sure...in a good way.
Hearing my dad say that my find was a good one felt like I was somehow paying homage to his career, his craftsmanship, and my memories of working in his shop and traveling with him on weekends to make deliveries. Although I came away with no discernible woodworking skills, I did come away with a deep sense of quality craftsmanship and an appreciation for hard work and handmade art.
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