Transformation

Most often, transformation happens in stages. There are times it requires one step forward and two steps back, maybe even a little lurching and some plodding. Things may not go as planned. In fact, depending on how elaborate the plan is, they probably won’t. But any good transformation is worth the effort. At Mulberry Street, we have experienced transformation right along with our furniture. We thought the journey would be more or less linear. But we were wrong. We had to deal with several missteps and disappointing results in order to find people who take pride in the work they do. Several times we were back to square one. We think a piece is finished, and then we decide it still needs this or that. The people in the hardware store just look at me and ask with their expression, “What on earth do you need now?” Sometimes they have it. Sometimes they don’t make it anymore and we have to improvise. Sometimes it takes several tries before we find the thing to improvise with. We have learned to take what the day offers. To let go of expectations and the to-do list and just do what comes up. I love my lists, but now I use them mainly for the entertainment value of writing them and secondarily as a loose guideline. Sometimes I may work all day and not be able to mark off a single thing from the list. It does not discourage me. It just means that the events of the day took precedence. I think that’s the way it should be.