Creative Thinking: Time to stop and smell the roses
For years, I knew some huge original paintings I created 30 years ago for Smith and Sons' downtown Rosewood Restaurant were presently hanging in their corporate office. They were hardly a mile away, yet I couldn't find the time to stop by to visit them.
Last week, I drove past their offices for the umpteenth time and finally made a decision to stop. I hit the brakes, basically performing a complete U-turn on Riverside Drive to go back.
"I'm going to make the time to see these paintings no matter what," I mumbled to myself.
I walked into the reception area and there, filling up an entire wall directly in front of me, were the multiple paintings of roses I created so many years before. It took me a few minutes to soak them in.
It was like visiting with a friend I hadn't seen in many years. It was so refreshing to take that moment in time to do something I wanted to do. I left the building with a smile on my face.
The older I become, the more I appear to be losing some of my super powers. It seems I'm less able to juggle all the things I did in my younger superhero days. Being at four different places in less than an hour or doing two different things at once was undoubtedly much easier back then.
Recently, while performing on stage, I found it a bit harder to create and cook while sharing multiple stories featuring more than a few colorful characters. In fact, just preparing for my recent holiday shows took more energy than I seemed to have available at the time.
Aging has a double whammy effect on us. Our energy wanes without much warning and time speeds up without even politely asking permission.
Since time actually does remain the same, it must be our world that has floored the accelerator, taking us along for the ride. Sometimes it seems that no one has the power to apply the brakes!
We are entering the swirling hurricane of a season we affectionately refer to as The Holidays. The holidays are no longer upcoming; they are here!
The word holiday evokes a feeling of rest and renewal, yet both are extremely hard to locate during the holidays. They hide behind having to do this and not wanting to do that. This year, I'm seeking to put the "joy" back in "enjoy."
The other day, my wife and I ran into a lady at a drugstore checkout who asked if we were already in line. "No," we answered. "After the weekend we just had, we are trying to slow down!"
"I know exactly what you mean," the lady said. "Life is too short. We all need to stop and smell the roses!"
I told her that was exactly what I was writing my column about this Sunday. It was as if she was standing there to tell me I had made the right choice.
What I didn't tell her was I had actually stopped to smell the roses the other day -- well, that's not exactly true. I didn't smell the rose paintings, but I sure took the time to visit them,
What I discovered was that even though my super powers have started to fade, the roses I painted 30 years ego remain just as fresh as the last time I saw them. They were in no hurry to lose their luster. Why should they? They were content just to be present in the beauty of the moment.
As we count down the days, hours and minutes until Christmas, let's all try to apply the brakes and make a promise to ourselves to stop and smell the roses this holiday season.
If not the roses, at least the poinsettias or the pumpkin pie or the scent of the ones we love! I promise we will be happier for having done so.
MORE WITH MARK
Join Mark at the two following events:
Holly Jolly Holiday Market: 5-9 p.m. Dec. 3, Macon Terminal Station, 200 Cherry St.
Nine Hundred Ten Holiday Open House: noon-2 p.m. Dec. 5, 910 Carroll St., Perry
Shop www.markballard.com any time for Mark's new Christmas merchandise.
Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; call 478-757-6877 or email markballard@cox.net.
This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Creative Thinking: Time to stop and smell the roses ."