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MY SUNDAY JOURNAL
By Dalton Roberts
IPS Features
7-21-02
FINDING AND SHARING BEAUTY
On this date in ‘81 my father finished making gavels for several
courthouse officials. He made them from an Osage Orange limb that fell
from a tree on the courthouse lawn.
It brings two wonderful thoughts to mind. First, my father found
something he loved that brightened his retirement years: woodworking.
When he retired at 65 he was extremely bored and returned to work. When
he retired for good, he resumed his interest in woodworking and made
many objects of great worth for his many friends.
The other thought that blessed this Sunday morning was how great beauty
can come from something that seems to have no value. If Dad hadn't taken
that big limb home, a city chipper truck would have shredded it into
little pieces. Instead, it made some of the most beautiful gavels I have
ever seen, cherished by our judges.
Sometimes people fall around us, just like that big limb. They do down
with discouragement, or drugs, or disease, or heartbreak. Life can come
along and shred them into tiny pieces and they are forgotten. Or we can
take them into the workshop of our hearts and put them on the lathe of
love and help them become works of art.
HUMMINGBIRD CREATIVITY
In an Indian story, Eagle and Hummingbird argued over who was the
greatest winged creature. They decided to race to the Sun.
As he neared the Sun, Eagle looked back and Hummingbird was not in
sight. So he assumed he had won and turned around and started back.
Hummingbird darted out from his hiding place under Eagle's wing,
continued on, and through his creativity won..
Creativity is the most important ingredient of success. Work is only
important when you work smart. Love is fantastic but will get you in
trouble unless you love smart.
Each time we look at anything we are doing and see if there is some
creative touch we can add to make it more effective, we are flying out
from under the Eagle's wing and reaching the Sun.
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