wherefigsfly

You can do hard things.   I spoke these words to my son this week.  You mustn’t think too far ahead…focus on what you have to do today.  Not next week, just today.  Though you’re understandably overwhelmed right now, you will get through this.  You will. 

And I thought it bore repeating.  You can do hard things, bud. 

In my son’s case, the overwhelm is the result of the combination of choice (“Mom, I can only blame myself for this school load”) AND absence of choice (an autoimmune disease).  This child o’ mine has already done hard things.  He can pull his wagon.  He just needed a helpful push by way of a reminder.

Brave Mable on etsy

This got me to thinkin’ about what’s in my wagon.  There are things by choice (e.g. husband, kids, The Fig) and things absent of choice (e.g. a sick child, a mom with dementia)  The wagon is full and precariously loaded.  I desire a wagon that’s got everything neat and strapped down.  In other words, I desire full-on equilibrium.  You know,  the balanced life.   But after decades, no less, I have come to view that life balance is a myth. Whew!  Just writing that makes me feel better.  Believing that makes me feel even better.  While I yearn for a simple and elegant life, I’ve no choice but to pull some complex and messy in my wagon. 

What does that look like?  There are times when you sit beside your child, and everything else slides to the edge.  There are times when you tend to your mama and only get in an hour at The Fig.  There are times when you’re on fire at The Fig and you don’t get home until suppertime.  There are times when you’re not sure you can carry it all another day.  Which means there are times when you need to be reminded.  You can do hard things.

,

june 

This time of year calls for reflection…goal-setting…dreaming of different and better.  One of many things that The Fig has taught me is that we don’t get to start where we want to be.  We have to start where we are. 

The dream of this business blind-sided me…I did not see it coming.  But it came.  And while visions of where I wanted to be danced in my head, the feet-on-the-ground reality has been that you have to work your way to where you want to be.  It is not glamorous work.  It requires doing the next gritty thing.  And then the next.  And the next.

Frankie and I sat down yesterday, made some goals, got a loose calendar for the year. There’s a lot of next things on the list.  And there are still lofty dreams dancing in my head.  I watched This Old House and oh my, what I would give for some of those woodworking tools for Frankie.  And I dream of additional studio space.  I see it.  A heavy corrugated industrial steel building with a soaring shed roof and amazing natural light…a dust-free environment dedicated to painting and staining.  Hot water.  A restroom. 

But this is Where We Are

While not ideal, it is good.  Very good…maybe even dream worthy.  And we welcome you to visit us on Saturdays…anytime from 10am to 3pm .  Our barn cats will be running around…we can offer you cold water from the outside spigot…and you can check out the furniture we have available and get a peek of things to come.  

Best wishes for the new year…we would love for you to come see us where we are,

june

P.S.  For the month of January, we are offering a 20% discount on all furniture and free delivery.