+1: #840 Happy Artists

This morning on the Trail I was thinking about Mister Rogers and his challenges creating (recall our "tortures of the damned"!) along with Dr. Seuss and all his creative challenges. Then I was thinking about all the challenges I (and we all) face as I (and we all) strive to do my (and our) life's work. (And… I was thinking about that gap that pretty much *always* exists between what we see in our mind's eye and what winds up on our proverbial canvases.) I thought to myself, "Are there any artists truly happy with their work?" At precisely the moment I finished framing that question in my head I glanced down and saw a snail a few feet ahead of me. And I smiled. It was a just a normal, mid-size snail. The kind we see all the time and usually just kinda take for granted and ignore. But this morning I could see just how elegantly perfectly his (or was it her?) shell was designed. I mean, it was a piece of art!!! And then it hit me… The "Guy" (or was it "Gal"? Or was it…?) who created THAT piece of art? He/She/It was definitely happy with His/Her/Its creation. Then I looked around and saw all the other imperfectly perfect art on display—from the trees to the dirt to the rocks and the weeds and the shrubs and the sky and, well, everything. It was kind of an epiphanal moment for me. That's Today's +1. Let's celebrate all the art in our lives. And try to emulate the satisfaction of the ultimate Creator as we diligently, patiently, persistently, humbly and JOYFULLY strive to make our lives (and all its creations in it) a masterpiece!