About a month ago at a staff meeting, we were asked "if we could learn anything, what would we want to learn?" I could not answer the question. When I first thought about it, it just seemed like an odd question. If I REALLY want to learn something, I do. Sometimes I think I want to learn something and then get into and realize nope, this is not for me. Or I learn it. The more I thought about the question though, it bothered me that I didn't have a list of new things I wanted to learn. I looked for my "new years" list, but I had written it a different way this year.It ended up a list of places I want to go.
Since then I have thought of a few:
1. Learn to draw lettering so I can use it in art or even Bible journaling like these.
2. Learn to do more quilting by hand. This might be applique or just doing more of the actual quilting by hand. I have started gathering some tools for that, although I have learned that this "perle cotton" everyone tells me to use for the colorful stitching is extremely hard to buy around here!
3.I still want to learn how to grow a garden that actually produces something. Not sure that this is the year to do that, what with the month of rain and all.
4. Learn to live every day more like I do when I travel--taking time to journal and sketch everyday, walking, building relationships and just enjoying where I am. Summer is excellent for this.
We went to the Mabee-Gerrer Museum on Friday, mainly because I wanted to see this Bible, the Saint John's Bible:
There are also three mummies there, which my kids love. This visit my son was enthralled with the samarai uniform while my daughter loved a glass bowl made of sparkly pieces of glass.
They also loved the fish.
I learned that there is one other place in Tecumseh to get a delicious dessert (the other is at my parents' house)!
Now you might have noticed that my list of things to learn did not have anything that directly tied to my job. I have learned my lesson with that. I had made a list for that. I thought it would be great to learn more about mental illness and the facilities for that here in my town, and to learn more about the criminal justice system. I planned to read some books, talk to some people, maybe take a tour or something. Instead I got to go with someone to check into a mental health facility. I got to press charges against someone and watch that proceed through the court system (thankfully did not have to go to trial). All I have learned through all of that is that more learning did not help me help people. Yes, perhaps it has made me more merciful and understanding. I also learned our systems for mental illness and criminal justice don't really help either, at least not long term. It makes me even more grateful that I can create art and quilts, spend time with family and friends, and just explore more to take a break from all that. And for a part time job with the flexibility to do that.
Since then I have thought of a few:
1. Learn to draw lettering so I can use it in art or even Bible journaling like these.
2. Learn to do more quilting by hand. This might be applique or just doing more of the actual quilting by hand. I have started gathering some tools for that, although I have learned that this "perle cotton" everyone tells me to use for the colorful stitching is extremely hard to buy around here!
3.I still want to learn how to grow a garden that actually produces something. Not sure that this is the year to do that, what with the month of rain and all.
4. Learn to live every day more like I do when I travel--taking time to journal and sketch everyday, walking, building relationships and just enjoying where I am. Summer is excellent for this.
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| Apple Tree Chocolates |
We went to the Mabee-Gerrer Museum on Friday, mainly because I wanted to see this Bible, the Saint John's Bible:
There are also three mummies there, which my kids love. This visit my son was enthralled with the samarai uniform while my daughter loved a glass bowl made of sparkly pieces of glass.
They also loved the fish.
After lunch we grabbed a yummy dessert from the Kalico Kitchen Bakery at the Farmer's Daughter Market. We will definitely go back there.
Now you might have noticed that my list of things to learn did not have anything that directly tied to my job. I have learned my lesson with that. I had made a list for that. I thought it would be great to learn more about mental illness and the facilities for that here in my town, and to learn more about the criminal justice system. I planned to read some books, talk to some people, maybe take a tour or something. Instead I got to go with someone to check into a mental health facility. I got to press charges against someone and watch that proceed through the court system (thankfully did not have to go to trial). All I have learned through all of that is that more learning did not help me help people. Yes, perhaps it has made me more merciful and understanding. I also learned our systems for mental illness and criminal justice don't really help either, at least not long term. It makes me even more grateful that I can create art and quilts, spend time with family and friends, and just explore more to take a break from all that. And for a part time job with the flexibility to do that.
Food for thought. Thanks for sharing. Made my nose hurt.
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