It started with perler beads. You know the little, plastic, rainbow colored beads that you ironed to make them stick in shapes? I bought a pack for Bill a few years back thinking she would enjoy playing with them. I was half right. She LOVED the idea of them but was easily frustrated when they got bumped off the board or by the length of time it took to finish a project. She would look at me with defeat in her eyes and say "This is too hard!" That was the first time I told Lilly we could do hard things.
The year that followed was hard. Their dad moved out, my marriage ended, I went back to work, we moved to a new neighborhood, Lilly started first grade at a new school, etc. Lots of things were new and unfamiliar. Days were easily derailed with a little bump in the road. Time for fun projects and play became less. Some changes were good and some were very hard.
Something about that lesson with the tiny beads stuck with me. It became my mantra I can do hard things. I never knew how strong I could be until I had no other choice.
The girls and I found new routines and have grown through the changes. The good days out number the hard but I am thankful that we were able to see our own strength. I'm glad we are able to look back and say "That was hard. But we did it!"
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| photo by daniellenicholphotography.com |
Last week I was helping with a photo shoot for a very talented local artist. We were passing around prints to hold for the pictures and I realized that I didn't even know what I was holding. I turned the print around the those words were staring straight back at me.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.
I may have teared up for a second (a brief second!) and took the print home because how could I not. Life is tough but so are we.
You can check out more prints (and other stuff) at flaxandwooldesigns.com
