We all sat at our long cafeteria table with a big lump of clay in front of us and stared at it like it was something from another planet. We looked at each other up and down the long table and shrugged our shoulders and laughed and shared the same feeling of uncertainty.
Then, a bit timid at first, we began to touch the clay and then knead it and work it and really bond with it. Eventually, art happened.
One thing he said over and over what this: "If you don't like what's happening, if you feel like you're going nowhere with the clay, just squirsh it all together and start all over again!"
That was painful! When that happened, people groaned and made noises of sorrow and regret and "woe is me!" comments. But, they knew it was time. Something just went wrong and continuing with the mistake was not going to fix it. Continuing and trying to pretend like it was going to be fine was not going to right the wrong. They knew it was just time to smash it together and start all over again.
As long as you're alive and still breathing on this earth, you still have a chance to right the wrong. As long as you're still alive and breathing on this earth, you have the opportunity to remold, reshape, rebuild your life. As long as you are still breathing on this earth, you can start over again and you can hope to create something beautiful.
Two friends of mine both had horrible fathers on this earth. Both of them were totally cheated and robbed of having a loving father who was gentle and kind. Both of them had horrible horrible fathers. These men both died without trying to fix their wrongs. Both of these men died before they tried to at least enjoy one day of goodness. And when they died, my friends neither one grieved. And even in that, they were robbed, because we are made to grieve, we are made to love, especially our parents.
In a quit, if you fail, you are way ahead of these men. You are so far ahead of this pathetic legacy they left their daughters. Compared to that, it is easy for you to come back and start over and make it right this time.
And like the clay, if you feel it isn't working, just start over. There is no shame in that. What there is in that, is wisdom, insightful wisdom.
