Perfection

A retired Navy by the name of William Tarra built this ship model of the Admiral Graf Spee. He made good use of wood strips and flexiglass and finished up with a 700 lb, 52 inch beam and 30 foot long boat that carries two people. Imagine the patience, his love of the Navy and the fortitude to build this beautiful model and then be able to sail in it. What a feat, what an imagination and what a patient man he must be.

My brother-in-law, Walter Ramsey, now long gone to his reward, was another such man. He used to build Navy ship models right down to the last detail. To him it was a labor of love and he never tired of the work entailed. I think he relished it and it made all of us aware of the talent and the patience it takes to perfect ones hobbies.

Many of us find we have a talent for building something beautiful and never complain about the time or the labor that it takes to make a finished product, and do so without little or no effort. Then you have folks who spend a lot of time and money trying to make something into a hobby they can enjoy and take pride in only to find they have 'two left hands' and no talent for their selected hobby. I was one of those who wanted to fill my spare time creating . . . and I did, lots of imperfect sewing projects, hundreds of paintings, poems and musings but never a perfect product. Did I enjoy the trip down 'hobby' land? You can rest assured I honestly did. My imperfect attempts were my badge of courage to become a 'perfect' person and I still haven't made it.

So today, as you pursue your hobbies, take pride in your attempts, perfect or imperfect, for you are truly enjoying your creativity and it does not have to be 'perfect'. If you are creating something beautiful, make two, as I would love to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I'm working on a new novella and as the words on my shirt say, "be careful you may be in my next novel." Make your days bright and beautiful, just like you.